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Night Watch

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Night Watch

PG

Released Oct 10, 1973

1h 45m

Mystery & Thriller

Horror

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Popcornmeter

40%

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10 Reviews

64%

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50+ Ratings

Ellen Wheeler (Elizabeth Taylor) is an unhappy housewife who settles her fraying nerves with alcohol while staring out her window. When she witnesses what she thinks is a murder through a neighbor's window, she calls the police, who find nothing when they investigate. With her neglectful husband (Laurence Harvey) skeptical and unsupportive, Ellen turns to her friend Sarah (Billie Whitelaw), who is slightly more receptive as the pair attempt to get to the bottom of the mystery.

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Phillip McCarthy

The Age (Australia)

There is very little new about these stock murder mystery questions or even Hutton's treatment of the story as a whole. In fact, in parts it lacks of imagination makes it positively melodramatic.

Mar 18, 2025

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Variety Staff

Variety

Lucille Fletcher's Night Watch isn't the first average stage play to be turned into a better than average film. Astute direction and an improved cast more than help.

Mar 26, 2009

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Time Out

Tired, old-fashioned thriller.

Jan 26, 2006

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Michael Billington

Birmingham Post

This is a film that works because of the ingenuity of its plotting, the atmospheric traditionalism of its direction and the skill of its playing, especially by the artful Miss Taylor.

Jun 14, 2022

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Bernard Drew

Gannett News Service

Who could ask for anything less?

Oct 2, 2019

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TV Guide

Filled with red herrings and featuring a bloody "twist" ending, Night Watch fails to create much of an atmosphere.

Rated: 2/4

Mar 24, 2011

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Daryl S

Elizabeth Taylor was as great acting as she was beautiful! The story was fabulous and I didn't see the ending coming! Highest marks!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/29/24

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Ted B

3.5 stars; A clever murder mystery. Elizabeth Taylor plays an emotionally abused wife who witnesses two murders in the house across from hers while looking out the window. When the police investigate, they don’t find anything in the abandoned house. She then turns to her friend to help her try to solve the mystery of the disappearing corpses. There are a couple of clever twists at the end of the film. Very ’70s in its production and background music. It is worth a watch.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

07/07/24

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Michael B

This Was A Real Good Thriller,Liz Taylor Did A Excellent Acting Job.😱😱😱😀😀😀

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/11/24

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CodyZamboni

Movie is an effective thriller, with old school creepy spooky atmosphere. Classic horror conventions like thunder, lightning, the eerie house next door, utilized to the hilt. Elizabeth Taylor anchors this film with an empathetic performance. And the ending is a doozy.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

09/23/23

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Dave S

As she watched her storied Hollywood career fade away in the rearview mirror, Elizabeth Taylor tried to claw back some of the glory days with Night Watch, a flawed but financially successful (I seem to recall that it was quite popular when released) thriller in the tradition of Hitchcock. In it, Ellen (Taylor) seems to be tottering precariously on the edge of sanity as she tries to convince anyone who'll listen to her that two murders have been committed in the abandoned house next door. The whole thing plods along slowly, the only distraction being Taylor's scene-munching overacting. To its benefit, it does manage to create some suspense in a scene towards the end, but then throws that accomplishment out the window with one of the most ludicrous plot twists imaginable. All in all, it's not bad, but it sure isn't good.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/11/23

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Audience Member

The funniest Elizabeth Taylor movie ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL, all ages.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/28/23

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Brian G. Hutton

Director

Elizabeth Taylor

Ellen Wheeler

Laurence Harvey

John Wheeler

Billie Whitelaw

Sarah Cooke

Robert Lang

Mr Appleby

Tony Britton

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Synopsis

Ellen Wheeler (Elizabeth Taylor) is an unhappy housewife who settles her fraying nerves with alcohol while staring out her window. When she witnesses what she thinks is a murder through a neighbor's window, she calls the police, who find nothing when they investigate. With her neglectful husband (Laurence Harvey) skeptical and unsupportive, Ellen turns to her friend Sarah (Billie Whitelaw), who is slightly more receptive as the pair attempt to get to the bottom of the mystery.

Director: Brian G. Hutton
Producer: George W. George, Martin Poll, Barnard Straus
Screenwriter: Tony Williamson
Production Co: Brut Productions
Rating: PG
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Horror
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 10, 1973, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 1, 2016
Runtime: 1h 45m

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