Witchcraft (1964) - full transcript

Stop! Stop that!

This is blasphemy.
Stop it!

Go back.
Go back, I tell you!

Go back!

Desecrating decent folks' graves...
Stop it. Stop, I said!

Myles thinks the garages would be better over
here where we're going to clear the graveyard.

Oh, I think it will be better where it was.
The children will need this for a play area.

A letter just came for you, Tracy.
Oh.

Oh, it's from Pam.

"Dear Mummy and Daddy,
I hope you're well."

They've taken her to Montreal
for the tennis tournament.



Hey, Bill, listen to this.

"Marge Campbell beat Hilda
in straight sets for the cup.

"You could have beaten both." At the same
time, with one hand tied behind your back.

Well, my daughter still
thinks I'm champ. So do I.

I've got the scars to prove it.
Hey, what else does she say?

"School will be out
in six weeks."

"I have already packed my things,
which everybody thinks is a big joke."

She writes a very good
letter for her age.

Oh, I do hope she likes it here.
Oh, I know she will.

Well, Tracy's crazy about
it, aren't you, honey? Mmm.

Well, let's have our tea.

Where's Todd?
Oh, he's having trouble with his car again.

Hey.

- Todd, tea.
- No, thanks.



You stay here.

Todd.

I'll see who it is.

You expecting someone?
Todd probably locked himself out again.

I want to see William Lanier!
It's Morgan Whitlock.

Oh, no.
Out of my way, woman!

This time you overreached yourself.
This time I'm taking you to court!

If there's any justice, they'll send
you packing back where you came from.

We've been to court, and you know the
decision. Yes, but your bulldozer...

You knew we were starting to grade this morning.
You've had months to move your markers.

I've even offered you trucks and
labor so you'll have no expense.

The Whitlocks have used
that cemetery for 800 years.

What right does an upstart like you have
to run sewers through their coffins,

put buildings over their graves?

Look, we've been through this a dozen times
already. That cemetery is full and abandoned.

No one's been buried there
for 150 years.

Look, I-I didn't want to disturb a cemetery,
but it's right in the middle of the tract.

And if this area is going to
progress... What do you mean?

Is progress smashing our gravestones
with your damn bulldozer?

That's not true.
The grading started on cleared ground.

Is that so, Mr. Lanier? Have you taken the
trouble to look at your handiwork today?

Have you talked to that brute,
Forrester, your partner?

Are you telling me that the bulldozer
damaged some of your gravestones?

I'm telling you that the bulldozer ran right
through the middle of the Whitlock plot.

And when we tried to stop it,
it ran us down!

If this is true, I want you to
know, it was against my orders.

You're not the sort of
a man I can believe.

But I'm going to stop you. I'm not gonna
let you ruin our countryside with...

With trash like this!

Let me talk to your uncle, Amy.
I know I can make him understand.

It's no use, Todd.
I've tried to talk to him so many times.

Then meet me tonight anyway.

I can't tonight.
I told you why.

Oh, Todd,

as soon as this is over,
it'll be just like before.

Won't that be wonderful?
Sneaking about just like before.

I told you not
to come near my niece.

Mr. Whitlock...
There'll be no argument.

You're not to see Amy! Is that clear?
I've got to talk to you.

There'll be no more talk
to Laniers!

I told him the truth.
I didn't know anything about it.

It's Forrester's fault,
not yours.

Yeah, that's why I better get over
there and get him to pull his men off.

I wish you could handle the
development on your own, Bill,

like in Toronto and Detroit.

Well, there I had a contracting business,
equipment and financial backing.

Here I need a partner
to supply them.

I wish he could have chosen a
better partner than Myles Forrester.

Mr. Forrester.
What is it?

Mr. Lanier's here to see you.
Ah. Send him in. Send him in.

Come in, Bill.
I won't be a moment here.

Fix yourself a drink.
No, thanks.

How did the trip to London go?
Oh, I'm dead beat.

I left at 6:00 this morning
and drove both ways.

- But the bank did us proud, Bill.
- Yes, I thought they would.

Plain sailing from here.
I've got the tractors in to start grading.

