简介：CharthurstGreen,Kent,1966.PaulineCoxaccompaniesMikeRobinstoavillagecricketmatchinwhichheisplaying,butbecomesboredandwandersaway.Shefetchesupatthelocalrailwayhalt,wheresheisfirstentertainedtoteabythegarrulous,hunchbackedstationkeeper,thenupsetbytheintrusionofthelatter'sassistantEwen,whoproceedstokillarabbitinherpresence.Makingherwaybacktothematch,Paulineiswaylaidbythesimple-mindedEwenasshecrossesanappleorchard;whenhisadvancesbecomeviolent,shetriestofighthimoffandhestranglesher.Thatevening,thehunchbackdiscoversEwenwithPauline'sbodyintheshackwherehelives,andhelpshimtoburythecorpseintheorchard.Later,however,Eweninadvertentlybetrayshimself:thebodyisdisinterredbythepoliceandEwenbreaksdownhysterically.Yearslater,thehunchback,whohasdisavowedEwen,encouragesthefriendshipofanothervillageyouth.PeterJessop'scarefullytexturedcameraworkinitiallylendsthismini-featureanedgeofthepicturesquelysinister.Buttheresolutionoftheanecdoteisratherforcedandanti-climactic,andsomeofthedetails(likethepolicesearchingtheorchardatthedeadofnight)ringdistractinglyfalse.Allthesame,itrepresentsadebutofsomepromise.…