Watch To the Devil a Daughter

To the Devil a Daughter is a suspense-horror movie released in 1976. The film features a remarkable cast, starring Richard Widmark, Christopher Lee, and Honor Blackman. It is based on the novel with the same name by Dennis Wheatley. The story follows an American novelist, John Verney (Richard Widmark), who becomes entangled in a web of satanic rituals and demonic possession. He is approached by Henry Beddows (Denholm Elliott), a former church member, who begs him to help his daughter, Catherine (Nastassja Kinski), escape the grasp of a sinister cult leader, Father Michael Rayner (Christopher Lee). Verney becomes obsessed with saving Catherine and soon discovers that Rayner plans to use her in a ceremonial ritual to conceive a child that will usher in the birth of the devil.

The film is set in London and Bavaria, and the locations are portrayed to great effect, providing a suitably morbid atmosphere. The tone of the film is dark and mystic with a brooding and scary score, enhancing the eerie ambiance.

Richard Widmark is excellent as John Verney, a character who starts out as a skeptic but becomes deeply invested in the cult's activities. His performance is strong, and he brings a sense of tension to the role that helps to convey the danger of the situation. Christopher Lee, as Father Michael Rayner, is convincing as the sinister cult leader, his performance is eerie, and his deep voice creates a menacing atmosphere.

Honor Blackman plays Anna Fountain, a former member of the cult who has become disillusioned with their practices. Her character provides a considerable amount of exposition, but she does so with a conviction that makes it interesting.

Nastassja Kinski brings a sense of innocence and vulnerability to the role of Catherine, the young woman whom Rayner hopes to use for his evil plans. She plays her role well, and the audience can feel empathy for the character and the terror she faces.

The film is well-paced, with a slow build-up that gradually ratchets up the suspense until the climactic ending. The horror scenes are well-executed with sometimes graphic and disturbing scenes that could still shock even by today's standards.

The movie is not perfect, and sometimes the script can feel a bit clumsy. Some dialogues are forced - especially those that explain the workings of the cult, which can feel a bit artificial. However, the performances of the cast and the overall ambiance make up for these flaws, creating a movie that still has a cult following to this day.

Overall, To the Devil a Daughter is an enjoyable and suspenseful horror movie, one that is recommended for fans of the genre. The performances of the cast are strong, and the atmosphere of the film is suitably dark and foreboding. If you're looking for a creepy and immersive horror flick, this could be the one for you.

To the Devil a Daughter is a 1976 horror movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 35 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.8 and a MetaScore of 39.