Description
Mike Stacey (Haliday) is leading a safari when one of the hunters, Radlett (Tony Thawnton), wounds a lion. Mike says he now must kill it, but Major Lomas (Price) warns him that they are on Simbazi tribal land and, as the Simbazi worship lions, Mike will be fatally cursed. Mike scoffs at the notion and heads out with his native guide Saidi (Dennis Alba Peters). Mike kills the lion but is mauled in the process.
The Simbazi tribal chief, Simbaza (Danny Daniels), and several warriors arrive at the safari camp. Spotting the lion skin stretched on a rack, Simbaza curses Mike by thrusting a spear into the ground at his feet.
The next morning, to Mike's dismay, the safari packs up to return to Johannesburg. Most of the bearers have run off during the night, frightened by the curse. As they drive through the bush, Saidi attempts to stab Mike, who has lost consciousness from his injuries. Saidi and Lomas struggle. Lomas wins; Saidi runs away.
In Johannesburg, Major and Mrs Lomas (Jean Lodge) arrange to meet Mike at a nightclub. Mrs Lomas tells the Major that Janet (Daniely), Mike's wife, has left him, taking their son Tommy (Andy Meyers) with her to her mother's home in London. When a drunken Mike shows up - he's an alcoholic - Mrs Lomas tells him that he really ought to go home to save his marriage.
At the home of Janet's mother (Mary Kerridge), Mike insists that Janet meet him that night in the bar of his hotel to discuss their future. Janet stands him up, and Mike hooks up with a woman (Valli Newby) at the bar. He goes to her flat with her but passes out on her bed as soon as they arrive. He has a nightmare about Saidi, who at that moment is being held captive by Simbazi tribesmen. At 4.00am Mike walks back to his hotel, but is seemingly stalked by a lion. He returns to the woman's flat later that day. She says that she too heard a lion - but, then, she lives only 500 yards from the zoo.
Mike again invites Janet out for a drink and a chat. As they sit at their table, Mike sees Simbaza (Nigel Feyisetan), wearing a suit, tie, and hat, looking at him. Janet sees nothing. Mike follows Simbaza through the streets of London and onto a city bus, but when Mike gets aboard, Simbaza has vanished. Then, when Mike sits down and looks over his shoulder, Simbaza is sitting behind him. Mike looks away, but when he glances back, Simbaza has again disappeared.
At his hotel that night, Mike is awakened by someone rattling his room's doorknob. He grabs his revolver, quickly opens the door, sees Simbaza, pushes him away and fires four rounds through the closed door. Janet is called to Mike's room by a Police Inspector (John Witty), who explains what has happened and confiscates Mike's pistol.
Mike is next pursued across a misty Hampstead Heath by two Simbazi warriors carrying spears and in native dress. He wakes up in his hotel room after this, being treated by a doctor (Ronald Leigh-Hunt). Janet tells the doctor about Mike's hallucinations, which he says could be caused by Mike's alcoholism or his infected wounds, but probably both. Janet declares that she will nurse Mike back to health. That night, Simbaza peers through Mike's window, still in city clothes, and Mike has another nightmare about Saidi, who is still being held captive.
After three days of hotel room care, the doctor recommends that Mike be committed to a mental institution. Janet refuses to do so, and instead consults a Simbazi expert (Louis Mahoney), who tells her the only way Mike will survive the curse is to return to Africa and kill the man who had put it on him.
Mike and Janet go back to Africa. They meet Lomas at a bush camp. Mike turns down Lomas's offer of help and sets out alone. He finds Saidi being stomped by tribesmen. Mike shoots and kills one of them, the others scatter.
Mike and Simbaza stalk each other through the jungle. Mike eventually runs Simbaza down with a World War II vintage Dodge WC series truck, crushing him between a front wheel and the frame. Simbaza is dead; the curse is broken. Mike and Saidi walk away, both now free.
