Endless Night (1972)

Director:

Sidney Gilliat

Writers:

Agatha Christie (novel)
Sidney Gilliat (screenplay)

Release Date:

September 1972 (UK)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Victim... or killer?

Plot:

Based on an Agatha Christie suspense novel; a newly-wed couple are threatened after building their dream home on cursed land.

Plot Keywords:

House | Eye | Dream House | Heiress | Chauffeur

Cast

Hayley Mills	...	Ellie
Hywel Bennett	...	Michael
Britt Ekland	...	Greta
Per Oscarsson	...	Santonix
George Sanders	...	Lippincott
Aubrey Richards	...	Dr. Philpott
Ann Way	...	Mrs. Philpott
Patience Collier	...	Miss Townsend
Peter Bowles	...	Reuben
Lois Maxwell	...	Cora
David Bauer	...	Uncle Frank
Helen Horton	...	Aunt Beth
Madge Ryan	...	Michael's Mother
Windsor Davies	...	Sgt. Reene
Walter Gotell	...	Constantine
Geoffrey Chater	...	Coroner
David Healy	...	Jason
Robert Keegan	...	Innkeeper
Robert O'Neil	...	Broker
Mischa De La Motte	...	Maynard (as Mischa de la Motte)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Nicholas Courtney	...	Second Auctioneer (uncredited)
Leo Genn	...	Psychiatrist (uncredited)
Stephanie Muldenhall	...	Child (uncredited)
Steven Wallen	...	Young Michael (uncredited)

Directed by
Sidney Gilliat

Writing credits
Agatha Christie		(novel)
Sidney Gilliat		(screenplay)

Produced by
Leslie Gilliat	....	producer
Sidney Gilliat	....	producer

Original Music by
Bernard Herrmann

Cinematography by
Harry Waxman

Film Editing by
Thelma Connell

Casting by
Thelma Graves

Production Design by
Wilfred Shingleton

Art Direction by
Fred Carter

Costume Design by
John Furniss

Makeup Department
Alan Brownie	....	makeup artist (as Allan Brownie)
Allan McKeown	....	hair stylist
John O'Gorman	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Roy Parkinson	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Douglas Hermes	....	assistant director

Art Department
Peter Wood	....	scenic artist

Sound Department
Charles Crafford	....	dubbing editor
Paul Le Mare	....	sound
Bill Rowe	....	sound recordist

Camera and Electrical Department
Gerry Anstiss	....	camera operator
Ronnie Maasz	....	additional photographer (as Ronald Maasz)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Barbara Gillett	....	wardrobe supervisor

Music Department
Howard Blake	....	musician: Moog synthesizer
Bernard Herrmann	....	conductor

Other crew
Kay Rawlings	....	continuity

Production Companies

• EMI Films
• National Film Trustee Company
• British Lion Film Corporation

Distributors

• Adams Filmi (1973) (Finland) (theatrical)
• British Lion Film Corporation (1972) (UK) (theatrical)
• Filmjuwelen (2013) (Germany) (DVD)
• Home Box Office Home Video (HBO) (USA) (VHS)
• Home Box Office Home Video (HBO) (USA) (laserdisc)
• Lumière Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Republic Pictures (II) (199?) (USA) (video)
• Thorn EMI Video (????) (Finland) (video)
• Universal Home Video (2009) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Finland Oy (2007) (Finland) (DVD) (6-disc The Agatha Christie's Collection)
• Universal Pictures Finland Oy (2008) (Finland) (DVD) (1-disc edition)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

99 min | USA:95 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Iceland:16 | UK:15 (re-rating) (1989) | UK:AA (original rating) | Singapore:M18 | Australia:M | USA:Not Rated | Portugal:M/18

Filming Locations:

Albergo San Pietro, Positano, Salerno, Campania, Italy

Company:

EMI Films

Trivia:

Not released in the US after a poor reception in the UK.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): Mike tells Ellie the first time the two meet that he's "only a rental car driver" even though a couple of scenes earlier it was revealed he actually lost that job and got a new job at a filling station instead.

Movie Connections:

Remade as Marple: Endless Night (2013) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Endless Night

Excellent psychological thriller

Endless Night is a very fine, interesting, and unusual film-just like the novel on which it was based. It seems amazing that this under-appreciated film, which follows Christie's novel closely, was never released theatrically in the U.S.

Acting is very good for the most part; Hayley Mills is good in a somewhat difficult role, as is Hywel Bennett. These two had starred together in several films over the previous five or six years, and work well together. As always, George Sanders is great, as is Leo Genn in a comparatively small role as a psychiatrist-one wishes both of them had more screen time. Britt Ekland also turns in one of her better performances as Greta.

Other actors in the film of note are Peter Bowles, Lois Maxwell, Aubrey Richards, Ann Way, Helen Horton, Walter Gotell and David Bauer. Allso good are Patience Collier as Miss Townsend, and Madge Ryan as Hywel Bennett's mother. Per Oscarsson as architect Santonix is the only weak spot in the cast; he often mumbles his lines and is difficult to understand.

Endless Night is a very good film that deserves a lot more attention and recognition than it received at the time of its somewhat limited release. Fortunately it has been released on video and later DVD and is not difficult to find. Fans of Agatha Christie will enjoy it and also anyone who likes a well-made psychological thriller.