Occult writer John Verney is asked by Henry Beddows to look after his daughter Catherine when she arrives in London. Catherine has been brought up in Germany as a member of a ‘church’ headed by the self-styled ‘Father’ Michael Rainer, but, as Verney soon discovers, Rainer is in reality a devil-worshipper with a sinister and dangerous purpose. He plans to sacrifice Catherine so that she will be reborn as a child of Satan and Verney will need all his strength and faith if he is to stop him…..
Production Details
A co-production by Hammer film Productions Ltd., London and Terra Filmkunst GmbH, Berlin, released through Anglo-EMI Film Distributors Limited Copyright MCMLXXVI Hammer film Productions Limited – All rights reserved
MPAA Approved Certificate No. 24371
The characters and incidents portrayed and the names used herein are fictitious and any similarity to the name, character, or history of any person is entirely accidental and unintentional
From the novel by Dennis Wheatley
RCA Sound System
Made at EMI Elstree Studios Hertfordshire, England and on location in the Federal Republic of Germany
Technicolor 93 mins
Filming Began: 1st September 1975
UK Release: 4th March 1976
Studio:
EMI-MGM Elstree Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire
Location:
Hellfire Caves, West Wycombe, Buckinghamshire
Dashwood Mausoleum, West Wycombe, Buckinghamshire
St Katharine’s Dock, Wapping, London
Heathrow Airport, The Compass Centre, Nelson Road, Hounslow, Greater London
Piccadilly Gallery, 43 Dover Street, Mayfair, Westminster, Greater London
Chiemsee Lake, Bavaria, Germany
Mayfair, Westminster, Greater London
Tower Bridge, Tower Bridge Road, London
Hounslow, Greater London
Stills from film
Click an image for enlarged slideshow
Cast & Crew
Cast & Crew – Verified complete
Red = Uncredited
Crew | Name | Age at Release | Birth | Death | Age | Hammer Credits | Uncredited | Total Hammer | |
Adapted by | John Peacock | 31 | 1945 | 1 Jun 2017 | 72 | 13 | 13 | ||
Additional Material | Gerald Vaughn-Hughes | 1 | 1 | ||||||
Art Director | Don Picton | 60 | 22 Feb 1916 | Nov 1981 | 65 | 15 | 2 | 17 | |
Assistant Director | Barry Langley | 1 | 1 | ||||||
Camera Operator | Ron Robson | 49 | 17 Sep 1926 | 1991 | 64 | 1 | 1 | ||
Casting | Irene Lamb | 10 | 10 | ||||||
Construction Manager | Wag Hammerton | 1 | 1 | ||||||
Continuity | Sally Ball (Jones) | 31 | 1945 | Oct 2009 | 64 | 5 | 5 | ||
Director | Peter Sykes | 36 | 17 Jun 1939 | 1 Mar 2006 | 66 | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
Director | Don Sharpe | 54 | 19 Apr 1921 | 14 Dec 2011 | 90 | 4 | 1 | 5 | |
Director of Photography | David Watkin | 50 | 23 Mar 1925 | 19 Feb 2008 | 82 | 1 | 1 | ||
Dubbing Mixer | Bill Rowe | 45 | 2 Feb 1931 | 29 Sep 1992 | 61 | 10 | 10 | ||
Film Editor | John Trumper | 52 | 7 Mar 1923 | 13 Feb 2004 | 80 | 1 | 1 | ||
First Camera Assistant | Stephen Smith | 1 | 1 | ||||||
Gaffer | Ted Hallows | 63 | 1913 | 2007 | 94 | 3 | 3 | ||
Gaffer | Steve Birtles | 61 | 12 Nov 1914 | 2003 | 88 | 14 | 15 | 29 | |
Hairdressing Supervisor | Jeanette Freeman | 4 | 4 | ||||||
Make-up | Eric Allwright | 50 | 8 Oct 1925 | 18 Jan 2021 | 95 | 1 | 1 | ||
Make-up | George Blackler | 63 | 7 Mar 1912 | 30 Oct 1986 | 74 | 7 | 1 | 8 | |
Music Composer | Paul Glass | 41 | 19 Nov 1934 | 19.11.1934 | 90 | 2 | 2 | ||
Musical Supervisor | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/philip-martell/# | 68 | 6 Oct 1907 | 11 Aug 1993 | 85 | 104 | 1 | 105 | |
Producer | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/roy-skeggs/# | 41 | Apr 1934 | 29 Dec 2018 | 84 | 45 | 2 | 47 | |
Production Accountant | Ken Gordon | 10 | 10 | ||||||
Production Manager | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/ron-jackson/# | 41 | 1935 | 1993 | 58 | 34 | 1 | 35 | |
Production Secretary | Jean Clarkson | 51 | 1925 | 25 Nov 2012 | 87 | 1 | 1 | ||
Publicist | Mike Russell | 1 | 1 | ||||||
Recording Director | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/aw-lumkin/# | 63 | 1 Feb 1913 | 25 Oct 1985 | 72 | 30 | 30 | ||
Screenplay | Christopher Wicking | 33 | 10 Jan 1943 | 13 Oct 2008 | 65 | 4 | 4 | ||
Second Assistant Camera | Barry Brown | 1 | 1 | ||||||
Second Assistant Director | Mike Higgins | 29 | 1947 | 01.01.1947 | 77 | 2 | 2 | ||
Set Dresser | John Jarvis | 1 | 1 | ||||||
Sound Editor | Mike Le Mare GBFE | 37 | 31 Oct 1938 | 19 Oct 2020 | 81 | 1 | 1 | ||
Sound Recordist | Dennis Whitlock | 48 | 1928 | 2008 | 80 | 13 | 1 | 14 | |
Special Effects | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/les-bowie/# | 62 | 10 Nov 1913 | 27 Jan 1979 | 65 | 30 | 13 | 43 | |
