Night Creatures (1962)

In 18th-century England, the Royal Crown sends Royal Navy Captain Collier and his crew to investigate reports of illegal smuggling and bootlegging in a coastal town where locals believe in Marsh Phantoms.

Director:

Peter Graham Scott

Writers:

Anthony Hinds (screenplay) (as John Elder), Barbara S. Harper (additional dialogue)

Stars:

Peter Cushing, Yvonne Romain, Patrick Allen

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Peter Cushing	...	Rev. Dr. Blyss
Yvonne Romain	...	Imogene - serving wench
Patrick Allen	...	Captain Collier
Oliver Reed	...	Harry Cobtree
Michael Ripper	...	Jeremiah Mipps (coffinmaker)
Martin Benson	...	Mr. Rash (innkeeper)
David Lodge	...	Navy Bosun
Derek Francis	...	Squire Anthony Cobtree
Daphne Anderson	...	Mrs. Rash
Milton Reid	...	Mulatto
Jack MacGowran	...	Frightened Man
Peter Halliday	...	1st Sailor Jack Pott
Terry Scully	...	2nd Sailor Dick Tate
Sydney Bromley	...	Old Tom Ketch
Rupert Osborne	...	Gerry (as Rupert Osborn)

Storyline

In this engaging costume melodrama of skulduggery on the low seas set back in the 18th-century, the Royal Crown suspects a bit of smuggling is going on in this locale, and they send Captain Collier and his crew to check it out. As the Captain gets into his investigation, mysterious swamp phantoms cloud up the real issue which seems plain enough to see. Captain Collier suspects that the odd village vicar might be hiding something, and what better way to do that than by fortuitous ghosts to scare away the curious, or by posing as someone he is not?

---

Plot Keywords:

18th century | year 1792 | smuggling | marsh | horse riding | 

---

Taglines:

Their oath was... TERROR! Their cry... BLOOD!

---

Genres:

Adventure | Horror

---

Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 June 1962 (USA)

Also Known As:

Night Creatures

Filming Locations:

All Saints Church, Oakley Green Road, Bray, Berkshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hammer Films, Major Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

82 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When the sailors march out of the churchyard on their way to their first raid they pass a red-brick house with lobed gables on their right where Parson Blyss lives. This is actually Hills House in Denham, once home to Alexander Korda and Merle Oberon, and then to Sir John Mills. Mills's daughter Hayley restored Cobstone Windmill, which is also featured.

---

Goofs

The tavern scenes feature a modern violin.

---

Quotes

Imogene - serving wench: Well if youv,e all done staring.
1st Sailor Jack Pott: If it,s all the same to you miss i,d like a few minutes more.

---

Connections

Remake of Doctor Syn (1937)

User Reviews

Captain Nathaniel Clegg, Pirate, Hanged at Rye, 1776.

Captain Clegg (AKA: Night Creatures) is a Hammer-Major production in Eastman Color, it's directed by Peter Graham Scott with a screenplay written by John Elder. It stars Peter Cushing, Yvonne Romain, Patrick Allen, Oliver Reed, Michael Ripper and David Lodge. Music is by Don Banks and cinematography by Arthur Grant.

"The Romney Marshes-Flat And Desolate-Was The Land Of A Proud And-Independent People. Their Shores Faced The Shores Of France-And Many Was The Shipload Of Wine And Brandy Smuggled Across The Sea In Defiance Of The King's Revenue Men. Many Legends Have Come From This Corner Of England-But None So Widely Believed Or Widely Feared-As The Legend Of The Marsh Phantoms-Who Rode The Land On Dark Misty Nights And Struck Fear Into The Hearts Of All Who Crossed Their Paths."

Hammer's film is actually a remake of a little known 1937 film called Doctor Syn that starred George Arliss as the title character and featured Margaret Lockwood in support. For their take on the Captain Clegg/Marsh Phantoms story, Hammer craft a colourful Gothic like mystery/thriller that contains horror elements. It's certainly not overtly horror, something that has undoubtedly threw some horror seekers venturing into the film for the first time. This may explain why to a large extent it remains a largely unknown Hammer picture, which doesn't as yet have a DVD release in the country of its birth! The story is a very good one with smugglers, murders, romantic passions, ghostly apparitions and duplicitous characters. All given an excellent period production design by Bernard Robinson for the interiors, while the exteriors are nicely filmed out of the village of Denham in South Buckinghamshire.

Pigeon Pie, Creepy Scarecrow and the Romney Marsh Phantoms.

Of course none of the period flavourings and narrative intrigue would mean much if the acting wasn't up to scratch. Which on reflection is another reason why this is something of a criminally under seen Hammer picture. For not only does it have Cushing turning in one of his best performances (blending dandy fop with a crafty undercurrent), it also has a cast around him that are fully committed and effective in their roles. Which nicely includes Hammer stalwart Michael Ripper (as Mipps the undertaker) getting a more meatier role than usual. Patrick Allen (Dial M for Murder) is imposing as the officious Captain Collier, Martin Benson (The King and I) is suitably shifty as Rash and David Lodge (The Cockleshell Heroes) adds the muscle presence as Bosun. Standing out is Olly Reed as Harry, wonderfully dominating his scenes, he does a neat line in brooding, while Romain (The Curse of the Werewolf) is the classic Hammer wench type, pretty with a heaving bosom, she induces lusty lustations in Harry and Rash.

There's some plot holes that the alert will not miss, and the big reveal is pretty much sign posted to us at the mid-point. But this is a little cracker that Hammer fans, Cushing fans and fans of period mysteries should definitely seek out. 8/10