Experiment in Terror

Year: 1962

Runtime: 123 mins

Language: English

Director: Blake Edwards

CrimeThrillerCrime

A menacing caller with a wheezy, asthmatic voice breaks into clerk Kelly Sherwood’s home, threatening her and demanding she use her position at the bank to help him steal a sizable sum. As terror and tension mount, Kelly must confront the harrowing ordeal and the impossible choice it forces upon her.

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Experiment in Terror (1962) – Full Plot Summary & Ending Explained

Read the complete plot breakdown of Experiment in Terror (1962), including all key story events, major twists, and the ending explained in detail. Discover what really happened—and what it all means.

A sadistic killer, Garland ‘Red’ Lynch [Ross Martin], launches a campaign of fear to coerce San Francisco bank teller Kelly Sherwood [Lee Remick] into stealing $100,000 from her own bank for him. Lynch threatens to kill Kelly or her teenage sister Toby Sherwood [Stefanie Powers] if she goes to the authorities, and he has even arranged a setup that makes it clear he is watching her every move. The pressure mounts as Lynch’s taunts echo over the phone, turning Kelly’s life into a tense chess game where every move could trigger violence.

Desperate for help, Kelly reaches out to the FBI in San Francisco, and agent John Ripley [Glenn Ford] takes charge of the case. Ripley begins tracing Lynch’s network and begins gathering clues, while Kelly struggles to stay one step ahead of the terror that Lynch wields. Ripley’s investigations lead him to a woman who hints at involvement in something larger, but before she can reveal more, Lynch murders her, underscoring how far Lynch will go to protect his r use of fear.

Kelly continues to endure Lynch’s relentless harassment, her anxiety amplified by an asthmatic voice that never reveals its owner yet feels all the more menacing. The FBI pieces together Lynch’s criminal history, cataloging convictions for statutory rape, forgery, criminal assault, armed robbery and murder. They locate Lynch’s girlfriend, Lisa Soong [Anita Loo], whose six-year-old son has just had a hip replacement. Lynch is paying the hospital bills, and Lisa, conflicted by his generosity, refuses to believe he is a killer and won’t cooperate with the investigation.

Ripley digs deeper, learning more about “Uncle Red” from the boy and inching closer to a truth that Lynch desperately tries to keep hidden. As the net tightens, Lynch fixes a time for the theft and, to guarantee Kelly’s compliance, kidnaps her sister Toby, pulling the sisters into a deadly trap.

The climax unfolds in a dramatic nighttime chase through Candlestick Park after a Giants–Dodgers game. The on-field sequence features close-up moments with Dodgers pitcher Don Drysdale [Don Drysdale], a stark reminder of the city’s baseball fever. Ripley and his team close in on Lynch on the infield, a tense standoff that culminates when Lynch takes aim at a police helicopter. In a decisive shot, Ripley shoots Lynch, ending his terror as he dies on the pitcher’s mound.

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 11:15

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Extortion Thrillers like Experiment in Terror

Stories where ordinary people are forced into crime by a menacing outside force.If you liked the high-pressure cat-and-mouse game in Experiment in Terror, you'll find similar tension in these movies about psychological extortion. This list features crime thrillers and suspense stories where vulnerable protagonists are forced into heists or crimes by a terrifying antagonist.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern involves an ordinary protagonist's life being shattered by the arrival of a threat—often a voice on the phone or a shadowy figure—who demands they perform a criminal act. The story unfolds as a battle of wits and nerves, with the protagonist searching for a way out while under constant surveillance and fear for their safety or that of their loved ones.

Why These Movies?

These films are grouped by their shared focus on psychological manipulation as the primary engine of suspense. They create a specific kind of dread rooted in the violation of personal safety and the exploitation of fear, rather than outright graphic violence, resulting in a consistently tense and paranoid viewing experience.

Methodical Crime Thrillers like Experiment in Terror

Thrillers built on steady escalation and meticulous pursuit between hunter and hunted.For viewers who appreciated the steady, building pressure of Experiment in Terror, this list features similar methodical cat-and-mouse thrillers. Discover movies with a focused FBI investigation, a calculating criminal, and a pacing that methodically tightens the suspense until the final clash.

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Narrative Summary

These narratives often follow a dual perspective, alternating between the pursuer (like an FBI agent) and the pursued (the criminal or victim). The plot avoids frantic action in favor of a steady, logical progression where each clue discovered or move made raises the stakes, leading to a tightly constructed and satisfying climax.

Why These Movies?

They are united by a specific approach to pacing and structure. The similarity lies in the controlled, non-flashy build-up of suspense, the intelligence of the central conflict, and the feeling of being a step-by-step observer in a high-stakes game where every detail matters.

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Experiment in Terror Timeline

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Experiment in Terror

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Experiment in Terror Spoiler-Free Summary

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More About Experiment in Terror

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