Standby painter | George Dean | 1 | 1 | ||||||
Standby props | Brian Lofthouse | 32 | 1944 | 01.01.1944 | 80 | 3 | 3 | ||
Still Photographer | Ray Hearne | 1 | 1 | ||||||
Stunts | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/eddie-powell/# | 48 | 9 Mar 1927 | 11 Aug 2000 | 73 | 2 | 14 | 16 | |
Third Assistant Director | Roy Stevens | 41 | 12 Mar 1934 | 29 Mar 2006 | 72 | 3 | 3 | ||
Wardrobe Supervisor | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/laura-nightingale/# | 35 | 35 | ||||||
Cast | Name | Age at Release | Birth | Death | Age | Hammer Credits | Uncredited | Total Hammer | |
1st Girl | Zoe Hendry | 1 | 1 | ||||||
2nd Girl | Lindy Benson | 23 | 1953 | 01.01.1953 | 71 | 1 | 1 | ||
3rd Girl | Jo Peters | 1 | 1 | ||||||
4th Girl | Bobby Sparrow | 1 | 1 | ||||||
Airport Porter | William Ridoutt | 48 | 1928 | 26 Jun 2014 | 86 | 1 | 1 | ||
Anna | Honor Blackman | 50 | 22 Aug 1925 | 5 Apr 2020 | 94 | 3 | 3 | ||
Bishop | Derek Francis | 52 | 7 Nov 1923 | 27 Mar 1984 | 60 | 3 | 3 | ||
Black Room Attendant | Brian Wilde | 48 | 13 Jun 1927 | 20 Mar 2008 | 80 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
Book Launch Guest | Alan Meacham | 46 | 14 May 1929 | 2 May 1998 | 68 | 5 | 5 | ||
Catherine | Nastassja Kinski | 15 | 24 Jan 1961 | 24.01.1961 | 63 | 1 | 1 | ||
Critic | Howard Goorney | 54 | 11 May 1921 | 29 Mar 2007 | 85 | 2 | 2 | ||
Curator | Bill Horsley | 1 | 1 | ||||||
David | Anthony Valentine | 36 | 17 Aug 1939 | 2 Dec 2015 | 76 | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
Eveline de Grass | Eva-Maria Meineke | 52 | 8 Oct 1923 | 7 May 2018 | 94 | 1 | 1 | ||
Father Michael | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/sir-christopher-lee/# | 53 | 27 May 1922 | 7 Jun 2015 | 93 | 22 | 22 | ||
George de Grass | Michael Goodliffe | 61 | 1 Oct 1914 | 20 Mar 1976 | 61 | 6 | 6 | ||
German Matron | Irene Prador | 64 | 16 Jul 1911 | 8 Jul 1996 | 84 | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
Henry Beddows | Denholm Elliott | 53 | 31 May 1922 | 6 Oct 1992 | 70 | 2 | 2 | ||
Isabel | Anna Bentinck | 28 | 18 May 1947 | 18.05.1947 | 77 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
John Verney | Richard Widmark | 61 | 26 Dec 1914 | 24 Mar 2008 | 93 | 1 | 1 | ||
Kolide | Constantin De Goguel | 33 | 16 Sep 1942 | 16.09.1942 | 82 | 1 | 1 | ||
Man at Airport | Peter Sykes | 36 | 17 Jun 1939 | 1 Mar 2006 | 66 | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
Man Entering Art Gallery | Juba Kennerley | 77 | 4 May 1898 | Jan 1991 | 92 | 3 | 3 | ||
Margaret | Isabella Telezynska | 47 | 9 Dec 1928 | 12 Apr 2013 | 84 | 1 | 1 | ||
Reporter | Ed Devereaux | 50 | 27 Aug 1925 | 7 Dec 2003 | 78 | 1 | 1 | ||
Salvation Army Officer | Frances De La Tour | 31 | 30 Jul 1944 | 30.07.1944 | 80 | 1 | 1 | ||
Sister Helle | Petra Peters | 50 | 31 Mar 1925 | 31 Jul 2004 | 79 | 1 | 1 |
Original Poster
Click to enlarge
Footnotes
So we come to the last of the Hammer Horrors, a production beset with budget and script problems, so much so that Dennis Wheatley made it plain that he would never again allow Hammer to film any of his novels and Richard Widmark kept threatening during filming to board the next plane home to Los Angeles!
Widmark was, of course, a major Hollywood star. His first film was Kiss of Death in 1947 and since then his films have included Pickup on South Street (1953), The Alamo (1960), Two Rode Together (1961), Judgement at Nuremburg (1961), How the West was Won (1962), Madigan (1968), Murder on the Orient Express (1974), Coma (1978) and Who Dares Wins (1982).
Denholm Elliott was a marvellous character actor. His many films include The Cruel Sea (1953), King Rat (1965), Alfie (1966), The House that Dripped Blood (1970), Vault of Horror (1973) (these last two both for Amicus), A Bridge Too Far (1977), Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), Trading Places (1983) and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989).
His television appearances include the title role in the BBC’s chilling adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic ghost story The Signalman (1976). He died in 1992.
Anthony Valentine became a familiar face to TV viewers as upper-class thief Raffles in the Granada TV series.
Frances de la Tour’s most famous part to date is probably that of the frustrated Miss Jones in Yorkshire TV’s seventies sitcom Rising Damp.
Brian Wilde is best known as Foggy in the record-breaking BBC TV sitcom Last of the Summer Wine.
After To the Devil a Daughter Roy Skeggs left Hammer to form his own production company, Cinema Arts.