That's what I came to see you about.
Uh-huh.

Do you know they plowed up some of the
Whitlock gravestones? Oh, have they now?

You don't seem very surprised.
Well, no.

As a matter of fact,
I told them to.

You t... Have you gone
out of your mind

We've a lot of money up,
interest to pay, dates to meet.

You promised me that grading
would start on cleared ground.

And then what Wait?

Invest a few more thousand pounds?
We had an agreement.

Now look, Bill.
They've had all the warning in the world.

Everyone's moved their tombs
but the Whitlocks.

Let's face it, man.

They hate the Laniers.
They'll do anything they can to stop you.

Now this is a big project.
You're gonna make a lot of money.

We can still make money
without desecrating a cemetery.

You know, you old families are
all the same: living in the past,

going broke on thousands of
pounds worth of real estate.

Look, the city's moving
towards your acreage,

and, still, your father shot himself
because of financial worries.

My father happened to be
a man of principle...

Something that you probably find
very difficult to understand.

Well, I'm sure he was right by his
own lights, but times are changing.

Cities are expanding.
I know all about the population explosion.

Now look, Bill.
I'll tell you what we'll do.

No, I'll tell you!

It's past quitting time now,
so there's nothing we can do tonight,

but tomorrow morning, you're gonna have all
that equipment transferred to clear ground,

and you're gonna supply me with all the trucks
and labor I need to move the Whitlock memorials,

and I'm gonna see
the job gets done.

That all right, Myles?
Right as rain. Anything I can do?

I'll be the first to call on you.
Good night, Myles.

Good night, Bill.

Oh, how did it go?
Is everything all right?

Well, not all right,
but I think we can straighten it out.

Well, what have you got there?

Oh, I found it in the cemetery.

They're both the same.

Yeah.

I think I'll go up and have a
talk to Grandmother before dinner.

Oh, well, don't be long,
will you, Bill?

Todd and Helen will need a drink when they
get in. Oh, take over for me, will you?

You're not only the best backhand in
Canada, you're a great bartender too.

The flattery I get
when you want something.

It's the same as the
stone in the fireplace.

That stone in the fireplace was put
there when the Whitlocks owned the place.

The only other one was on...
Vanessa Whitlock's grave.

I seem to remember
being told as a child...

that this was the sign
of a witches' circle.

It is.
What was it doing on the grave?

Our ancestors said that
Vanessa Whitlock was a witch.

They accused her,
and she was condemned.

That's the witches' circle...

The pact with the devil.

Well, if she was burnt as a
witch, she can't harm anyone now.

She wasn't burned.

After she was condemned,

they took her out and...
buried her alive.

Everyone's drink all right? No.

Oh, where's that piece of stone you
showed me? I was telling them about it.

Oh, I left it upstairs.
What did you show her?

A piece of the
witch's tombstone.

And you disturbed it?
Oh, it was pretty disturbed already.

I just wanted to
compare it with that.

Are you talking about real
witches with broomsticks and cats?

Well, I don't know about
the broomsticks and cats.

Friday will be May Eve... Roodmas.
Then you'll see for yourself.

- Let's change the subject.
- Well, I've never heard of Roodmas.

It's supposed to be one of the four great
sabbats of the year, when the witches gather...

Candlemas, Roodmas,
Beltane in midsummer, and Halloween...

The night that the witches make
their sacrifice to the devil.

Well, I can hardly wait
for Friday.

I gather Bill hasn't told you what
kind of a family you've married into.

Oh, knock it off, Todd. Oh, no.
I'm really interested.

What kind of a family have I married into?
What harm will it do?

Well, you started it.
You better finish it.

Well, the Laniers are
Norman stock... latecomers.

The Whitlocks were Anglo-Saxon.

Originally, they owned
all this land, this house.

The story goes that in the early
1600s, during the witch hunts,

the Laniers accused the
Whitlocks of witchcraft.

There have been cynics
who felt that their zeal...

was inspired more by greed
than righteousness.

But anyway, they had Vanessa Whitlock
killed and drove out her kinfolk.

