Richard C. Sarafian (1930–2013)

Ex-junkie Tim Brett's (David Hemmings) aunt is murdered while on holiday in Italy. The investigation by the Italian police appears cursory and Tim begins his own amateur investigation. He turns up a clue about the mysterious Stepping Stones organisation and is soon being warned off by some dubious characters and by some blunt and ominous warnings. "Fragment of Fear" is a first class thriller that is cleverly constructed by screenwriter Paul Dehn and director Richard Sarafian. They constantly keep the narrative fluid - one minute it looks as if there is a monstrous conspiracy being played out against Tim; the next it looks more likely that he's losing his grip on reality. David Hemmings is excellent in the role - he is by turns neurotic, frantic, bewildered and sweaty, but manages to remain likeable throughout. The audiences sympathies remain with him despite his increasingly erratic behaviour. A range of nicely drawn minor characters float in and out of the narrative adding their own layer of confusion to proceedings. Oswald Morris delivers some nice, atmospheric location photography and a restrained approach to portraying escalating delusion. Unfortunately Johnny Harris delivers a loud, ostentatious score that is jarring and seems designed to draw attention to itself. It doesn't overly detract, however, from what is an underrated, quirky and highly atmospheric psychological thriller.… (more)