Eye of the Devil, also known by its working title 13[2] or Thirteen,[3] is a 1966 British mysteryhorror film directed by J. Lee Thompson and starring Deborah Kerr, David Niven, Donald Pleasence and Sharon Tate. Adapted from the 1964 novel Day of the Arrow by Philip Loraine,[3] the movie is set in rural France. It was shot at the Château de Hautefort and in England.[4][failed verification] The film's plot concerns a family inheritance of an estate shrouded by a mysterious and highly ritualistic veil of secrets, and the investigation that follows in trying to uncover the meaning of these ominous peculiarities.
Philippe de Montfaucon, Marquis de Bellenac,[6] the hereditary owner of an ancient estate in Bordeaux whose vineyards have produced no fruit for three years, lives in Paris with his devoted wife Catherine and two young children, Jacques and Antoinette. He is abruptly summoned to Bellac, where a sinister priest gives him a strange amulet. After their son, Jacques, dreams that his father needs him, the Marquise takes their children to the chateau. When they arrive, archer Christian de Caray shoots a dove, which then falls at Catherine's feet. Upon questioning, Philippe's aunt Estelle observes that Christian is "a very wicked boy" and his sister Odile is "no better". Estelle dismisses Catherine, telling her maid "This time, I can't be involved."
Late at night, Catherine discovers Odile and Christian ceremoniously carrying the impaled dove into a candlelit room where robed figures sit. They present the dove first to an altar whose cross resembles the amulet and then to the figure sitting at the head. The doors close in Catherine's face, and an old man warns her to take her children and never return.
Philippe is quick to dismiss Catherine's concerns—the valley is steeped in ancient superstition. He speaks of his family's 1000-year history in Bellenac and the grave responsibilities he thus has. His aunt tells him she would "rather die" than "say anything" to Catherine, and begs him to flee. Meanwhile, Odile enchants Jacques by changing a toad into a dove. Catherine is quick to pick up on the unusual fixation of Christian and Odile on her son, and grows increasingly disturbed by their increasing presence in his company.
A family friend, Jean-Claude, helps Catherine discover the Montfaucon history: twenty-two of the heads of the family have died in "mysterious circumstances", going back to the 1200s. Meanwhile, Philippe visits the blighted vineyards and returns to learn that Catherine has ridden out to the tomb of Edouard de Montfaucon. There she finds a carving matching a painting in the chateau and an inscription referring to twelve dancers. Emerging from the mausoleum, she is pursued by robed figures, faints, and revives in her bed. Philippe gives her a sedative and kisses her.
Emerging from and fleeing through a series of nightmares, Catherine finds herself locked inside the bedroom chamber; she is eventually able to break open the window shutter and signal to Estel, who sends her maid. Catherine wakes, and all is normal. The doctor tells her she was given belladonna, a hallucinogen. The community is celebrating "Les Trente Jours" (The Thirteen Days). People fill the church, where Père Dominic prays in Latin. Philippe kneels alone; Estelle and the children sit in the front pew. Philippe pauses when he sees Catherine, but the priest repeats "Procedamos in pace" (Proceed in peace). Outside, twelve robed figures form a circle in front of Philippe and sway from side to side. Philippe kisses Jacques; the crowd gasps. Philippe welcomes all to the Festival, paraphrasing Genesis 1:11: "Let the Earth bring forth vines, yielding fruit after its kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth, and the Word was God". Estelle screams.
In her room, for Jacques's sake, Estelle reveals to Catherine that her brother Alain, Philippe's father, did not die, but ran away, to escape. He now lives in the tower above. Upstairs, she recognizes Alain, who warned her. He explains: les treize jours/jouyeurs, the thirteen days/dancers, are the twelve apostles dancing around Christ, or in the case of the heretical town of Bellenac, a living god suitable for blood sacrifice. Père Dominic, a pagan, celebrates a Black Mass. When Philippe kissed Jacques, it showed that Philippe was doomed.
Elsewhere, Jacques watches the priest praying over his father. The priest brings Catherine to Philippe. Detached, he tells her it can't be stopped, that Philippe is dying for what he believes in, and that no one will believe her testimony of what she has uncovered. As Philippe rides away with the ritually-robed figures and Christian, Catherine manages to escape and pursue the group, though she is unable to save her husband; her efforts come in too little, too late, as Christian strikes down Philippe in the thick of the forest. Philippe's body is then ceremonially brought back through the vineyards and into the heart of Bellenac. Jacques watches.
