I liked this film as a kid, it was a lot of fun.
Which title was first, Fanatic or Die, Die, and why did they change it?
How did Mrs. Trefoile get 2 people to help her murder an innocent girl? Were they previously evil criminals? I understand why Donald Sutherland's character was easily manipulated.
When Pat's boyfriend came by to try to find her, what did Anna gag her with so she couldn't yell for help?
Thanks!
I'm not sure why they changed the title, but I'm glad they did. "Die, Die My Darling" is so much more melodramatic and Tallulah Bankhead actually utters the title in the film--always a bonus!
I got the impression that Harry had a previous (though minor) criminal record, but the main reason he obeyed Mrs. Trefoil was that he was a distant relative (the only one remaining) and stood to inherit everything when she finally kicked off. Anna stuck around because she loved Harry. You could tell that Anna didn't necessarily think that what they were doing was right, though. And I don't think either of them knew that Mrs. Trefoil intended to kill Patricia. She didn't know herself until she got that weird "message" from Stephen. Up to that time, she was just trying to "redeem" her.
It looked to me like Patricia was just gagged with a piece of cloth.
Just saw the film for the first time last night. Crazy and over the top, just like a good Hammer film should be!
"Fanatic" was first, and this was the original title from Hammer Films. The film was released as "Fanatic" in the United Kingdom, where the film was made. It was re-titled "Die! Die! My Darling!" for its release in the United States. It wasn't uncommon for British films to be re-titled for release in the United States. Also, several U.S. films were re-titled when released in the U.K.
shareTallulah Bankhead objected strongly to the title change to DIE!, DIE, MY DARLING! as it seemed a cheap reference to her famous habit of calling everyone "Dahling..."
First saw this on TV around 1966/1967 - I think it was my intro to Bankhead (as BABY JANE had been my intro to Davis and Crawford) - I actually thought Bankhead was British, and was astonished to learn she was born in Alabama!
"Remind me to tell you about the time I looked into the heart of an artichoke."
The original novel on which the film is based is called Nightmare but that title couldn't be used because Hammer had recently made a horror film called Nightmare. Fanatic was the original title and fitted in with the titles Maniac, Paranoiac, Hysteria and Nightmare which were similar-type of Hammer films.
The titlke was changed for the US release to Die Die My Darling because Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte had just made a load of money.
The title was changed for the US release to "Die Die My Darling" because "Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte" had just made a load of money.