Daughter of Darkness (1948)

Daughter of Darkness (1948)
Director: Lance Comfort
Writer: Max Catto
Cast: Anne Crawford, Maxwell Reed and George Thorpe
Daughter of Darkness is an atmospheric Gothic chiller following an Irish maid with an irresistible attraction to men. With the reputation as a temptress where even the local priest is attracted to her, she is forced to leave for England. Sexual desire soon descends into psychopathy, as she lures a carnival boxer and other men in her new town, whose desire for her results in their brutal downfall.
IMDB Page
A young Irish servant Bess whose gained a local reputation as being a temptress, is forced to flee to England, leaving her Church maid job for one as a farm servant. Not understanding her own feminine charms she holds an unhealthy allure for most males she meets, the men unfortunately come off worse. Eventually things get worse for Bess as she kills those who try to win her affection.

I was left a little split over this film, on first impressions its a fantastic looking suspense melodrama. Yet something about the plot doesn't sit well, I think the key problem is how ambiguous Bess is. At first she comes across childlike then seems to know full well what she's doing, as a viewer you never know if shes evil or just tortured. Well worth a view as theres some wonderful moments especially the carnival and countryside locations.

(6½ out of 10)

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