The Devil Rides Out (film)
1968 British horror film based on Dennis Wheatley's novel.
The Devil Rides Out (released in the United States as *The Devil's Bride*) is a 1968 British horror film directed by Terence Fisher. The cast includes Christopher Lee, Charles Gray, Niké Arrighi, and Leon Greene. Richard Matheson adapted the screenplay from Dennis Wheatley’s 1934 novel of the same name. The film is widely regarded as one of Fisher’s finest works. It was the last movie produced by Seven Arts Productions, which merged with Warner Bros. on 17 July 1967 to form Warner Bros.-Seven Arts.
The story is set in London and southern England in 1929. Nicholas, Duc de Richleau, an erudite man, investigates the odd behavior of his protégé, Simon Aron, the son of a late friend. Simon’s house is marked with unusual symbols and a pentagram. De Richleau quickly realizes Simon is involved in the occult. Along with his friend Rex Van Ryn, de Richleau rescues Simon and a young initiate named Tanith from a devil-worshipping cult. During the rescue, they disrupt a May Day ceremony on Salisbury Plain, where the Devil appears as the “Goat of Mendes.” They flee to the country home of de Richleau’s niece, Marie, and her husband, Richard Eaton. The cult’s leader, Mocata, who has a psychic link to the two initiates, follows them. While de Richleau is away, Mocata visits the house to discuss the matter and tries to influence the initiates to return. When that fails, he forces de Richleau and the others to defend themselves through a night of black magic attacks, culminating in the conjuring of the Angel of Death. De Richleau repels the angel, but it takes Tanith’s life—once summoned, it must claim a victim. Defeated, Mocata kidnaps the Eatons’ young daughter, Peggy. De Richleau has Tanith’s spirit possess Marie to locate Mocata, but they get only one clue until Rex realizes the cultists are at a house he visited earlier. Simon tries to rescue Peggy alone but is recaptured. De Richleau, Richard, and Rex attempt the rescue but are overcome by Mocata. A powerful force—possibly Tanith herself—takes control of Marie and ends Peggy’s trance. Marie then leads Peggy in reciting a spell that brings divine retribution against the cult, summoning the Angel of Death to kill the cult members and break the curse.
Quick Facts
- Director
- Terence Fisher
- Producer
- Anthony Nelson Keys
- Screenplay
- Richard Matheson
- Based On
- The Devil Rides Out / 1934 novel · Dennis Wheatley
- Starring
- Christopher Lee / Charles Gray / Niké Arrighi / Leon Greene / Patrick Mower / Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies / Sarah Lawson / Paul Eddington / Rosalyn Landor
- Music
- James Bernard
- Cinematography
- Arthur Grant
- Editing
- Spencer Reeve
- Studio
- Hammer Film Productions / Seven Arts Productions
- Distributor
- Warner-Pathé (UK) / 20th Century Fox (US)
- Runtime
- 95 minutes
- Country
- United Kingdom
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The film was first proposed in 1963 but went ahead four years later once censorship worries over Satanism had eased. Production began on 7 August 1967. Christopher Lee, who played the heroic Nicholas, Duc de Richleau, often stated that of all his films, this was his favourite and the one he would have liked to see remade with modern special effects and with him playing a mature Duke de Richleau. Lee also stated that Wheatley was so pleased with the adaptation that he gave the actor a first edition of the novel.
The plot is set in London and the south of England in 1929. The story follows the Duc de Richleau as he investigates the strange actions of his protégé Simon Aron, who is involved with a devil-worshipping cult led by Mocata. The film features a May Day ceremony on Salisbury Plain where the Devil appears as the 'Goat of Mendes', and a climactic sequence involving the conjuring of the Angel of Death. The film ends with divine retribution against the cult and a reversal of time that saves the protagonists.
Leon Greene's dialogue was dubbed by Patrick Allen; Allen himself was quoted as saying it was because Greene, an opera singer, 'sang' his lines and the producers thought they should be delivered in a better manner. The A-side of British rock band Icarus's debut single 'The Devil Rides Out' was inspired by advance publicity for the film, though the song does not appear in the film.
Reader's Guide
The Devil Rides Out is notable for being one of Terence Fisher's best-regarded films and for featuring Christopher Lee in a rare heroic role. Unlike other Hammer films, it has little sexual or violent content and adopts a more serious tone. Paul Leggett describes the film as a 'total conquest of Christianity over the forces of evil,' drawing inspiration from Charles Williams and C.S. Lewis. Professor Peter Hutchings notes paternalistic themes, with older male authority figures dominating the struggle between good and evil.
The film received positive reviews, holding a 96% 'Fresh' rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics praised the atmosphere, direction, and Lee's performance, though some found the acting broad or the script longwinded. Commercially, the film was a loss for the studio, requiring $1,150,000 in rentals to break even but only making $575,000 by December 1970. Despite this, it remains a respected entry in the horror genre and is often cited as a favourite by its star.
Did You Know?
- Christopher Lee stated that Dennis Wheatley was so pleased with the adaptation that he gave Lee a first edition of the novel.
- Leon Greene's dialogue was dubbed by Patrick Allen because Greene, an opera singer, reportedly 'sang' his lines.
- The film was the final production of Seven Arts Productions after its merger with Warner Bros. on 15 July 1967.
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