Cut to torrential rain, Jean-Claude is seen reading a newspaper account of the "accident". As the family prepares to drive away, Jacques stops and insists that he retrieve his watch; inside, the priest is waiting for him, holding the amulet for Jacques, who kisses it and then returns to the car. In the final shot, the car is shown driving away from the chateau before the camera pans to Odile sitting outside in a windstorm, smiling enigmatically and knowingly.
In his New York Times column Criminals at Large, Anthony Boucher praised the 1964 novel Day of the Arrow, written by Robin Estridge under the pen name Philip Loraine. Boucher compared the book to the works of Daphne du Maurier, Mary Stewart, Victoria Holt, Norah Lofts and Evelyn Berckman, writing that it "tells very much the same kind of brooding, atmospheric story, in very much the same kind of setting (an ancestral castle in the Auvergne), but from a male viewpoint and with a mind working in a completely masculine manner.... This is a setting for [a] highly civilized and aristocratic nightmare, as a young Scottish painter[lower-alpha 1] tries to identify the sinister forces that are taking control of his friend the Marquis. The answer will come as no surprise to anyone who has ever leafed through The Golden Bough, but its obviousness in no way diminishes its power. The book is as full of tantalizing and terror‐hinting symbols as a pack of tarot cards, and as oddly vivid in its invented folklore as Ngaio Marsh's Death of a Fool."[7]
Estridge adapted his own novel for the screen. Dennis Murphy shared credit for the screenplay.[9]Terry Southern did additional "tightening and brightening" of the script, uncredited.[10]
Kim Novak, who had signed a three-picture deal with Ransohoff in 1961,[11] was signed to play the lead,[12] with Niven co-starring.
Tate had been discovered by Ransohoff when she auditioned for Petticoat Junction. Impressed, he signed her to a seven-year contract.[13] She then spent months studying and playing small roles at Ransohoff's expense, such as a recurring role on The Beverly Hillbillies, before making her feature film debut in Eye of the Devil.[14] Said Ransohoff, "Everybody should make an effort to show a new face in every major picture".[15]
Sidney J. Furie, who had signed a three-picture deal with Ransohoff, was originally slated to direct Eye of the Devil.[16] In August 1965, shortly before filming was to begin, Furie was replaced by Michael Anderson.[17] Anderson fell ill, and was replaced, in turn, by J. Lee Thompson.[18]
In November, two weeks before filming was scheduled to conclude, Novak was thrown from a horse while performing in a key scene, and injured her back. The production shot around Novak while she recovered, filming scenes that did not require her. Novak returned to the set after two weeks, but was exhausted after only a day's work, and forced to take more time off. When the production was told that she would need another eight weeks to recover before returning to work, it was decided to replace her with Kerr, even though this meant reshooting a significant amount of footage, since Novak appeared in nearly three-quarters of what already had been filmed.[21][22][5]
"It is tragic, but without Kim or a replacement, we cannot go on," David Niven said. "The person I feel most sorry for is director J. Lee Thompson. He has put everything into this picture."[1] As to Novak's injury, her husband, Richard Johnson, said, "It is not something that will trouble her for the rest of her life. She will recover eventually. It is going to take time and will not be an easy matter."[1] Novak would later say that she had fractured a vertebra.[23]
Filming resumed in December 1965 with Kerr.[24] Some long shots of Novak, filmed before her injury, did make it into the movie.[5]
In his autobiography, Hemmings disputed that Novak had been replaced because of an injury. He said that he had seen a bitter argument take place between Novak and Ransohoff near the end of filming, and that Novak had been sacked as a result.[25][26]
When asked about working with such a distinguished cast, Tate responded, "Of course I was nervous but I was flattered rather than intimidated because everybody put me at such ease. They are such pros. You don't see their technique but when you are surrounded by the best it brings out the best in you."[13]
Release
Upon hitting theatres on 31 March 1968, Eye of the Devil was met with little critical attention and was generally ignored by mainstream critics. The film was not a commercial success, and later in the year it was listed as one of only three films released by producer Martin Ransohoff that had not made money (the other two were Don't Make Waves and The Loved One).[27] Although it was not a commercial success in the United States when first released, Eye of the Devil was popular in the United Kingdom and Europe. The film, in the years since its release, has garnered praise for its atmospheric cinemtaography, offbeat tone and the performances of Kerr and Tate; it has acquired a degree of cult status not only due to its surreal themes but the murder of Tate in 1969.[5]
Sharon Tate's debut did not do much for her career – American reviews of her performance were less than stellar, such as The New York Times characterizing her performance as "chillingly beautiful but expressionless",[28] whereas writers outside of North America were more favorable, with retrospectives noting how "Tate makes a significant visual impression, but it should be noted that her immaculate British accent was dubbed"[29] and that "she certainly displays a screen presence [...] and a glittering future ahead of her".[30]
Eye of the Devil was the last black-and-white film released by MGM. By 1967, all of the major studios had effectively moved entirely to colour.
