Delusion

Delusion

Year: 1981

Runtime: 91 mins

Language: English

Director: Alan Beattie

Horror

Meredith Stone, a home‑care nurse, is tasked with looking after the bedridden billionaire Ivar Langrock in his isolated country estate. Strange noises lead her to discover Ivar’s violent, locked‑away son. When Ivar’s grandson Gabriel arrives, a hidden killer begins murdering family members and staff throughout the manor.

Delusion (1981) – Spoiler-Free Movie Summary & Plot Overview

Get a spoiler-free look at Delusion (1981) with a clear plot overview that covers the setting, main characters, and story premise—without revealing key twists or the ending. Perfect for deciding if this film is your next watch.

In the remote reaches of the countryside, an imposing estate sits silent behind its iron gate, home to the reclusive billionaire Ivar Langrock. Confined to his bed by age and illness, he relies on a delicate routine of care that brings a solitary nurse into his world. Meredith Stone answers that call, stepping into a place where the walls seem to hold more than just the echo of footsteps, and where the very air hums with a quiet tension that hints at long‑kept secrets.

Meredith carries her own weight of sorrow and family trauma, a past that she rarely speaks of aloud but that informs the way she moves through the mansion’s shadowed corridors. Her days quickly become a delicate balance between attending to Ivar’s needs and navigating the house’s eerie undercurrents—locked doors, strange noises, and a palpable sense that something is being deliberately concealed. In the depths of the second floor she discovers a hidden room, a place that suggests the family’s history is far more complex than the polished façade presented to the outside world.

The arrival of Gabriel Langrock, Ivar’s adult grandson who has lived a markedly different life on a remote commune, further disturbs the fragile equilibrium. His presence introduces new dynamics, an uneasy mixture of curiosity, lingering grief, and an unspoken tension that ripples through the household staff and the aging patriarch alike. As Gabriel settles into the estate, the atmosphere tightens, and an invisible menace begins to make its presence felt, stirring a sense of dread that permeates the manor’s grand rooms.

The film unfurls as a tightly wound psychological thriller, its tone drenched in gothic melancholy and claustrophobic suspense. The isolated setting becomes a character in its own right, echoing the hidden fears and unsettled loyalties of those who inhabit it. Amid whispered confidences and lingering glances, Meredith must confront the mysteries that lie behind closed doors, while the estate itself seems to watch, waiting to reveal what has long been buried beneath its polished surface.

Last Updated: December 04, 2025 at 22:59

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Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Isolated manor horror movies like Delusion

Stories where a remote estate becomes a prison for terror and secrets.If you liked the claustrophobic dread of Delusion set in a remote mansion, explore more movies where isolated estates are the backdrop for psychological terror. These films use the 'old dark house' trope to create a sense of paranoia and inescapable doom, often centered on buried family secrets.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative often follows an outsider—a caretaker, a guest, a new spouse—entering a secluded, wealthy household. Their initial curiosity or professional duty turns to fear as they uncover gruesome secrets, leading to a tense cat-and-mouse game where the house itself feels like an antagonist. The story typically builds to a violent confrontation that reveals the true horror lurking within the family.

Why These Movies?

These films are grouped by their oppressive setting, which is central to the plot and mood. They share a feeling of gothic dread, a slow-burning paranoia, and themes of hereditary madness or corruption, creating a coherent experience of being trapped with evil in a place of faded grandeur.

Movies with an unreliable killer protagonist like Delusion

Thrillers where the narrator is secretly the murderer, living a delusion.Fans of Delusion's twist about the killer's identity will enjoy these psychological thrillers. Find more movies where the main character is an unreliable narrator hiding their homicidal nature, leading to a mind-bending experience where perception and reality violently collide.

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Narrative Summary

The story is constructed to build sympathy for the protagonist as they navigate a threatening situation. Clues are subtly placed that hint at their instability, often linked to a traumatic past. The climax revolves around the shattering confrontation where their delusion is broken, revealing the brutal truth of their actions and forcing a bleak resolution.

Why These Movies?

These movies are connected by a specific and powerful narrative structure that subverts audience expectations. They share a heavy psychological focus, a dark tone, and a journey that is as much about uncovering the protagonist's mind as it is about solving the central mystery.

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Delusion Summary

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Delusion Summary

Delusion Timeline

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Delusion Timeline

Characters, Settings & Themes in Delusion

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Delusion

More About Delusion

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