THE DEVIL'S DAUGHTER

US, 1972, 74 minutes, Colour.
Belinda J. Montgomery, Shelley Winters, Robert Foxworth, Martha Scott, Diane Ladd, Joseph Cotton.
Directed be Jeannot Szwarc.

The Devil's Daughter is one of many derivative telemovies from the basic premises of Rosemary's Baby. This one is quite enjoyable in its way though with a short running length, more style perhaps than content. It is a tour de force for Shelley Winters in a dominating role and Joseph Cotten has his opportunity to appear as the Devil at the end. Belinda J. Montgomery is effective enough in the central role. Of interest is the author of the screenplay, Colin Higgins who wrote the popular Harold and Maude at this time. He was later to write The Silver Streak and to write and direct the Goldie Hawn comedy Foul Play.

1. The appeal of occult films? The trend of the '70s? Rosemary's Baby and other possessed women? A popular example of the trend?

2. The effect of the telemovie on the home audience? The expectations, the derivative nature of the screenplay? The adaptation of the genre for home viewing? Suspense, fears?

3. Colour photography, the atmosphere of California, the musical score, special effects?

4. The pre-credit sequence and the mystery of Diane's mother's death, the mysterious strangers, the devil-figure? The lurid tone of the credits? The resolution of this mystery at the end?

5. The focus on Diane and the significance of the title? Meeting her at her mother's funeral, her not knowing her mother, the mystery of her father? The friendship with Lilith? Accepting going to her house, the gift of the ring, the puzzle of the picture, Lilith's friends and neighbours? Her reaction against Lilith? Her moving away to flat with her friend? The party and the dancing? Her being caught up in the atmosphere. the killings? Her wanting to escape? Her marriage, her being trapped? How well drawn the character, her youth, an ordinary American girl, her gratitude to Lilith, friendships and love, her being tormented, trapped in a hell?

6. Shelley Winters' style as Lilith - her arrival at the funeral, wealth. chauffeur, power of persuasion, welcoming Diane into her home, the gifts? The atmosphere of mystery? The portrait of the Devil? Arranging Diane's life, the Poole sisters and their oddity? Mr. Howard and his silence? The meals, the party? The atmosphere of the guests and their devil-worship, the dance? Lilith's anger at Diane?

7. The transition from anger to domination? Driving Diane from the house? Diane and her friend, the sequence with the horses? Lilith's cruelty and witchcraft?

8. The character of Susan - her room, the horses, her friendship with Steve, her death? The effect on Diana?

9. Steve and his pleasantness. the chance encounter, friendship with Susan., his presence at her death? Dating Diane. the proposal, the meeting of his mother? The impact of the revelation that he was in league with the devil-worshippers? The special effect of his eyes at the wedding?

10. Mr. Howard and his sinister presence, the Poole sisters - chattery and ordinary, one black, one white? The party and the anthropologist, Mrs. Stone and her pleasantness? The range of devil-worshippers? Their plausibility?

11. The build-up to the wedding, its transformation into the coven?

12. The judge, his friendship. acting as a father. his revelation as the Devil?

13. The brevity of the film, its treatment of the occult themes - how well? The kind of exploration.. entertainment presentation? The kind of response asked from the audience? The kind of issues of the occult and the Devil and evil for popular entertainment?