Nice effects though.

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

This seems among the hardest of Castle's efforts to come by: there is no legitimate home video release of it and, in fact, I had first acquired a poor-quality copy taken from a 16mm print but have now upgraded to a superior (if still rather soft) one sourced from TCM just in time for its inclusion in my ongoing centenary tribute to the director. The film, then, definitely takes him off the chiller course – opting for a black comedy vein which he would retain for his two subsequent efforts (both awaiting their turn, to be sure, in my current schedule), namely THE BUSY BODY and THE SPIRIT IS WILLING (both 1967). Besides, children are once again put at the forefront of the cast (and murder victim) list – as had been the case with the recently-viewed 13 FRIGHTENED GIRLS (1963) and I SAW WHAT YOU DID (1965).The movie could well be confused with Nigel Patrick's HOW TO MURDER A RICH UNCLE (1957) but, here, we have a villainous relative trying to dispose of the rightful heir to a fortune – so the latter, a boy, decides to do the older man in himself before he can succeed in his nefarious scheme…hence the title and, by extension, the delightful irony of the central situation! Adding to the amusement is the fact that, though the child is ostensibly protected by a police sergeant, the latter is totally oblivious to the battle-of-wills going on around him! Besides, the kid is a compulsive liar, for which he is constantly berated by his girl companion – played by Mary Badham of TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD (1962) fame – and of whose own female guardian the cop soon becomes enamoured. Most important of all, the uncle is a veritable (and published) WWII hero – so that his endeavours to get-rich-quick involve militaristic strategies, and a good deal of cold-bloodedness!While the film is certainly no lost classic, it receives a definite boost once nominal star Nigel Green (in one of his best screen roles) gets his belated introduction; among the most inventive attempts by the protagonists to outdo each other are a precarious walk near a clifftop while under a hypnotic spell; a fall into a murky pool in which a shark is at large; the 'is it or isn't it?' poisoned mushroom sauce at dinner; a flight in a private plane with a low fuel supply; and a tarantula attack. The ending, then, which puts the deadly game squarely at a draw can be seen as a cop-out – but also that Castle was only pulling our leg throughout or, if you like, having some typically ghoulish fun at our expense…despite not having an accompanying gimmick this time around or, as it turned out, ever again!

Young Barnaby Harrison's (Pat Cardi) father has died in a car crash--and Barnaby is set to inherit 5 million dollars. Barnaby's uncle Kevin (Nigel Green) is next in line and is prepared to kill Barnaby to get the money. The two are stuck on an island and try everything they can do to kill one another. By the way--this is aimed at kids!! I never caught this as a kid on TV like most people seem to have. I can see how a kid might enjoy this cause it's FAR too silly to take seriously and some of the "games" are fun (in a sick sort of way). Seeing it as an adult I found it slow, stupid and somewhat disturbing about having a movie where an adult is trying to kill a kid whose father has just died! To make it worse it throws in an ending which comes out of nowhere and renders the entire film pointless. This only gets a 2 because Cardi, Green and Mary Badham (as Chrissie) aren't that bad in their roles. But this is a pretty sick and dull little item that is almost impossible to see today--for good reason!

Imaginative lad, orphaned and living on an isolated (some say haunted!) island with his uncle, learns quickly that his bug-eyed relative wants him dispatched permanently in order to cash in on the lad's five-million dollar inheritance. The boy then involves his bickering playmate in turning the tables on the nefarious grown-up, who seems to take delight in this deadly game of cat-and-mouse. Adapted from a novel by Rohan O'Grady, this William Castle thriller is curious and intriguing without being provocative. The kids plot to poison Uncle with mushrooms but are somehow thwarted, while Uncle--armed with a can of gasoline--attempts to set the two on fire (but how would he explain this to the authorities?). You absolutely cannot look for logic in a Castle screamer...but imagine how good (if not great) his films might have been with a little smarts! *1/2 from ****

One of Castle's oddest entries concerns an orphaned boy who is due to get an inheritance. However, his evil uncle has plans to kill the boy before he can collect. Between the boy and a girl he meets on the island where he's staying with friends, they cook up a plan to thwart the uncle's plans. There is a long sequence near the end involving hypnotism, a shark and a pool that is too strange for words.