Night of the Eagle (1962)

A neglected little gem of a horror/psychological thriller, Night of the Eagle is a real find, especially for fans of the genre. Clearly not a big budget affair, Eagle makes its limited budget an asset, creating chills and tension through hints and nuances rather than special effects. (Indeed, Eagle is probably least effective when it makes the mistake of actually showing the titular bird of prey.) It's a humdinger of a scare flick, one which only rarely makes a misstep, and none of those are fatal by any means. Granted, Janet Blair's performance is a bit on the shrill and hysterical side and doesn't develop as much as one might like, but it works in context. Also, William Alwyn's score could have taken a more indirect approach in a few instances, could have created a greater effect by underplaying. Otherwise, there's nothing to complain about -- certainly not the spot-on direction from Sidney Hayers, which is in control from frame one and which is practically a textbook case in creating suspense and tension. (The inadvertent erasure of the word "not" on the blackboard in a crucial scene is especially well handled.) And the beautiful screenplay from a trio of writers with significant experience in the genre is simply marvelous, an improvement on the Fritz Leiber book in that it leaves wide open the room for doubt as to whether the events are the result of witchcraft or something else. Finally, Peter Wyngarde is all one could ask for as the likeable but egocentric professor whose belief system is given a work-out. Eagle is definitely a film worth searching out. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide