Well, this definitely wasn't what I initially expected, but nonetheless "Endless Night" is a respectable and slow-brooding mystery thriller from the pen of the legendary Agatha Christie. This is actually one of those films of which the impact mainly comes afterwards, when the subject matter had its time to sink in. It probably won't ever become one of my personal favorite thrillers because the pacing is too slow, the screenplay is overly talkative and there aren't any memorable shock sequences, but you have got to admire director Sidney Gilliat's skills of suspense-building and generating an ominous atmosphere. I primarily wanted to watch "Endless Night" because it reunites the two lead players of the marvelous British shock-picture "Twisted Nerve" (Hywel Bennett and the indescribably ravishing Hayley Mills) and then additionally features no less than Britt Ekland ("The Wicker Man") and George Sanders ("Village of the Damned"). Great British cast, to say the least.
Michael Rogers is a poor chauffeur with great ambitions and nearly unrealizable dreams. The building of his dream house on a fantastic piece of landscape suddenly becomes possible when he starts dating the sixth richest girl in the world without even being aware of it! Obviously Ellie's family and financial counselors heavily protest against her relationship with the undoubtedly greedy young lad, but the couple conquers all relationship tests and stick together. Still, once they are settled on their dreamy hillside, mysterious events begin to occur. Ellie receives visits from an uncanny and crazy cat-lady (who very well may have been the inspiration for the character in "The Simpsons" with the same name) and offers shelter to her childhood nanny Greta even though she clearly doesn't get along with Michael. For a very long time approximately two thirds of the whole film you will wonder where Agatha Christie is going with the plot. "Endless Night" only turns into a mystery thriller during the last fifteen minutes. All the foregoing is actually just relationship drama and moody psychological studies. The remotely infamous twist near the end is indeed quasi unpredictable, but also highly implausible in my humble opinion. Obviously I can't write too much without revealing essential key information, but if a man is put to the choice between a beautiful rich girl and a beautiful poor girl it isn't such a tough decision.
Michael Rogers is a poor chauffeur with great ambitions and nearly unrealizable dreams. The building of his dream house on a fantastic piece of landscape suddenly becomes possible when he starts dating the sixth richest girl in the world without even being aware of it! Obviously Ellie's family and financial counselors heavily protest against her relationship with the undoubtedly greedy young lad, but the couple conquers all relationship tests and stick together. Still, once they are settled on their dreamy hillside, mysterious events begin to occur. Ellie receives visits from an uncanny and crazy cat-lady (who very well may have been the inspiration for the character in "The Simpsons" with the same name) and offers shelter to her childhood nanny Greta even though she clearly doesn't get along with Michael. For a very long time approximately two thirds of the whole film you will wonder where Agatha Christie is going with the plot. "Endless Night" only turns into a mystery thriller during the last fifteen minutes. All the foregoing is actually just relationship drama and moody psychological studies. The remotely infamous twist near the end is indeed quasi unpredictable, but also highly implausible in my humble opinion. Obviously I can't write too much without revealing essential key information, but if a man is put to the choice between a beautiful rich girl and a beautiful poor girl it isn't such a tough decision.