I'm surprised that this particular film isn't as well known, as "The Night Digger" is an effectively expressive British psychological thriller (penned by Roald Dahl) with a touch of Gothic drama, psycho-sexual unease and sinister moods. The performances of the cast do go a long way to carrying the intrigue and ambiance, where Patricia Neal, Pamela Brown and a very brooding Nicholas Clay do an outstanding job. Neal's repressed turn really is one of great strength and emotion, while Brown authentically commands the screen as the demanding, disabled mother. Clay has a charm about him, but lurking underneath is something unsettling. The relationship that slowly builds between Neal and Clay's characters is affecting, that when she becomes suspicious of him, due to the disappearances of young woman in the area. She just doesn't want to believe he has anything to do with it, despite knowing he surely does. She yearned for something meaningful, and that was him as he brings out the confidence in her and of course she loves the man. So they run away together. The moments when she finally confronts him over it, while terse it remains powerful. Even the sequences with Neal and Brown (adopted daughter and mother) crafted out gripping exchanges. The scenes involving the murders or even the lead up to them (where he torments the victim) are truly creepy, and Bernard Herrmann's subtle, but tense score paints it nicely. This is set-up in an remote country mansion within a small rural town, so town gossip features prominently and is somewhat a driving force for some key plot progressions. So is the loneliness of Neal's frustrated character, which Clay's character takes advantage of and so does Brown's. The pacing is causal, but it helps the atmosphere build and lets the character's form shape.
Review of The Night Digger
