Night of the Eagle
| Company type | Film |
|---|---|
| Industry | Film industry |
| Founded | 1962 |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom |
| Products | Horror film |
Night of the Eagle (known in the U.S. as Burn, Witch, Burn; alternatively titled Conjure Wife) is a 1962 British horror film directed by Sidney Hayers, featuring performances by Peter Wyngarde and Janet Blair. The narrative follows a sociology professor who uncovers that his career achievements are linked to his wife's engagement in witchcraft. The screenplay, crafted by Charles Beaumont, Richard Matheson, and George Baxt, adapts the 1943 novel Conjure Wife authored by Fritz Leiber. This production was a collaboration between AIP and Anglo-Amalgamated—partners on multiple projects including Circus of Horrors—with a budget set at £50,000 and generating revenues of US$3 million.
Plot
At an English university, Norman Taylor serves as a psychology professor delivering lectures on superstition and belief systems. His American spouse, Tansy, secretly practices obeah—a form of "conjure magic" she learned in Jamaica—and attributes Norman’s academic accomplishments and health to her mystical interventions. As a staunch advocate of rationalism, Norman compels her to discard all her magical artifacts.
Following this, Norman encounters a series of adversities: he is accused of sexual assault by a female student, subjected to menacing threats, and their residence is endangered during a violent storm. In an effort to safeguard him, Tansy nearly drowns herself but is saved when Norman begrudgingly accepts her magical practices.
Under a trance, Tansy assaults Norman but is quickly subdued. Her physical weakness points to the true villain: Flora Carr, the university secretary whose husband Lindsay’s professional advancement was impeded by Norman’s success. Utilizing witchcraft, Flora sets fire to the Taylors' home with Tansy trapped inside.
Flora further employs auditory hypnosis broadcasted through loudspeakers to convince Norman that the massive stone eagle perched atop the university chapel is attacking him. Lindsay intervenes by turning off the speakers, dispelling the illusion. Tansy escapes the blaze and reunites with a now more open-minded Norman. While they depart campus, Lindsay attempts to secure the chapel doors; during this moment, Flora meets her demise when the eagle statue collapses upon her.
Production
Both Richard Matheson and Charles Beaumont were admirers of the original novel and collaborated on its adaptation, each receiving $5,000 from James H. Nicholson of AIP, who delegated production responsibilities to Anglo-Amalgamated in England. Financing was managed through Independent Artists under Anglo-Amalgamated’s oversight, with producer Albert Fennell enlisting George Baxt for further script refinement. The initial screenplay by Matheson and Beaumont was subsequently published within a tribute anthology honoring Matheson.
The shooting schedule spanned six weeks. Anglo-Amalgamated insisted on securing a leading star; initially Peter Cushing was considered but opted to work on Captain Clegg instead. Musical comedy actress Janet Blair was cast, while Peter Wyngarde was selected last-minute for the principal male role after Peter Finch declined and Cushing was unavailable due to illness.
Release
American International Pictures acquired distribution rights for North America and released the film under the title Burn, Witch, Burn, premiering in Buffalo, New York on 25 April 1962. U.S. versions included a narrated introduction by Paul Frees, reciting a protective incantation; audiences were also given packets of salt accompanied by an incantation intended for protection.
In the United Kingdom, it premiered as Night of the Eagle on 11 May 1962. While accessible to younger viewers in the U.S., it initially received an "X" rating (restricted to adults) in the UK before being reclassified to 15 and eventually rated 12 for home video distribution.
Home media
In 2007, Optimum Releasing brought out a DVD edition of Night of the Eagle in the United Kingdom. The US version, titled Burn, Witch, Burn!, was made available on DVD by the MGM Limited Edition Collection on 16 May 2011.
The 1995 US Image DVD, American Laserdisc, and VHS releases under the title Burn, Witch, Burn! are no longer in production. Similarly out of print is the UK DVD box set Horror Classics, which featured The Masque of the Red Death, Night of the Eagle, and Zoltan...Hound Of Dracula. The British VHS release named Night of the Eagle is also discontinued.
On 18 August 2015, Kino Lorber issued a US Blu-ray edition of Burn, Witch, Burn, which included both the original UK opening titled Night of the Eagle and the US prologue narrated by Paul Frees. Kino Lorber re-released this Blu-ray as a special edition on 1 October 2024.
Box office
The film earned roughly $3 million in revenue within the United States market.
Critical response
According to The Monthly Film Bulletin, the involvement of three screenwriters in expanding the story might have contributed to its failure to fully meet expectations. The film's restrained action made it difficult for producers to convincingly portray two intelligent women falling victim to black magic. Nonetheless, director Sidney Hayers’ innovative and adept stage direction skillfully employed suggestion, resulting in an engaging exploration of psychic assault. Peter Wyngarde effectively captured the professor’s bewilderment, while Margaret Johnston delivered a spirited performance as the exasperated Flora.
The New York Times hailed Night of the Eagle as "the most effective 'supernatural' thriller since Village of the Damned" and arguably the finest witchcraft-related thriller since 1943’s I Walked with a Zombie. The review emphasized its suspenseful fusion of sensational speculation and brisk realism, culminating in a chilling climax. Direction by Sidney Hayers and meticulous cinematography were praised for crafting a vivid and suspenseful narrative that concluded with a logically sound finale.
Jonathan Rosenbaum from the Chicago Reader characterized the film as "atmospheric and understated in the style of Val Lewton", noting that Hayers’ direction was "eerily effective" despite occasional moments of rhetorical flourish.
Film historian William K. Everson found fault with its predictability but complimented both the storyline and Janet Blair’s acting.
David Pirie writing for Time Out remarked on Hayers’ direction exhibiting an "almost Wellesian flair" and praised the screenplay's concise construction, although he expressed reservations about Blair’s casting choice.
Author S. T. Joshi commended the film for its authentic depiction of academic politics.
Accolades
In 1963, Night of the Eagle received a nomination for the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation.