Supernatural drama starring Bette Davis, Carroll Baker and David McCallum. An American family rents an old English mansion, which is owned by Mrs Aylwood, an elderly woman who lives in the grounds. The mansion is surrounded by woods that seem to be sinister and may hold the secret to the disappearance of Mrs Aylwood's daughter many years earlier.
Disney attempted to shake off its popcorn image with this tale of a composer and his family moving into a mysterious cottage owned by sinister Bette Davis. But the psychic alien time-warp plot is too silly for adults and not daft enough to make it a proper children's treat. Director John Hough knows how to use atmosphere, though, and sustains it quite well, despite ex-ice skater Lynn-Holly Johnson's bland central performance. However, his decision to take the soft gothic horror route and then suddenly leave the horror out is a mistake, and the movie never recovers. In fact, Disney changed the climax after a disastrous test screening. Bette Davis completists won't want to miss it, though.
| role | name |
|---|---|
| Mrs Aylwood | Bette Davis |
| Helen Curtis | Carroll Baker |
| Paul Curtis | David McCallum (1) |
| Jan Curtis | Lynn-Holly Johnson |
| Ellie Curtis | Kyle Richards |
| John Keller | Ian Bannen |
| Tom Colley | Richard Pasco |
| Mary Fleming | Frances Cuka |
| Mike Fleming | Benedict Taylor |
| Mrs Thayer | Eleanor Summerfield |
| Young Mrs Aylwood | Georgina Hale |
| Karen Aylwood | Katherine Levy |
| role | name |
|---|---|
| Director | John Hough |
| Director | Vincent McEveety |
