The Devil's Daughter

I was in the 5th grade at Lighthouse Elementary School when they were filming "The Devil's Daughter" across the street in a beautiful old mansion in Pacific Grove, CA, and also at a cemetery across the street from where I lived. There was a small part of a schoolgirl that I almost got, except they decided to go with a 3rd grader because she was wearing a red sweater which would show up better on screen! I remember going across the street every day, hoping to catch a glimpse of Jonathan Frid whom I loved on "Dark Shadows." I was lucky enough to meet both Jonathan Frid and Shelley Winters, and both were so kind and friendly to a little girl who had dreams of one day being a great actress!! Then when I saw the movie, I was delightedly scared and enjoyed seeing the sites of the town where I lived.

The plot may sound cheesy, and maybe it is just a little, but this rarely televised made-for-TV horror flick features a marvellous all-star cast, some genuine shocks, and a very surprising ending which all combine to make it a classic horror film worthy of a theatrical release. The wonderful cast includes Shelley Winters, Joseph Cotten, Robert Foxworth, Martha Scott, Jonathan Frid, and Diane Ladd in an early role. It's a nice little gem if you should come across it.

From 1973 and obviously ROSEMARY'S BABY inspired,this has a great cast:Shelley Winters,Belinda Montgomery,Robert Foxworth,Joseph Cotton,and Jonathan"Barnabas"Frid as a mute butler.The 70s tv devil movies are all creepy.Very eerie in atmosphere with a young and pretty Diane attending her mother's funeral where she meets a very friendly Lillith who offers the girl a place when she lears Diane has nowhere to go.Unknown to Diane was that her mother used to be in a satanic cult with Lillith and her daughter was wanted by the cult.Diane discovers the truth,but,of course,too late.With a great spooky ending you'll never forget,TDDD is a neat little slice of tv horror.

Obviously inspired by Rosemary's Baby, this obscure ABC-TV movie is still quite entertaining in its own right. The amazing cast goes full tilt, with the ever-delightful Shelley Winters taking top honors as Lilith. Though slightly hampered by overall TV stylings, it features an ample amount of tension, an imaginative opening credits sequence of flames and silhouettes, and an explosive, nightmarish twist ending. Be warned, though--The Devil's Daughter is very difficult to find. I saw it on the Sci-Fi Channel a few years ago and haven't been able to locate it since. Interestingly, it runs an hour and a half with commercials, whereas most TV movies run two hours. Fun, scary, and short!

Only having seen this TV movie once, back in 1973 when it originally aired, I can only say that it did a commendable job entertainment-wise, it being rather unusual in its day for depicting the theme of witchcraft. Belinda Montgomery is lured by the seemingly charming Shelley Winters (as Lilith) - a "friend" of her deceased mother - into a ghastly nightmare. I vaguely remember Winter's performance as being marvelously hammy: it seemed she relished playing this off-beat role. And I remember being semi-thrilled at seeing Jonathan Frid (Barnabas Collins in the cult TV favourite gothic soap DARK SHADOWS) cast in a bit as the mute chauffeur. Interestingly enough, I was visiting my Grandparents in Pacific Grove, California when this movie was shot there. Scenes were shot on location in the cemetery across from Point Pinos Lighthouse and at a mansion & elementary school on Lighthouse Avenue.