A fairly engrossing thriller directed by Alastair Reid with a script by Roald Dahl. Patricia Neal lives in a decaying mansion with her blind mother (Pamela Brown). One day a young man shows up intent on working for the ladies as a handyman. He's that and a whole lot more, as Neal slowly realizes. The movie builds its suspense at a very deliberate pace, but it's very worthwhile. Neal is electrifying as a middle-aged wreck who realizes too late that she's given up the best years of her life to her domineering mother. The always interesting Brown is every inch Neal's equal in a rare starring role. They both have A LOT of baggage. Nicholas Clay is the title character and he comes across like a young version of Alan Bates, surly and not too well spoken. Dahl's script is deceptively witty, full of a bunch of off-beat touches. Bernard Hermann's score is suitably creepy. THE NIGHT DIGGER (aka THE ROAD BUILDER) is a real treat.
Review of The Night Digger
