The House in Marsh Road is a 1960 British horror‑suspense film produced by Maurice J. Wilson, directed by Montgomery Tully, and starring Tony Wright, Patricia Dainton, and Sandra Dorne. The screenplay, also written by Wilson, is based on the 1960 novel of the same name by Laurence Meynell. In the United States the film was broadcast on television under the title Invisible Creature.
Plot
Jean Linton inherits a country house, “Four Winds,” and moves there with her husband David, an aspiring author with a drinking problem and a history of infidelity. The house is already inhabited by a benevolent poltergeist, “Patrick,” who protects Jean from David’s increasingly violent schemes. David conspires with his mistress Valerie Stockley to murder Jean and gain control of the property. Patrick repeatedly intervenes, thwarting attempts on Jean’s life and ultimately causing a fire that kills David and Valerie, leaving Jean unharmed.
Cast
- Tony Wright as David Linton
- Patricia Dainton as Jean Linton
- Sandra Dorne as Valerie Stockley
- Derek Aylward as Richard Foster
- Sam Kydd as Morris Lumley
- Llewellyn Rees, Anita Sharp‑Bolster, Roddy Hughes, Harry Hutchinson, Olive Sloane, Geoffrey Denton, Olga Dickie in supporting roles
Production
The film was produced by Merton Park Studios but shot at Walton Studios in Walton‑on‑Thames, Surrey, in May 1960. It received an A‑certificate from the British Board of Film Censors on 26 July 1960, indicating suitability for adult audiences. The novel on which it is based was published after the film’s production but before its release.
Distribution and Release
In the United Kingdom, The House in Marsh Road was distributed theatrically by Grand National Pictures, premiering on 12 December 1960. The film was never shown in U.S. cinemas; instead, it aired on American television in 1964 as Invisible Creature as part of the American International Television “Amazing ’65” package. The film has subsequently been broadcast on UK channels such as Talking Pictures TV (2019) and released on video, paired with The Monkey’s Paw (1948) by Video Renown Productions.
Reception
Contemporary reviews were mixed. The Monthly Film Bulletin described it as “loosely contrived” with modest suspense, while British critic Phil Hardy labeled it a “rather tame supernatural thriller.” Later assessments have been more favorable; film scholar Rob Craig praised its adult themes, atmospheric direction, and noted it as possibly one of the earliest films to use the term “poltergeist.”
Significance
The House in Marsh Road is noted for its early use of the word “poltergeist” in cinematic dialogue and for blending domestic melodrama with supernatural elements, reflecting mid‑century British genre filmmaking.