O Bem Contra o Mal

Following his move to the United States, Hammer scribe Jimmy Sangster found steady work in TV where thrillers and horrors could be turned out cheap and fast. Having made a mint back home with a mix of DIABOLIQUE (1955) and PSYCHO (1960), Sangster now turned his attention to two major diabolism films of the era: ROSEMARY'S BABY (1968) and THE EXORCIST (1973). The result, however, is a dismal failure – for which his own, frankly, lousy screenplay is largely to blame!

For the record, I have watched countless rip-offs of both films by this point but I do own at least one virtual copy of the former (THE STRANGER WITHIN {1974}, coincidentally also a TV-movie) and as many as 5 other 'possession' films – ABBY (1974), THE EERIE MIDNIGHT HORROR SHOW aka THE SEXORCIST (1974), THE POSSESSED aka DEMON WITCH CHILD (1975), THE EXORCIST III: CRIES AND SHADOWS aka NAKED EXORCISM (1975) and THE POSSESSED (1977; TV). By the way, director Wendkos had earlier helmed a stylish diabolic chiller himself i.e. THE MEPHISTO WALTZ (1971) but, here, he is cramped by the under-lit TV look (even if the film frequently changes locale for the sake of variety – starting in 1955 New York, then cutting to present-day San Francisco and moving to New Orleans for the climax) and, as I said, a plot that is half-hearted, under-nourished and downright confusing! What is more, the whole works its way to a major cop-out of an abrupt ending – having been intended as a pilot to a prospective series but it was understandably not picked up – so that the central premise is pretty much left hanging!

The notion of having upper-class types revealed to be Satanists is a pretty tired one by now: meeting every once in a while – here to present the Devil with the child that, upon growing up, is to bear his offspring – to honor their master (whose disciples conveniently keep a statue of the Horned One secured in their private place of worship). That said, after the opening sequence (which recalls Hammer's own TO THE DEVIL…A DAUGHTER {1976}, albeit not Sangster-related), the horror element is so underplayed that it seems to interrupt the blossoming romance between the girl (Elyssa Davalos, who looks too sweet to suggest the evil that is supposed to lurk underneath!) and hero Dack Rambo. Interestingly, having preceded this with THE LEGACY (1978) – another Sangster-scripted mix of diabolism hits – it was amusing to note the interchange of components between them (for instance, horses and cats are involved in both, the girl is unaware of who she is while the boyfriend is an interloper, etc). Another moment that harks back to the Hammer legacy (pardon the pun) is the death-in-the-belfry of the priest (from Dracula HAS RISEN FROM THE GRAVE {1968}) – which follows one of the few effective moments in the film under review as Davalos throws an instant and unexplained chilly darkness over a church upon entering.

Richard Lynch is always good value for money in this type of fare, but he is given little of substance to do except look sinister and make the occasional invocation to the dark forces (at one time, this occurs inside a cave!) – curiously enough, while he plays the leader of the cult here, he had also been a Christ-like alien in Larry Cohen's GOD TOLD ME TO aka DEMON (1976)! Still, why he seems so reticent to eliminate Rambo's character is baffling – he attempts to make the hero forget Davalos by throwing him back into the lap of a former girlfriend (a young Kim Cattrall): the fact that this leads directly to the introduction of Dan O'Herlihy's exorcist figure (since Cattrall's child is decreed as possessed simply for having drawn the sign of the demon Astaroth) seems to me a gross miscalculation on the villain's part! O'Herlihy's sudden appearance – in a state of agitation to boot – in the last act takes the film into its obvious center-piece, which is the battle for the soul of a little child: it does not matter that she has little to no bearing on the main plot but, then, the staging is so tame (indeed lame) that one is amused by the entire scenario, especially as the girl remains calm and composed all the way through it! I was literally thrown into fits of hysterical laughter when Rambo goes up to check on the priest and finds him at the mercy of an invisible hand suffocating him with a pillow!! With Lynch admitting defeat soon after the Devil is expelled and the unlikely team of Rambo and O'Herlihy keeping up the search for Davalos (while Cattrall offers herself in case the hero just happens to fail in his ultimate quest!), the film just ends: had one been completely unaware of its pedigree, we could say that the script was suggesting that the fight between Good and Evil is a continuing struggle and not easily won...