Home media
Eye of the Devil was released as a Region 1, widescreen DVD on 21 February 2011 by Warner Home Video, via its Warner Archive DVD-on-demand service.
On 26 October 2021, Warner Archive released the film on Blu-ray. For this release Warner Bros. newly restored the film by scanning the original film elements in 4K.
Sharon Marie Tate Polanski was an American actress and model. During the 1960s, she appeared in advertisements and small television roles before appearing in films as well as working as a model. After receiving positive reviews for her comedic and dramatic acting performances, Tate was hailed as one of Hollywood's most promising newcomers, being compared favorably with the late Marilyn Monroe.
Catherine Fabienne Dorléac, known professionally as Catherine Deneuve, is a French actress, producer, and model. She is considered one of the greatest European actresses on film. In 2020, The New York Times ranked her as one of the greatest actors of the 21st century. Early in her career, she gained acclaim for her portrayals of aloof and mysterious beauties for well-known directors, including Luis Buñuel, François Truffaut, Jacques Demy, Roman Polanski, and Agnès Varda. In 1985, she succeeded Mireille Mathieu as the official face of Marianne, France's national symbol of liberty.
Deborah Jane Trimmer CBE, known professionally as Deborah Kerr, was a British actress. She was nominated six times for the Academy Award for Best Actress, becoming the first person from Scotland to be nominated for any acting Oscar. Kerr was known for her roles as elegant, ladylike but also sexually repressed women that deeply yearn for sexual freedom.
Marilyn Pauline "Kim" Novak is an American retired film and television actress and painter. Her contributions to cinema have been honored with two Golden Globe Awards, an Honorary Golden Bear, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Boys' Night Out is a 1962 American romantic comedy film starring Kim Novak, James Garner, and Tony Randall, and featuring Howard Duff, Janet Blair, Howard Morris, Patti Page, Anne Jeffreys, Jessie Royce Landis and Oscar Homolka. The picture was directed by Michael Gordon and was written by Ira Wallach based on a story by Arne Sultan and Marvin Worth.
Ludivine Sagnier is a French actress. She was nominated three times for the César Award for Best Supporting Actress for Swimming Pool (2003), Peter Pan (2003), and A Secret (2007).
Martin Nelson Ransohoff was an American film and television producer, and member of the Ransohoff family.
Don't Make Waves is a 1967 American sex comedy starring Tony Curtis, Claudia Cardinale, Dave Draper and Sharon Tate. Distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, the film was directed by Alexander Mackendrick and is based on the 1959 novel Muscle Beach by Ira Wallach, who also co-wrote the screenplay.
Kim Darby is an American actress best known for her roles as Mattie Ross in True Grit (1969) and Jenny Meyer in Better Off Dead (1985).
Philippine Mathilde Camille, Baroness de Rothschild was the owner of the French winery Château Mouton Rothschild. She acted under the stage name Philippine Pascal. She was the only daughter of the vintner Baron Philippe de Rothschild, a member of the Rothschild banking dynasty.
Jeanne Eagels is a 1957 American biographical film loosely based on the life of stage star Jeanne Eagels. Distributed by Columbia Pictures, the film was produced and directed by George Sidney from a screenplay by John Fante, Daniel Fuchs and Sonya Levien, based on a story by Fuchs.
Eva Barbara Novak was an American film actress, who was quite popular during the silent film era.
