The Dark Secret of Harvest Home 

A young couple moves to a quiet New England village, only to soon find themselves mixed up in mysterious rituals.

Stars:

Bette Davis, David Ackroyd, Rosanna Arquette

Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Bette Davis	...	Widow Fortune 2 episodes, 1978
David Ackroyd	...	Nick Constantine 2 episodes, 1978
Rosanna Arquette	...	Kate Constantine 2 episodes, 1978
Rene Auberjonois	...	Jack Stump 2 episodes, 1978
John Calvin	...	Justin Hooke 2 episodes, 1978
Norman Lloyd	...	Amys Penrose 2 episodes, 1978
Linda Marsh	...	Maggie Dodd 2 episodes, 1978
Joanna Miles	...	Beth Constantine 2 episodes, 1978
Michael O'Keefe	...	Worthy Pettinger 2 episodes, 1978
Laurie Prange	...	Sophie Hooke 2 episodes, 1978
Donald Pleasence	...	Narrator 2 episodes, 1978
Lina Raymond	...	Tamar Penrose 2 episodes, 1978
Tracey Gold	...	Missy Penrose 2 episodes, 1978
Stephen Joyce	...	Robert Dodd 2 episodes, 1978
Michael Durrell	...	Ty Barth 2 episodes, 1978
Martin Shakar	...	David Adwell 2 episodes, 1978
Grayce Grant	...	Mrs. Pettinger 2 episodes, 1978
Steve Gustafson	...	Jimmy Minerva 2 episodes, 1978

Storyline

A young couple moves to a quiet New England village, only to soon find themselves mixed up in mysterious rituals.

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Plot Keywords:

ritual | mouth sewn shut | tv mini series | severed tongue | secret | 

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Genres:

Drama | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1978 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Dark Secret of Harvest Home

Filming Locations:

Kingsville, Ohio, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

300 min 118 min (video)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

All the donuts for production were made by then 17-year old Jeffrey 'JJ' Jay who is also the former owner of and brewer for Petaluma Hills Brewing Company.

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Quotes

Worthy Pettinger: May God curse the corn! Goddamn the mother!

User Reviews

"The Ways" of Cornwall Coombe

Stars like Bette Davis were not getting the big roles for the big screen that they were in the days of the big studio system so many like Davis turned to the small screen. One of her better choices was The Dark Secret Of Harvest Home where she actually went back to her New England roots to play the Matriarch in a special matriarchal society that has developed in an isolated corner of Connecticut.

David Ackroyd with wife Joanna Miles and daughter Rosanna Arquette think they've found this picturesque relic of a town where time seems to have stood still. Even the fact that they find a house in need of a bit of repair seems to be inviting them to stay. What they don't know is that the family is being auditioned by Davis known to one and all as the Widow Fortune who rules the roost there. In fact if this were a beehive Cornwell Coombe would have the men either as worker bees or worse drones.

The women acclimate quite quickly, but Ackroyd starts developing suspicions. Sad to say they prove to be right. These folks have their own kind of religion, Christianity with pagan fertility rites. There's one male among them who is the Prince of the Harvest and what perks come with John Calvin's office. But what a price he has to pay for them.

The kid who is scheduled to be Calvin's successor wants to commit the unpardonable heresy of leaving. Michael O'Keefe plays him and it's his story that makes Arquette start to question 'the ways'.

Bette Davis really was born to play the Widow Fortune, I cannot imagine another actress doing justice to the role. O'Keefe as the young man who thinks there just might be something more to this old world than a New England farming community that has some strange ways is very touching in his performance.

I'm not a big fan of these kind of horror novels and the films that come from them. But author Tom Tryon did a wonderful job in creating some real three dimensional characters, not just meat waiting to be slaughtered by some guy waving an ax.

The Dark Secret Of Harvest Home is more than horror film fans.