This was meant as a pilot film, being an initial sequence for a projected television series that did not come about, and it is quite clear why it was not found to be acceptable, since it is immensely uninventive, with both its format and attitudes plainly copied from William Friedkin's THE EXORCIST, released but a few years prior, and the 1968 ROSEMARY'S BABY, directed by Roman Polanski. Two primary threads are woven into the narrative, the first relating the efforts of one Mister Rimmin (Richard Lynch), who is in fact Astaroth a Grand Duke of Hell, to breed with a young woman, Jessica (Elyssa Davalos), who has been reared and protected by a coterie of Satanists from infancy through her 22nd year (the present), with an objective to produce a child that will rule the world in favour of The Forces Of Evil. Since Satan and his court, whose acolytes are legion, may readily mate with any number of women at any time that they choose, there seems to be little point in Rimmin tarrying for Jessica. However, such flaws in logic are matched with those of risible continuity issues. The second principal theme in the plot is of the soap opera variety, a blithely groundless love affair between Jessica and a young man, Andy (Dack Rambo) whose romantic role in Jessica's life upsets the Duke of Darkness no end. His attempts to interfere with the budding relationship of the young lovers is empty of those cunning components that are requisite for films of the "Thriller" genre. The original television airing was for only 72 minutes, and the reason is revealed by an ongoing spate of orchestral crescendi along with fades indicating arrival of commercial interruptions. The release in the DVD format adds about 25 minutes, with little overall improvement, because of uninspired parallel editing that fails to engage a viewer with either of the contrasting story lines. There is even an exorcism here, in spite of its having little significant connection to the narrative but rather a bit more with the Friedkin film that it partially apes. Direction seems to be unfocused, and few able acting turns are to be found; nonetheless Richard Lynch, playing Astaroth as earthling, is impressive as ever. The film ends abruptly, with some lead-in dialogue to subsequent chapters that did not occur, an unsatisfactory finish to a work that is rapidly paced, easy to watch, and easy to forget. There are a good many such minor productions being reissued with fresh packaging to cash in on the burgeoning popularity of DVDs. This one should probably have remained wherever it was mouldering.

This is actually a really good TV horror movie. I viewed it in a cheap DVD horror set i found recently. It could be compared to the Exorcist with Linda Blair in some respects, but the plot is quite unique and interesting. It gets much better in the second half of the film and makes you wonder what's coming next in the story line. I hated when the movie ended since it left the doors wide open for a TV series. It could very well have been a great supernatural based TV drama series and it's a shame that it obviously never came to fruition.

This was not a bad effort. The movie was actually interesting and had some suspense to it. I first saw this movie years ago, and thought the TV station cut it off to go to other programming. Well I saw it again about a year later hence, that's it the movie abruptly ended without further explanation. Sort of like the director, cast, and crew just didn't show up again....and that was it. At least now I know it was suppose to be continued in a TV series. This too me is still the strangest ending, if you care to call it that, of anything i've ever seen to date. Memo to the director- maybe if you would have thought of an end , or better yet at least created one...you might have made it through say ... 2 weeks into the new season.

"A young couple is forced to confront the ultimate horror when Satan decides to claim the young woman as his own. The boyfriend consults with two priests in the hopes of getting guidance on his spiritual dilemma. The two priests in turn decide to perform an exorcism in order to rid the woman of her possession. The boyfriend and the exorcists are pitted in a battle for the woman's soul with Satan and his clan of worshipers," according to the DVD sleeve's synopsis.

This television movie has its strengths; however, the story is very weak, and the production values do not entirely satisfy the need for horrific moments. For example, the cats perform well -- but, they are not very scary. Still, writer Jimmy Sangster and director Paul Wendkos handle the assignment well. The reason the Satanists could not simply kill the hero was one of the nicer touches (though, arguably, it's inconsistent). The unsatisfying ending suggests a sequel or series was planned. There are several fine performances.

Dack Rambo (as Andy Stuart) is quite likable in the lead role; he is very appealing as the persistent, romantic magazine writer who meets fashion designer Elyssa Davalos in San Francisco, after denting her car. Due to an opening prologue, we know Ms. Davalos is likely the woman chosen to birth the "Anti-Christ". Davalos provides the "Rosemary's Baby" recall, and Kim Cattrall (as Linda) helps add "The Exorcist" to the proceedings. Thankfully, Mr. Rambo and his co-stars stay focused on their characterizations, and don't venture "over the top".

Priestly John Harkins (as Father Wheatley) is always a welcome supporting player; he was unforgettable on "Dark Shadows", blackmailing Chris Pennock and frightening Joan Bennett; and, of course, Mr. Harkins delivered the eulogy for the dearly departed "Chuckles the Clown", causing Mary Tyler Moore's laughing fit. Priestly Dan O'Herlihy (as Father Kemschler) was a part of the "Shadows"-swipe "Dark Mansions" and essayed many memorable characters; his supporting roles in "RoboCop" and "Twin Peaks" are memorable. Devilish Richard Lynch (as Rimmin), meddling Erica Yohn (as Agnes), and resolute Peggy McCay (as Irene) are also appealing.

If only the story were better…

***** Good Against Evil (5/22/77) Paul Wendkos ~ Dack Rambo, Elyssa Davalos, Richard Lynch