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The Witches (1966)
Country of Origin: UK
Year of Production: 1966
Running Times: 91 mins
Format: Technicolor 35mm
Ratio:
Sound: mono
CREDITS
 PRODUCTION
Production Companies: Hammer Films / Seven Arts
Producer: Anthony Nelson Keys
Production Manager: Charles Permane
SCRIPT
Script: Nigel Kneale
Novel: The Devil's Own by Peter Curtis (real name: Norah Lofts)
DIRECTION
Director: Cyril Frankel
Assistant Director: David Tringham
PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Arthur Grant
Camera Operator: Cece Cooney
Colour: DeLuxe
EDITING AND POST-PRODUCTION
Supervising Editor: James Needs
Editor: Chris Barnes
MUSIC
Music: Richard Rodney Bennett
Musical Supervisor: Philip Martell
SOUND
Sound Recordist: Ken Rawkins
Sound Editor: Roy Hyde
Sound System: RCA Sound System
MAKE UP AND COSTUMES
Make Up: George Partleton
Hair: Frieda Steiger
Wardrobe Master: Harry Haynes
Wardrobe Supervisor: Molly Arbuthnot
DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Production Designer: Bernard Robinson
Art Director: Don Mingaye
MISCELLANEOUS
Continuity: Anne Deeley
Choreographer: Denys Palmer
LOCATIONS
Locations: Bray Studios, Berkshire, England, UK
CASTING
Casting: Irene Lamb
CAST
Joan Fontaine (Gwen Mayfield)
Kay Walsh (Stephanie Bax)
Alec McCowen (Alan Bax)
Ann Bell (Sally)
Ingrid Brett (Linda)
Martin Stephens (Ronnie Dowsett)
John Collin (Mr Dowsett)
Michelle Dotrice (Valerie)
Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies (Granny Rigg)
Duncan Lamont (Bob Curd)
Leonard Rossiter (Dr Wallis)
Carmel McSharry (Mrs Dowsett)
Viola Keats (Mrs Curd)
Shelagh Fraser (Mrs Creek)
Bryan Marshall (Tom)
Kitty Atwood (Mrs McDowall - uncredited)
John Barrett (Mr Glass - uncredited)
Roy Desmond, Ken Robson, Brian Todd, Don Vernon,
Terry Williams (dancers - all uncredited)
Catherine Finn (nurse - uncredited)
Prudence Hyman (Stephanie's maid - uncredited)
Lizbeth Kent (1st villager - uncredited)
Artro Morris (Porter - uncredited)
Willie Payne (Adam - uncredited)
Charles Rea (police sergeant - uncredited)
Rudolph Walker
(Mark - uncredited)
PLOT SUMMARY
While working in Africa, school teacher Gwen Mayfield crosses the path
of local witch doctor and, as a consequence, suffers a nervous breakdown.
She returns to England and takes a teaching post in a small country
town, hoping that the tranquility of her new surroundings will help
her recover. But those hopes are dashed when she discovers that the
village is run by a coven of witches who are planning to sacrifice a
young local girl...
AVAILABILITY
UK
Theatrical Distributor: Warner-Pathe Distributors Limited
USA
Theatrical Distributor: 20th Century Fox Film Corporation
DVD Distributor: Anchor Bay (DV 10689 - includes: the World
of Hammer episode Wicked Women)
TIMELINE
1966
December
9: UK - theatrical release
1967
March
15: USA - theatrical release
1975
July
7: UK - television broadcast (on BBC1)
1979
December
8: UK - television broadcast (on BBC2)
1992
December
9: UK - television broadcast (on ITV)
1998
February
7: UK - television broadcast (on Channel 4)
2000
January
12: UK - television broadcast (on Channel 4)
July
11: USA - DVD release (Anchor Bay (DV 10689))
ALTERNATIVE TITLES
The Devil's Own - US title
Az Ördög maga - Hungarian title
Pacte avec le diable - French title
Der Teufel tanzt um Mitternacht -
German title
REFERENCES
MAGAZINES
British National Film Catalogue vol.4
(1966) (UK)
credits, synopsis
Daily Cinema no.9295 (16 November 1966)
p.5 (UK)
review
Film and TV Technician vol.32 no.259
(December 1966) (UK)
credits
Film Daily vol.130 no.3 (5 January 1967)
p.4 (USA)
review
The House That Hammer Built no.6 (December
1997) pp.294-296 (UK)
illustrated credits, synopsis, review
Kine Weekly no.3085 (19 November 1966)
p.17 (UK)
review
Monthly Film Bulletin vol.34 no.396 (January
1967) p.14 (UK)
credits, synopsis, review
Motion Picture Herald vol.237 no.1 (4
January 1967) p.647 (USA)
review
Sight and Sound vol.36 no.1 (Winter 1966
/ 1967) p.47 (UK)
review
Variety 30 November 1966 p.6 (USA)
credits, review
KEYWORDS
witches, covens, witch doctors, black magic, africa, teachers
Last Updated:
15 October, 2008
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