Mr. Sardonicus

In 1880, Sir Robert Cargrave travels to Castle Sardonicus at the urging of Maude, the baron's wife and his former lover. He meets Sardonicus and begins to assess the baron's mysterious paralysis. Tension builds as locals warn of fear surrounding the baron's home.

Krull tortures Sardonicus's maid Anna with leeches, claiming it is bloodletting. Sir Robert is disturbed by the cruel display and questions the baron's methods. The scene establishes the brutal atmosphere at the castle.

Maude fears the consequences if Sir Robert refuses Sardonicus's requests. She senses the baron will hurt her or others if denied. The tension hints at the coercive grip the baron holds over those around him.

Sardonicus terrorizes the locals and bribes women to his chambers, maintaining control through sadism. The community lives under his unpredictable power while Sir Robert weighs his options. The mood is oppressive and dangerous.

Sardonicus recounts his backstory as Marek Toleslawski, a farmer married to Elenka. Henryk buys a lottery ticket and dies before the drawing, leaving the prize buried with him. The revelation explains the roots of Marek's later transformation.

Marek and Elenka discover that the winning ticket is buried with Henryk. When Marek opens the grave, he is confronted by Henryk's partially rotted, grinning face, and Marek's own face freezes into a similar horrifying grin. The moment marks the birth of Sardonicus's curse.

Overwhelmed by fear, Elenka commits suicide. Marek adopts the name Sardonicus and uses the lottery prize to buy a title and a castle. He hires speech experts to retrain his voice and dispels his speech impediment.

Sardonicus conducts experiments on young women in an attempt to find a cure for his condition, but he has little success. His obsession grows as he searches for a remedy. The castle becomes a labyrinth of grim experiments.

Maude informs Sardonicus that Sir Robert is a renowned paralysis expert who might restore his face. Sardonicus presses ahead, hoping the doctor can help. The plan pushes Sir Robert toward dangerous methods.

Sir Robert agrees to try to cure Sardonicus but his initial efforts fail and risk death. The baron grows increasingly impatient and coercive. The tension between patient and doctor peaks.

Sardonicus coerces Sir Robert by threatening Maude with harm and locking Maude in a room with Henryk's open coffin. The tactic pushes the doctor toward a drastic plan. The setup foreshadows the dramatic reversal to come.

Sir Robert injects Sardonicus with a plant extract and recreates the traumatic moment that caused his condition. The operation succeeds and Sardonicus's face is restored, though the baron is cautioned to stay quiet as his muscles adjust.

The baron annuls his marriage to Maude and sends a note to Sir Robert asking his fee. Sir Robert refuses payment, choosing to depart with Maude and his doctor. The mood shifts toward uneasy relief.

As they prepare to leave by train, Krull returns to the castle carrying news that Sardonicus remains unable to speak. Sir Robert tells Krull that the injection was a placebo, implying the cure is psychosomatic. Krull withholds the truth and instead feeds Sardonicus a final meal, leaving him doomed to starve.