Eye of the Devil
Encyclopedia
Eye of the Devil is a 1966 British film with occult
and supernatural
themes directed by J. Lee Thompson
and starring Deborah Kerr
and David Niven
. The film was set in rural France
and filmed in England
.
plays the owner of a vineyard, who is called back to the estate when it falls on hard times. Accompanied by his wife (Deborah Kerr
), the couple are confronted by a beautiful witch (Sharon Tate
), who also lives on the estate with her brother (David Hemmings
). As time passes it becomes clear that a blood sacrifice is expected to return the vineyard to its former glory.
who hailed her as his great discovery. Finally released two years later it attracted little attention. However, The New York Times
wrote of Tate's "chillingly beautiful but expressionless" performance. Although it was not a commercial success in the United States when first released, it was popular in Europe
, and it has acquired a degree of cult status, largely due to its surreal themes, and the 1969 murder of Tate. The film is also notable for its distinguished supporting cast, which includes veteran British actors Donald Pleasance, Flora Robson
, Emlyn Williams
, Edward Mulhare
and John Le Mesurier
.
The film is also known by the titles Thirteen and 13.
Occult
The word occult comes from the Latin word occultus , referring to "knowledge of the hidden". In the medical sense it is used to refer to a structure or process that is hidden, e.g...
and supernatural
Supernatural
The supernatural or is that which is not subject to the laws of nature, or more figuratively, that which is said to exist above and beyond nature...
themes directed by J. Lee Thompson
J. Lee Thompson
John Lee Thompson , better known as J. Lee Thompson, was an English film director, active in England and Hollywood.- Early years :...
and starring Deborah Kerr
Deborah Kerr
Deborah Kerr, CBE was a Scottish film and television actress from Glasgow. She won the Sarah Siddons Award for her Chicago performance as Laura Reynolds in Tea and Sympathy, a role which she originated on Broadway, a Golden Globe Award for the motion picture The King and I, and was a three-time...
and David Niven
David Niven
James David Graham Niven , known as David Niven, was a British actor and novelist, best known for his roles as Phileas Fogg in Around the World in 80 Days and Sir Charles Lytton, a.k.a. "the Phantom", in The Pink Panther...
. The film was set in rural France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and filmed in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Plot
David NivenDavid Niven
James David Graham Niven , known as David Niven, was a British actor and novelist, best known for his roles as Phileas Fogg in Around the World in 80 Days and Sir Charles Lytton, a.k.a. "the Phantom", in The Pink Panther...
plays the owner of a vineyard, who is called back to the estate when it falls on hard times. Accompanied by his wife (Deborah Kerr
Deborah Kerr
Deborah Kerr, CBE was a Scottish film and television actress from Glasgow. She won the Sarah Siddons Award for her Chicago performance as Laura Reynolds in Tea and Sympathy, a role which she originated on Broadway, a Golden Globe Award for the motion picture The King and I, and was a three-time...
), the couple are confronted by a beautiful witch (Sharon Tate
Sharon Tate
Sharon Marie Tate was an American actress. During the 1960s she played small television roles before appearing in several films. After receiving positive reviews for her comedic performances, she was hailed as one of Hollywood's promising newcomers and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for...
), who also lives on the estate with her brother (David Hemmings
David Hemmings
David Edward Leslie Hemmings was an English film, theatre and television actor as well as a film and television director and producer....
). As time passes it becomes clear that a blood sacrifice is expected to return the vineyard to its former glory.
Production
Filmed in 1965, it featured the first film performance of Tate, who was cast by Filmways executive Martin RansohoffMartin Ransohoff
Martin Ransohoff is a cinema and television producer, and member of the Ransohoff family.Ransohoff was born in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1927. He founded the film production company Filmways, Inc. in 1960 and remained with the company until 1972...
who hailed her as his great discovery. Finally released two years later it attracted little attention. However, The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
wrote of Tate's "chillingly beautiful but expressionless" performance. Although it was not a commercial success in the United States when first released, it was popular in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, and it has acquired a degree of cult status, largely due to its surreal themes, and the 1969 murder of Tate. The film is also notable for its distinguished supporting cast, which includes veteran British actors Donald Pleasance, Flora Robson
Flora Robson
Dame Flora McKenzie Robson DBE was an English actress, renowned as a character actress, who played roles ranging from queens to villainesses.-Early life:...
, Emlyn Williams
Emlyn Williams
George Emlyn Williams, CBE , known as Emlyn Williams, was a Welsh dramatist and actor.-Biography:He was born into a Welsh-speaking, working class family in Mostyn, Flintshire....
, Edward Mulhare
Edward Mulhare
Edward Mulhare was a popular television actor whose career spanned four decades.Born at 22 Quaker Road, Cork City, County Cork, Ireland, and educated by the Irish Christian Brothers, Mulhare intended to study medicine, but was sidetracked by a growing interest in acting...
and John Le Mesurier
John Le Mesurier
John Le Mesurier was a BAFTA Award-winning English actor. He is most famous for his role as Sergeant Arthur Wilson in the popular 1970s BBC comedy Dad's Army.-Career:...
.
The film is also known by the titles Thirteen and 13.