Woodyanders Review of To the Devil a Daughter

To the Devil a Daughter (1976)

Much better than its poor reputation would suggest

[8/10 · 9 May 2007]

I finally saw this infamous final theatrical fright feature from the legendary Hammer Studios and was pleasantly surprised to find out that it was nowhere near as bad as its many detractors claim. In fact, I thought this movie was quite good. Granted, it's got its flaws (the much-ridiculed silly monster hand puppet and the weak climax are both below par), but overall this picture has a lot of solid stuff in it. For starters, the plot is fresh and compelling: Sinister excommunicated renegade Satanist priest Father Michael Rayner (a wonderfully wicked Christopher Lee) plots to impregnate sweet innocent nun Catharine (a ravishing and beguiling Nastassja Kinski in her first big role) so she will give birth to the spawn of the Devil. It's up to humble, but shrewd and charming best-selling occult novelist John Verney (superbly played by Richard Widmark, who makes for an engagingly unlikely Hammer hero) to stop Father Rayner and his avid followers before it's too late. Moreover, director Peter Sykes maintains a steady pace throughout and effectively creates a chillingly creepy atmosphere. The smart and intricate script by Christopher Wicking and John Peacock offers a gripping story and a strong pair of refreshingly mature adult characters as the two principal adversaries. David Watkin's polished cinematography and Paul Glass' spare, spooky score are on the money fine. Kinski does well as an extremely fair maiden in distress (and performs a truly startling full-frontal nude scene at the movie's conclusion). The stellar supporting cast qualifies as another substantial plus: Denholm Elliott as a wormy, wayward weakling member of the evil cult, Honor Blackman as Verney's spunky agent Anna Fountain, and Anthony Valentine as Anna's suave boyfriend David. Eerie, intelligent and underrated, this undeservedly maligned movie is well worth checking out by general horror film fans and hardcore Hammer aficionados alike.