Eye of the Devil (1966)

User Rating:

5.6/10   

Director:

J. Lee Thompson

Writers:

Robin Estridge (novel) and
Dennis Murphy (writer)

Release Date:

July 1966 (UK)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery

Tagline:

we've got your number!

Plot:

Vineyard owner marquis Philippe de Montfaucon is called back to his castle Bellenac because of another dry season...

Plot Keywords:

Vineyard | Pagan | Pagan Cult | Estate | Aristocrat

Cast

Deborah Kerr	...	Catherine de Montfaucon
David Niven	...	Philippe de Montfaucon
Donald Pleasence	...	Pere Dominic
Edward Mulhare	...	Jean-Claude Ibert
Flora Robson	...	Countess Estell
Emlyn Williams	...	Alain de Montfaucon
Sharon Tate	...	Odile de Caray
David Hemmings	...	Christian de Caray
John Le Mesurier	...	Dr. Monnet
Michael Miller	...	Grandec
Donald Bisset	...	Rennard
Pauline Letts	...	Servant
Robert Duncan	...	Jacques de Montfaucon
Suky Appleby	...	Antoinette de Montfaucon

Also Known As:

13

Runtime:

92 min | USA:96 min (TCM print)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System) | Mono

Certification:

Norway:16 (1967) | Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 | Sweden:15 | UK:X

Filming Locations:

Château de Hautefort, Dordogne, France

Company:

Filmways Pictures

Trivia:

Sidney J. Furie and Michael Anderson (I) were originally approached to direct the film.

Movie Connections:

Featured in All Eyes on Sharon Tate (1967)

Oddball Thriller - More Glum than Scary

"Eye of the Devil" had a very troubled history. Kim Novak was originally cast as the female lead, but production had to be shut down as she proved inadequate to the role's demands (surprise!) and was let go.

The film is about a French nobleman (played by David Niven) who's family fortune is tied to a small village that makes wine. He's called back to the family chateau as the vineyards have been failing for a few years, an announcement ripe with sinister and mysterious overtones. He tells his wife (Deborah Kerr) not to follow him or bring their two children, but soon she does just that, fearing for his safety.

What follows involves ancient pagan rituals, witchcraft, and deadly family secrets that go back centuries and can be handed down to the next generation.

There's a nice thriller in here somewhere, and director J. Lee Thompson manages some creepy scenes here and there. Best are the scenes with a manipulative and hostile Sharon Tate and/or David Hemmings, and one where Kerr is menaced by a group of hooded figures in the woods. Also the ending is properly disturbing.

But for the most part, the film's atmosphere is gloomy and dank, which kills the suspense. It doesn't help that both Deborah Kerr and David Niven are both too mature at this point to be playing parents of small children. Niven looks mostly distracted and Kerr, while capable in her damsel-in-distress role, does a less interesting variation on her brilliant performance in "The Innocents," though in that case the role was far more complex. As for the late Ms. Tate, I'm convinced her voice was dubbed by another actress, but she does cut a very provocative figure.

The film contains too many characters, and not all the plot makes much sense. This is strictly something for British horror fans to watch out of curiosity, or for devotees of Deborah Kerr.