Mr. Sardonicus

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.
Baron Sardonicus, masked.

"A ghoul, as I'm sure you know, is a disgusting creature who opens graves and feeds on corpses."

Baron Sardonicus

Mr. Sardonicus is a horror film from the year 1961. It was directed by William Castle and stars Guy Rolfe as the eponymous Sardonicus. It was based on the short story "Sardonicus" by Ray Russell.

Set in the year 1880, the film follows Sir Robert Cargrave, a renowned surgeon who specialises in paralysis, who receives a letter from his past love Maude and is invited to the mansion of her husband, Baron Sardonicus, in the fictional country of Gorslava.

When he reaches his destination he finds the reason for him to be there; Baron Sardonicus' face has been paralyzed into a horrifying rictus grin many years ago and he wants Richard's help. But his face is not the only thing twisted...

As with other William Castle films, the movie's main marketing gimmick was the audience's chance to decide the title character's fate by "penalty poll", the outcome of which supposedly affected the film's ending (even though only one was shot).

Baron Sardonicus grins upon: