Night of the Eagle (1962)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Sidney Hayers

Writers:

Fritz Leiber Jr. (novel)
Charles Beaumont (writer) ...

Release Date:

25 April 1962 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

Witch or Woman, What Was It?

Plot:

A skeptical college professor discovers that his wife has been practicing magic for years. Like the learned...

Plot Keywords:

Professor | Supernatural | Fire | Black Magic | Giant Bird

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Peter Wyngarde	...	Norman Taylor
Janet Blair	...	Tansy Taylor
Margaret Johnston	...	Flora Carr
Anthony Nicholls	...	Harvey Sawtelle
Colin Gordon	...	Lindsay Carr
Kathleen Byron	...	Evelyn Sawtelle
Reginald Beckwith	...	Harold Gunnison
Jessica Dunning	...	Hilda Gunnison
Norman Bird	...	Doctor
Judith Stott	...	Margaret Abbott
Bill Mitchell	...	Fred Jennings

Also Known As:

Burn, Witch, Burn! (USA)

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:12 (DVD rating) | UK:15 (video rating) | UK:X (original rating) | Finland:K-16

Filming Locations:

Cape Cornwall, St Just, Cornwall, England, UK

Company:

Independent Artists

Trivia:

Peter Wyngarde was only cast because the original actor became ill.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Monsterama Sci-Fi Late Night Creature Feature Show Vol. 1 (1996) (V)

Classic chiller with a great leading performance

This has always been one of my favorite horror movies. A lot of its force--notwithstanding the good solid script and direction--is due to Peter Wyngarde's performance as the husband of the title witch. At first he shows us the man's skepticism, a disbelief so fervent and so confidently scornful of opposition that it persuades his wife, even in the face of the sinister atmosphere that's growing all around them--this being painted in with that easy skill that only Britons seem able to command. As the story progresses, Wyngarde shows us, one unnerving step at a time, the man's loss of his lack of faith, to the point of absolute belief (which the film points up with an obvious, but very satisfying, joke) and absolute terror. Except for Fay Wray writhing and screaming between twin pillars in anticipation of her sacrifice, I can't recall another victim whose fear I've felt along with him so completely. In my opinion Wyngarde's is one of the great performances in horror films, and the film itself is one of the last of the classics.