The Tell-Tale Heart (1953)

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Based upon the famous Edgar Allan Poe story, The Tell-Tale Heart is narrated in the first-person by James Mason, who starts out the story indignantly asking why one would call him mad. He then calmly and precisely relates the story of how he came to be obsessed with the Old Man who lived in the old… More Based upon the famous Edgar Allan Poe story, The Tell-Tale Heart is narrated in the first-person by James Mason, who starts out the story indignantly asking why one would call him mad. He then calmly and precisely relates the story of how he came to be obsessed with the Old Man who lived in the old house. Although the Old Man never harmed him nor did him wrong, he became tortured by his existence -- especially by his eye, the milky white film of which the Narrator soon imagined stared at him everywhere. The Narrator resolves to get rid of his enemy, and first makes sure that the Old Man will suspect nothing by gaining his trust. After waiting and watching with intense patience, he finally kills him late one night and disposes of the body by burying it beneath the floor and carefully replacing the floorboards. Police, having been alerted by a neighbor who head the Old Man's screams, arrive but see nothing amiss. The Narrator initially remains cool and calm and the police suspect nothing, but during their presence, the killer suddenly hears the Old Man's heart beating louder and louder. Eventually, certain that the police hear it as well and are just toying with him, he screams out his confession of guilt. ~ Craig Butler, Rovi