Then they took over.
Well, naturally,

the Whitlocks didn't take very
kindly to this, and ever since then,

they're supposed to have made
the destruction of the Laniers...

the main item of business
at their sabbats.

Is Myles Forrester in his office?
Uh, well, yes, Mr. Whitlock.

You tell him
that I want to see him now.

What is it?
Mr. Whitlock wants to see you.

What, at this time of the night?

You should have
been home hours ago.

Well, I thought you wanted those
estimates to go off to the council. Ah.

Uh, tomorrow will do.
You've done enough for today.

And so have I.
All I want is a hot bath and then bed.

What am I to tell Mr. Whitlock?
Uh, tell him to go to blazes if you like.

No, he's Lanier's problem now.
Just get rid of him. All right.

I'm sorry, Mr. Whitlock. Mr. Forrester's
very tired. I insist upon seeing him.

I'm sorry. He's had a long day, and he's
going home. He'll not be rid of me easily.

He says, you see Mr. Lanier if
there's anything to discuss. Lanier?

You warn Forrester for me
that he's going to be sorry.

He's going to regret this day!

I'm rejecting these. Make a note, will you?
"New bids on door hardware."

What about the metal casements?

I'll answer it.

The metal casements?

Oh, I don't think we'll ask
for bids.

Uh, I think we'd be
better off to negotiate...

or let the subs handle it.

This is Detective Inspector Baldwin.
My husband, William Lanier.

How do you do?
And his brother, Todd.

I don't believe we've met, Inspector.
I'm Helen Lanier.

Oh, uh, Inspector Sheldon's
on sick leave, ma'am.

I was sent down to fill in for him.
Oh, I see.

Well, I'm afraid I have some very shocking
news for you. Myles Forrester is dead.

Dead? I just saw him last night.

He was drowned, Mr. Lanier, in his
bathtub, and we think it was murder.

Oh, no.

Oh, death was caused
by drowning, all right, but,

well, there were marks on his throat as
if somebody had tried to strangle him.

We're holding Morgan Whitlock.

No charges have been
filed yet, sir, but...

Whitlock went to see Forrester last night
and behaved in a very threatening manner.

And he's unable to account for his
movements at the time of the death.

What about Amy? The niece? She's at
home now. I drove her there myself.

Just a moment, young man.

He was with us.
None of us left the house.

Oh, I see. So you can all vouch
for each other then?

Was there anybody else
in the house last night?

Just my grandmother,
Malvina Lanier.

Do you think I might speak
to her just for a moment?

That won't be necessary,
Inspector.

My mother hasn't left
her room since my father died...

many years ago.

- It was a great shock to her. She hasn't walked since.
- I see.

Inspector, it's for you.
Oh, thank you. Excuse me, will you?

Hello. Baldwin speaking.
I'm going over to see Amy.

No, Todd, I don't think it's the
time... Bill, she's by herself.

Yes, all right.
Go ahead.

All right, now stay there and don't
touch anything. I'll be right over.

That was my assistant,
Sergeant Kinley.

Something very odd's
happened at the cemetery.

I wonder if you'd mind going
down there with me, sir.

Me? What can...

Well, all right.
Yes, if you think I can help. Good.

Oh, yes. By the way...

We found it pinned to a window
curtain in Forrester's office.

It's a witch's charm...
A devil doll.

Oh, Todd, I'm so glad
you're here.

Didn't you know I'd come
as soon as I heard?

I wasn't sure.
Why, Amy?

Well, your brother and
Mr. Forrester being partners and...

And Uncle being accused...

I love you.
That's the only thing that matters.

Oh, Todd.

How's your uncle taking it?
He's more angry than anything else.

He's gonna be all right. They're just
checking on everyone that knew Forrester.

They questioned all of us this morning.
They even asked about my grandmother.

The inspector said they're holding your uncle
'cause he was at Forrester's last night.

But they haven't filed charges against him.
He told us that.

Oh, I hope so.
I don't know what I'd do.

Just don't worry. They'll have
to release him. It won't be long.

In the meantime,
you can't stay here on your own.

You're coming to stay at our house.
Oh, I couldn't do that.

Why not?
You know how Uncle feels.

I don't think he'd want you
to be here alone.

