The Collector

The Collector is a 1965 American psychological horror film based on the 1963 novel The Collector by John Fowles. The film was adapted by Stanley Mann and John Kohn and was directed by William Wyler, who turned down The Sound of Music to do it. It starred Terence Stamp and Samantha Eggar. Frederick Clegg is a lonely young man who collects butterflies. After winning a large sum of money in a football pool, he buys an isolated country house and begins stalking pretty, young art student, Miranda Grey. One day in the city, Frederick kidnaps and chloroforms Miranda. He loads her unconscious body... into the back of his van and drives to his house, locking Miranda in the windowless stone cellar that he has prepared with a bed, some furnishings, and an electric heater. When Miranda awakens, Frederick confesses his love for her, and explains that he only wants time for her to get to know him. At first, Miranda angrily demands to be released, but later agrees to stay for four weeks, but only if he gives her his word that he will let her go at the end of that time. Miranda stays locked in the cellar, except for occasional baths in the main house.
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