David Niven plays the owner of a vineyard, who is called back to the estate when it falls on hard times in order to carry out an ancient ritual which would mean sacrificing his own life. Kim Novak was originally supposed to play his wife, but was replaced by Deborah Kerr when she was injured during production. The film features the debut performance of Sharon Tate as a beautiful witch who lives on the estate with her brother (David Hemmings armed with a bow and arrow), who tries to get kids to jump off castle ramparts and turns a toad into a dove. Also starring Donald Pleasence as a priest who performs black masses. Its very dreamlike and hypnotic. The film is set in rural France and was partly filmed at the Château de Hautefort, all of the cast speak in English accents. It is based on novel Day of the Arrow by Robin Estridge and was initially titled Thirteen.
Review of Eye of the Devil
Eye of the Devil
(1966)
An unusual, down-beat thriller, reminiscent of The Wicker Man
29 March 2019
Warning: Spoilers