He'd never forgive me if I stayed
with the Laniers. Don't ask me, Todd.

But suppose they hold
him for some days?

I don't know.

Oh, Todd.
I'm frightened.

I wish you and I could be a thousand
miles away from Uncle and...

this feud... a-and...

And what?

And everything.

What do you want?

Hello, Miss Lanier.

I'm sorry to trouble you, but...
Amy!

Hello. Come in. Come in.

I'm glad you changed your mind.

Tracy, this is Amy Whitlock.

My sister-in-law, Tracy. Hello.
Todd's told me a lot about you.

How do you do, Mrs. Lanier.
Amy's on her own.

I said, if she felt lonely,
she was to stay with us. Oh, of course.

I feel like a terrible nuisance.
We've plenty of room.

Come on.
I'll take you upstairs.

Don't be long now.

Who was that? Todd invited the
Whitlock girl to stay with us.

Do you think that was a good idea?
Why not? She was by herself.

Where is she now?
Tracy took her upstairs.

A Whitlock hasn't slept in
this house for 300 years.

Then it's about time one did, just to
put a stop to this nonsense. Nons...

You know the Whitlocks still
belong to the old religion.

I know there have always been stories about
witchcraft and certain practices, yes.

There's a coven right here.
It's common knowledge.

Are you trying to tell us that Amy's
a witch? I am only trying to say...

there's a coven of 13 here and
that the Whitlocks belong to it.

This is absolutely idiotic.
Look, Helen, the girl's upstairs now.

There's not much we can do about
it until tomorrow, is there?

You do as you like.
You're head of the house now.

But in the morning, I'm driving
up to London to stay with friends!

Plenty of time for sleep later on.
You're coming to bed right now.

Helen! What is it?

I saw it. You saw what, Helen?

I saw it.

Get the dressing gown.

Now come on, Helen. Come and sit down.
You'll be all right.

I... I saw it. Come on.
Put this on. Keep warm.

Sit down.

Now, Helen, what did you see?
It's that girl. I warned you.

Do you mean Amy?
Oh, she's in bed.

No.

I'll go and see.

She's in bed asleep.

Look, Helen, do you feel better?

Can you tell us?
What frightened you?

Well, there was a woman...
in gray.

She was standing beside my bed.

Th-There was mud on her clothes.

She was going to kill me.
Look, Helen.

Tracy and I were out in the hall,
and no one came out of your room.

You saw there was no one here when we switched
the lights on. Now don't tell me I dreamt it.

I saw her as plainly as I see you.
She came from there.

There's noth...

You shouldn't have let her go. I had no idea
she'd left until I saw that her car was gone.

Where did she go?
What happened last night?

After Helen went to bed,
she, um...

Well, she thought she saw
something in her room.

Saw what in her room?

Oh, I don't know. She said it was a... a
woman in gray. With clay on her clothes.

How did you know that?

Bill, you must go after her at once.
She's in great danger.

Amen.

Oh, you go on ahead.
I'll be up in a minute.

I'm, uh, sorry to intrude, Mr. Lanier,
but I thought you'd want to know...

They're releasing Morgan Whitlock.
Oh, thank you.

When?
Tonight or tomorrow morning.

No evidence?
We're baffled.

Forrester was a powerful
man, Mr. Lanier.

How could anybody have just
walked into his bathroom...

and strangled him without
any sort of a fight?

Doesn't make sense. And neither
does the death of my Aunt Helen.

Well, I don't know about that. Oh, come on,
Inspector. You know it wasn't an accident.

Nobody leaves the main highway and drives 200
yards across a rubbish tip... by accident.

No. It wasn't suicide.
You can take my word for that.

It wasn't murder either.
You can take my word for that.

We examined those tracks
very carefully.

There were no suspicious
marks on the cliff top.

That car was driven
at an even pace...

across that rubbish tip
and straight over the cliff.

It never stopped.

Well, what's your explanation?

You name it.

I wish I'd never started
this construction project.

Come in.

Oh, hello, Tracy.
What are you doing up?

Todd told me he and your husband are
driving up to London this afternoon.

I want to see him off.
Oh, you should be in bed.