Of Human Bondage is a 1964 British drama film directed by Ken Hughes and starring Kim Novak and Laurence Harvey in the roles played by Bette Davis and Leslie Howard three decades earlier in the original film version. This MGM release, the third screen adaptation of W. Somerset Maugham's 1915 novel, was written by Bryan Forbes from the novel by Somerset Maugham.
The Hollywood Studio Club was a chaperoned dormitory, sometimes referred to as a sorority, for young women involved in the motion picture business from 1916 to 1975. Located in the heart of Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, the Studio Club was run by the YWCA and housed some 10,000 women during its 59-year existence. It was the home at various times to many Hollywood celebrities, including Marilyn Monroe, Ayn Rand, Donna Reed, Kim Novak, Maureen O'Sullivan, Rita Moreno, Barbara Eden, and Sharon Tate. The building was designed in the Italian Renaissance Revival architectural style by noted California architect Julia Morgan, who also designed Hearst Castle. The Studio Club closed in 1975, and the building was used as a YWCA-run Job Corps dormitory until April 30, 2012. It was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1979 and remains the property of the YWCA Greater Los Angeles.
Benjamin is a 1968 French comedy film directed by Michel Deville who co-wrote the screenplay with Nina Companéez.
The Château de Hautefort is a French château and gardens located in the town of Hautefort in the Dordogne. The castle was originally a medieval fortress that was reconstructed in the 17th century, and embellished with a jardin à la française. In 1853 the landscape architect the Count of Choulot redesigned the gardens, adding a landscape garden, geometric flower gardens, topiary gardens imitating the domes of the château, and a long tunnel of greenery. Next to the formal gardens is a hill with an Italian garden with winding shaded paths. Notable trees in the park include a Magnolia grandiflora and a Cedar of Lebanon. The gardens are listed by the Committee of Parks and Gardens of the Ministry of Culture of France as one of the Notable Gardens of France.
Sea Devils is a 1953 colour British–American historical adventure film, directed by Raoul Walsh and starring Rock Hudson, Yvonne De Carlo, and Maxwell Reed. The story is based on Victor Hugo's novel Toilers of the Sea which was the working title of the film. The scenes at sea were shot around the Channel Islands, and much of the rest of the film was shot on location in those islands as well.
The Legend of Lylah Clare is a 1968 American drama film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and directed by Robert Aldrich. The film stars Peter Finch, Kim Novak, Ernest Borgnine, Michael Murphy, and Valentina Cortese. The film was based on a 1963 DuPont Show of the Week TV drama of the same name co-written by Wild in the Streets creator Robert Thom.
The Amorous Adventures of Moll Flanders is a 1965 British historical comedy film directed by Terence Young and starring Kim Novak, Richard Johnson, and Angela Lansbury. It is based on the 1722 novel Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe.
The Return of Dracula is a 1958 American horror film directed by Paul Landres, and starring Francis Lederer, Norma Eberhardt, and Ray Stricklyn. It follows Dracula, who murders an artist aboard a train in Central Europe, and proceeds to impersonate the man, traveling to meet with his extended family in a small California town. The film is primarily in black and white, aside from one brief color sequence.
References
1 2 3 Palmer, Raymond E. (27 November 1965). "Kim Novak Not Able to Continue Film Role". Los Angeles Times. p.18.
1 2 3 Although TCM.com gives the name of the estate as "Bellac", this is an error. It appears on the Festival banner and is pronounced by many characters. The New York Times' review of the original book gives the name of the estate as Bellac. This may be the source of this error.
↑ "Deborah Kerr to Take Injured Kim's Role". Chicago Tribune. 30 November 1965. p.b4.
↑ "Kim Novak's Injury Assessed". The New York Times. 14 December 1965. p.55.
↑ "'Thunderball' Stirs Box Office Storm". Los Angeles Times. 18 December 1965. p.a13.
↑ Hemmings, David (2004). Blow Up... and Other Exaggerations: The Autobiography of David Hemmings. Robson. p.125.
↑ Statman, Alisa; Tate, Brie (21 February 2012). Restless Souls: The Sharon Tate Family's Account of Stardom, the Manson Murders, and a Crusade for Justice. Harper Collins.
↑ Haber, Joyce (14 January 1968). "'Baggy Pants' Ransohoff Changes Suits, Image". Los Angeles Times. p.d8.
↑ King, Greg (2000). Sharon Tate and the Manson Murders. Barricade Books. p.79. ISBN1-56980-157-6.
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