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The Devil's Own

Play trailer Poster for The Devil's Own 1966 1h 31m Horror Play Trailer Watchlist
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70% Tomatometer 10 Reviews 30% Popcornmeter 250+ Ratings
Gwen Mayfield (Joan Fontaine) suffers a mental collapse after a showdown with a witch doctor while performing missionary work in Africa. Once she recuperates, she starts teaching at a private school in England and gets to know Linda (Ingrid Brett), one of her students. Linda's boyfriend claims that there is a cult that is going to sacrifice her, and Gwen begins to investigate the wild rumors. This leads her to a confrontation with powerful cult leader Stephanie Bax (Kay Walsh).

Critics Reviews

View All (10) Critics Reviews
Eddie Harrison film-authority.com …The Witches is a rare entry for Hammer in that it does offer rare, straight-laced credulity about the dangers of witchcraft rather than knowing commercial calculation… deserves to be more than a footnote in several illustrious careers… Rated: 3/5 Dec 2, 2023 Full Review Alberto Abuín Espinof 'The Witches' is estimated as a whole, either by the description of the inhabitants of the town, or by approaching the psychological thriller. [Full Review in Spanish] Aug 23, 2019 Full Review Chris Alexander Alexander On Film THE WITCHES is no pandering horror-hagsploitation potboiler. It's something far more evolved and interesting Apr 8, 2019 Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy The juxtaposition of satanic rituals practiced against the backdrop of a picturesque English countryside gives this film its unique edge. Rated: 3/4 Mar 30, 2019 Full Review MFB Critics Monthly Film Bulletin After a crude opening sequence of poor Joan Fontaine being frightened out of her wits by a prancing witch-doctor in an African hut, this very enjoyable thriller settles down more calmly to make good use of Nigel Kneale's highly literate script. Mar 3, 2019 Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com Rated: 3/5 Jul 15, 2005 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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DanTheMan 2 If you can get past the, admittedly, crap opening, you'll find a delightful thriller in The Witches, offering a rare, straight-laced credulity about the dangers of witchcraft rather than knowing commercial calculation. Settling down more calmly to make good use of Nigel Kneale's highly literate script, with Kneale himself marking his return after a near-decade absence from his last Hammer collaboration, with an adaptation of the 1960 novel, The Devil's Own; a heady brew of occasional scares, countryside weirdness, Sindy dolls and barking-mad, anything-goes formation dancing offset by an undercurrent of class tension in the dialogue with established ideas of right and wrong seen to be on the verge of collapse. I was extremely interested to see how the whole thing would unfold in the more than capable hands of director Cyril Frankel, he was responsible for one of my favourite episodes of Gerry Anderson's UFO (Timelash). His direction ensures that an ever-foreboding atmosphere is always present and the sets are all colourfully realised but the story is too slow for its own good, despite plenty of intrigue to keep the viewer invested all backed by a pretty good Richard Rodney Bennett musical score and some strong performances from its cast. The Witches is rather nuts, albeit in a tweedy, middle-class sort of way. Closer to a psychological thriller than horror, one that you can feel the Kneale influence throughout but the film never fully commits to that influence even if it does have a few genuinely creepy moments. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 10/07/24 Full Review Mat L Delightful horror/thriller boasting a very enjoyable performance by raspy voiced Fontaine in her best form. If Agatha Christie and Roman Polanski (pre Rosemary's baby) had a baby. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 07/21/24 Full Review dave s Despite the decent production values that you'd expect from a Hammer release, The Devil's Own is a bit of a bland affair. After Gwen Mayfield (Joan Fontaine) has a nervous breakdown as the result of being tormented by an African witch doctor, she finds herself in a quaint English village, teaching in the local school. Before you know it, she suspects the locals of being witches, all of whom are preparing to sacrifice a virgin in a black magic ritual. Or are they? The opening scene is odd, what follows is all a bit boring, but the ending is something that needs to be seen to be believed. What was undoubtedly intended to be horrifying is actually laugh-out-loud hilarious, a total misfire of a climax. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Audience Member Much much better than you’d expect! A little bit Wicker Man and a lot of fun. The ritual at the end is campy and weird and gloriously sexual (it doesn’t take much imagination to see sexual fetishes in the writhing cult members). And Joan gives a very admirable performance. And how sad that a film with a beautiful 48 yr old woman is called ‘hagsploitation’. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 10/13/22 Full Review Audience Member Good movie to watch just a bit corny at the witches sacrifice ritual part scratch that when i said a bit corny the ritual sacrifice part was hella corny but it is a good movie to watch id recommend it also watch it with your family see what they think Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/27/23 Full Review Audience Member Joan Fontaine goes the Hagsploitation route in the slow-moving Hammer horror film with a silly-looking monster. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 02/27/23 Full Review Read all reviews
The Devil's Own

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Movie Info

Synopsis Gwen Mayfield (Joan Fontaine) suffers a mental collapse after a showdown with a witch doctor while performing missionary work in Africa. Once she recuperates, she starts teaching at a private school in England and gets to know Linda (Ingrid Brett), one of her students. Linda's boyfriend claims that there is a cult that is going to sacrifice her, and Gwen begins to investigate the wild rumors. This leads her to a confrontation with powerful cult leader Stephanie Bax (Kay Walsh).
Director
Cyril Frankel
Producer
Anthony Nelson Keys
Screenwriter
Nigel Kneale
Production Co
Seven Arts Pictures, Hammer Film Productions Limited
Genre
Horror
Original Language
English
Release Date (DVD)
Nov 25, 2003
Runtime
1h 31m