Oh, it's only flu or something.
He'll start thinking I'm an invalid.

Well, all right.
But be sure you're warm enough.

Tell him I'll be
down in a minute.

We really ought to take her home
now, you know, Todd.

But she isn't well enough.
She's had this fever for two days.

She can't stay here
once they release her uncle.

I'm not having him
storming around the place,

upsetting Tracy
while we're away.

Oh, I can handle him, Bill.

Besides, Amy can keep me
company when you're in London.

Are you sure you wouldn't
rather we drove up tomorrow...

or, um, postponed the meeting?

Of course not.
This development's important.

What time are you seeing the bank?
10:00.

We should be back
before evening.

You're worried about something.

What is it?

Oh, it's...

just that I don't like leaving you
here alone right after the funeral.

Oh, Bill.
You know me better than that.

I'm not the fanciful type.

Nothing.

You know, I'm worried about you.

You and Todd
are both very tired.

Be careful when you're
driving, won't you?

Yes. I'll drive the first half
while Todd has a sleep,

then he can take over.

Here, carry my bag.

Are you all right?

Oh, yes. Yes, of course.

Amy, I... I don't like
to interfere,

but do you have to go
back to your uncle?

Couldn't you stay with us?

Please, don't ask me that.

Don't make it any harder.

Harder

I must do what Uncle says.

He's...

Well?

I must obey him.

Oh!

What is it?
What an ugly thing.

Bill, look out!

There must be an explanation.
There isn't.

I was wide awake, and I saw the
road in front of me the whole time.

Maybe it was some sort
of autosuggestion.

You were thinking about Helen's accident
and turned off at the same place.

I was thinking about
the meeting tomorrow.

All right, you explain it.
I can't, I can't, I can't!

All right, why don't I admit it?
It was witchcraft.

Don't be idiotic, Bill.
All right, I know it sounds idiotic.

A week ago I'd have
laughed at it myself.

But how else do you explain
Forrester, Aunt Helen and now this?

Well, I don't accept it.
You don't have to.

But I'm not gonna
risk my life...

or yours or Tracy's anymore.

We should never have left her.

We can't go back now.

Apart from anything else,
it would scare the life out of Tracy.

Besides, she's got Amy with her.

And we'll be back
by tomorrow evening.

Look, let's go onto London.

And to put your mind at rest, you can
phone her as soon as we get to the hotel.

Hello?

Yes.

Oh, Bill. Good.

Oh, we're fine.

We had tea together,
and then she went up to bed.

Yes.

Oh, me?

Oh, I've been doing
all the odd jobs...

I never seem to get done
when you're around.

How was the trip?

What?

Oh, "uneventful." Sorry.
This line isn't very clear.

Did you drive all the way?

I said, did you drive
all the way yourself?

Oh, good.

Yes. Yes, I'll tell her.

She says she wants
to go home tomorrow,

so I'll probably drive her over.

Right.

Well, good luck for the meeting.

Thanks for calling.

Good night.

Amy?

Come in.

Oh, you're still up.
The old don't need much sleep, you know.

Have you seen Amy?

No, and I don't expect to.

Isn't she in her room?
No.

You'd better get to bed.

Yes, I will, dear.

Good night.
Good night.

Amy?

Amy?

Amy!

Oh, no!

Well, we're in business.
You were just great with them.

I thought once or twice we
weren't gonna pull it off.

I never want another
couple of hours like that.

I'm going to ring Tracy.
Right.

Make it fast, Todd.

Sure, but if Amy's in,
she might know where Tracy is.

Hello, darling.
We've just got back.

Look, Bill's worried because
Tracy doesn't answer the phone.

Do you know where she is?
At your home.

You're sure? You're sure she's there
now, this afternoon? Yes.

Bill? Amy says Tracy's
at home.

You go on. I'll follow.
Okay.

Todd, you can't come in.
You mustn't.

Why
Please go. Please.

We can talk about it later.
I'm not going till I know what's wrong.

Something's happened here, hasn't it?
I don't know what you mean.

Listen, Amy, I love you.
That's the only thing... Stop it, Todd.

