(woman screaming)
(pained moaning)
(woman screaming)
(man laughing maniacally over screams)
(creaking door)
(rattling chains and heavy foot steps)
The ghosts are moving tonight - restless... Hungry...
May I introduce myself?
I'm Watson Pritchard.
In just a minute I'll show you the only really haunted house in the world.
Since it was built a century ago,
seven people, including my brother,
have been murdered in it.
Since then, I've owned the house.
I've only spent one night there.
And when they found me in the morning I...
I was almost dead!
[pained moaning]
[jarring musical note, swelling]
I'm Frederick Loren.
And I've rented the house on Haunted Hill tonight
so that my wife can give a party.
A haunted house party.
[chuckles]
She's so amusing.
There will be food and drink and... ghosts.
And perhaps even a few murders.
You're all invited.
If any of you will spend the next twelve hours in this house,
I'll give you each ten thousand dollars -
- or your next of kin, in case you don't survive.
Ah, but here come our other guests.
(Frederick) It was my wife's idea to have our guests come in funeral cars.
She's so amusing.
Her sense of humor is, shall we say, original.
I dreamed up the hearse.
It's empty now, but -
- after a night in the house on Haunted Hill -
- who knows?
This is Lance Schroeder, a test pilot.
So, no doubt a brave man.
But don't you think you can be much braver if you're paid for it?
And I happen to know that Lance
needs the ten thousand I'll give him,
if he's brave enough to stay all night.
This is Ruth Bridgers.
You've no doubt read her column in the newspapers.
She says her reason for coming to the party
is to write a feature article on ghosts.
She's also desperate for money. Gambles.
You've already met Watson Pritchard,
a man living in mortal fear of a house,
and yet he's risking his life to spend another night here.
I wonder why.
He says "for money".
This is Dr. David Trent, a psychiatrist.
He claims that my ghosts will help his work on hysteria.
But don't you see a little touch of greed there
around the mouth and eyes?
This is Nora Manning.
I picked her from the thousands of people who work for me
because she needed the ten thousand most.
Supports her whole family.
Isn't she pretty?
The part's starting now.
And you have until midnight to find The House on Haunted Hill.
♪ (title music plays) ♪
Lance: Well, where is everybody?
Nora: It isn't a very warm welcome, is it?
Watson: Only the ghosts in this house are glad we're here.
Ruth: Are we all strangers to each other?
Don't you two know each other?
Lance: I'm afraid I don't even know your name.
- I'm Nora Manning. - Lance Schroeder.
Ruth: Is Fredrick Loren a friend of yours?
Lance: I've heard of him, but I've never met him.
Nora: I work for one of his companies.
But I've never seen him.
Ruth: I've never met the man either. Just a phone call.
Do you know him?
David: No.
(Ruth) Then you're the only one of us who does.
Watson: I don't know him.
All the details about running the house were done by mail.
David: He's quite wealthy, isn't he?
Ruth: Millions.
- David: And five wives, I believe. - Ruth: Four, I think so far.
David: A fifty thousand dollar party for only five people is a little steep.
(David) Even for a millionaire.
Lance: Well, if I were going to haunt anybody,
this would certainly be the house I'd do it in.
(door creaks and slams shut)
(chandelier tinkles)
Nora: Who closed the door?
♪ (ominous music plays) ♪
Lance: This thing's made of solid steel.
(chandelier crashes)
♪ (ominous music plays) ♪
Fredrick: Annabelle?
Our guests are here and unfortunately still alive.
Is your face on yet?
Annabelle: Dust and dirt everywhere.
And the water barely trickles.
Couldn't you've had the place cleaned?
Fredrick: Atmosphere, darling. You know how ghosts are.
They never tidy up.
That's a very fetching outfit,
but hardly suitable for a party.
Annabelle: I'm not going to the party.
Fredrick: This 'spend the night ghost party' was your idea. Remember?
Since it's going to cost me fifty thousand dollars,
I want you to have fun!
Annabelle: The party was my idea,
until you invited all the guests.
Why all the strangers? Why none of our friends?
Fredrick: Friends? Do we have any friends?
Annabelle: No. Your jealousy took care of that.
Fredrick: I had a reason for inviting each guest.
I wanted a cross section.
From psychiatrist to typist.
And from drunk to jet pilot.
They share one thing. They all need money.
Now, let's see if they're brave enough to earn it.
Annabelle: And you call this a party?
Fredrick: Could be.
Annabelle: Why do you always do that?
It spoils the champagne.
Fredrick: It might explode. - (Annabelle) It never does.
Fredrick: Will you guarantee that?
Annabelle: That isn't funny, Fredrick.
Fredrick: It'd make a good headline.
"Playboy kills wife with champagne cork".
- Will you join me? - Annabelle: No, thank you.
Fredrick: Just a sip might improve your humor.
Annabelle: My humor is fine, thanks.
And I haven't poisoned it.
Fredrick: It's always good to know that.
Fredrick: Have some. You'll enjoy the party more.
Go on.
Annabelle: Your trust is so touching.
And I'm not going to the party.
Fredrick: Of all my wives, you're the least agreeable.
Annabelle: But, still alive.
Fredrick: Would you go away, for a million dollars, tax-free?
You want it all, don't you?
Annabelle: I deserve it all.
Your jealousy isn't tax-free.
And your possessiveness is maddening.
Fredrick: If ever a man had grounds for divorce...
- Annabelle: But can't prove them. - Fredrick: The time will come.
Fredrick: You'll slip up one of these days.
- Annabelle: You think so? - Fredrick: If I live long enough.
Fredrick: Do you remember the fun we had when you poisoned me?
Annabelle: Something you ate, the doctor said.
Fredrick: Yes. Arsenic on the rocks.
You'd do it again if you thought you could get away with it, wouldn't you?
Annabelle: Darling, what makes you think that?
Fredrick: Something about you.
I hear that hanging is very uncomfortable, in case you get any more ideas.
(Fredrick) Don't let the ghosts and the ghouls disturb you, darling.
Annabelle: Darling...