Endless Night (film)

Endless Night
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Sidney Gilliat
Produced by	Leslie Gilliat
Screenplay by	Sidney Gilliat
Based on	Endless Night by Agatha Christie
Starring	Hayley Mills Hywel Bennett Britt Ekland Per Oscarsson George Sanders
Music by	Bernard Herrmann
Cinematography	Harry Waxman
Edited by	Thelma Connell
Production company	British Lion Films EMI Films
Distributed by	United Artists
Release dates	5 October 1972 (1972-10-05) (UK)
Running time	95 min.
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

Endless Night is a 1972 British horror and crime film directed by Sidney Gilliat and starring Hayley Mills, Britt Ekland, Per Oscarsson, Hywel Bennett and George Sanders. Based on the novel Endless Night by Agatha Christie, the plot follows a newlywed couple who feel threatened after building their dream home on cursed land.

Plot

Michael Rogers (Bennett), a young drifter currently employed as a chauffeur, has a chance meeting with the lovely Ellie Thomsen (Mills). He dreams of building a magnificent house on a particular spot of land along the Devon coast. Unknown to him, she is actually a wealthy heiress and can make his dream come true. With the help of her efficient German companion, Greta (Ekland), they marry and build a memorable home designed by noted architect Santonix (Oscarsson), much to the disapproval of Ellie's family, who try to buy off Michael.

However, the land the couple purchased is known as "Gypsy's Acre" and is said to carry a curse. Mysterious accidents pile up, a self-proclaimed gypsy haunts the grounds, and after a midnight accident, Greta moves in with the couple to nurse Ellie back to health, to the resentment of Michael.

A further equestrian accident results in the death of Ellie, and Michael is shattered. With the aid of her lawyer "Uncle" Andrew (Sanders) and Greta, Michael pulls together. But he remains haunted by ghostly images of Ellie, and a devious murder plot—and another death—are revealed in the finale.

Cast

• Hayley Mills as Fenella 'Ellie' Thomsen
• Hywel Bennett as Michael Rogers
• Britt Ekland as Greta
• Per Oscarsson as Santonix
• George Sanders as Andrew Lippincott
• David Bauer as Uncle Frank
• Peter Bowles as Reuben Brown
• Patience Collier as Miss Townsend
• Windsor Davies as Sergeant Reene
• Mischa de la Motte as Maynard
• Helen Horton as Aunt Beth
• Lois Maxwell as Cora Walker Brown
• Aubrey Richards as Dr. Philpott
• Ann Way as Mrs. Philpott
• Paul Boross as Young Michael
• Leo Genn as Psychiatrist

Production

Shooting locations included Christie's Auction House, Hertfordshire, Middlesex, as well as the West Country and Albergo San Pietro, Positano, Italy. The Philpotts' estate (Mike and Ellie's neighbors) was filmed at Grim's Dyke.

The score was by Bernard Herrmann. Ellie's singing in the film was dubbed by Shirley Jones.

Reception

The film received mixed reviews. Although reasonably faithful to the novel, it is "An example of the sort of thing Christie was writing in her later years: moody psychological studies very different from, and not so much fun as, her early thrillers." Contemporary critics have noted "Nice performances all around, with special admiration for Oscarsson's role as the dying architect."

Christie herself was displeased by the "lacklustre" adaptation of one of her favorite novels, although she had been initially pleased by the choice of director-writer and cast. Furthermore, she disliked the (admittedly brief) erotic nudity by Ekland in the film's final sequences.

After an unsuccessful run in Britain, UA did not release the film in the United States, although there were runs in Denmark and Finland in 1973.

See also

• Grim's Dyke

External links

• Endless Night at IMDb
• Endless Night at AllMovie