Leave me alone!

I warned you not to come near Amy.
Now get out.

I want to talk to Amy, and you've no
right to interfere. I have every right...

to charge you with forcing
your way into my home.

Now I'll give you one minute...

before I call the police.

Very well.

I'll call you later, Amy.

He's back.

What about the brother?

Have you seen him?

Yes.

Vanessa will be angry.

Vanessa?

Yes.

She is coming to us.

You will see her tonight
yourself...

At the sabbat.

Tracy?

Tracy?

Trace...

Tracy!

Yes?
I'm Bill Lanier.

Oh, Bill?
I'll be out in just a moment.

It would be better
if you wait outside.

What are you doing here? What happened?
The doctor will tell you.

Where's my wife? There hasn't been
anyone here all day except Mrs. Lanier.

Are you sure?
Here you are, Nurse.

How are you, Bill?
Hello, Arthur.

Close, surely,
but she'll be all right.

Oh. What happened?

Well, as far as I can make out, Malvina fell
down the stairs sometime during the night.

When she came to, she managed to phone
me, and I brought the nurse.

I just dropped by to see
how she was coming along.

How did she get to the stairs?

Walked. Only way
she could have.

You see, there was never anything
the matter with her legs, you know.

Psychic trauma.

After your grandfather's death,
she had it fixed in her mind...

that she was only safe
in her own rooms.

Sort of sanctuary.

I can't imagine what changed
her after all these years.

Have you seen Tracy?
I imagined she was with you.

No. I left her here.
Arthur, I've got to talk to Grandmother.

Is that all right?
Oh, yes, I think so, but don't overdo it.

I've got to run along. I'll drop by
after rounds. Yes, all right. Thanks.

Grandmother?

Grandmother?

Would you mind leaving us
for a moment, please?

Grandmother,

where's Tracy?

I...

I... saw her...

The witch... Vanessa?

Vanessa Whitlock.

H-H-Helen was right.

Where is Tracy?

She...

She wasn't burned.

She...

She... She c-came back.

T-Tonight is...

Roodmas...

The witches' sabbat.

Grandmother, please.

Where has Tracy gone?

Tracy...

To the crypt.

Oh, it's you.
How did you get here?

I took the shortcut back from Amy's and
saw your light. What are you doing here?

I can't find Tracy,
and Gran says she came in here.

Tracy?
What on earth for?

This is fresh candle grease.

There's a tunnel
behind here that leads...

to the walled-off part
of the cellar in the house.

Yes. I remember hearing it was used
as an... an escape route for priests.

That's right,
in the religious persecution.

Family used to celebrate mass down there.
They built a chapel.

Now, this moves away from the
wall, Todd, so give me a hand.

Right when I say.
Ready? Right, now.

There's a fire down there.
There's a what?

Tracy!

She's been drugged.
Cut the feet.

Tracy.

Tracy, darling.

Tracy, wake up.
It's me. It's Bill.

Tracy. Tracy, wake up.
Tracy, it's me, Bill.

Keep walking, Tracy. Keep walking.
Turn her around, Todd.

You've got to wake up, Tracy.
Please wake up.

You'll be all right. You'll be all right.
Only keep walking.

Tracy, keep your eyes open.
Come on.

Tracy, wake up!

Bill. It's all right, Tracy.
It's all right.

We're taking you home now.

Todd.

Oh, no.

Bar the door.

Go off!

I've got Tracy.

Go to your homes.
Hide your robes. Hide them!

Get some brandy.

Come on, Todd.

Tracy, why did you go into the crypt?
I followed Amy.

She's one of them.

Oh, Bill.

He has led you away
from the old religion.

You have disobeyed
our priestess.

That's not true.
I'm your servant,

and I respect and worship you.

A Lanier returns to die. No!

And we shall be ready.

No! No, I won't let you.

You can't.
I won't let you. No!

I won't let you.

No!

I won't let you kill him.

Amy!

Amy!

Amy!

Bill! Have you
seen Todd anywhere?

Amy!

Amy!

Amy! No!

Amy!

Todd. Are you all right, Mrs.
Lanier?

Born in evil.

Death in burning.