disgusting, overrated, pointless

Clever and entertaining enough to recommend even to members of the 1%

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

Why is Roman Polanski's "Rosemary's Baby" one of the greatest and most atmospheric horror classics in history? Because the suspense broods slowly and the direction the story is heading towards to remains mysterious… Very mysterious! For most of the running time, you didn't have a clue that we were dealing with an almost entire cast full devil-worshipers because they were behaving so damn normal and civilized. Of course, Polanski's original classic was the only movie that could benefit from this surprise twist and you can't really blame "The Devil's Daughter" (or any of the other two-hundred "Rosemary's Baby" rip-offs, for that matter) for knowing from beforehand that every cast-member is a Satanist. So, no matter how hard Shelley Winters and Abe Vigoda try to come across as gentle and friendly elderly folks, they simply have "evil disciple" written all over their forehead! This naturally doesn't take away the fact that "The Devil's Daughter" is an enjoyable and competently made TV-movie from the early 70s; complete with an impressive ensemble cast and a more than talented director behind the cameras (Jeannot Swarc, who would later direct the fantastic but underrated creature-feature "Bug" and the first and only worthwhile sequel to "Jaws"). The story opens with a cameo appearance by Diane Ladd as the mother who refuses to keep a promise she made to Satan the Dark Lord himself around 21 years ago when her only daughter Diane was born. Satan, who doesn't show his face but walks around on crutches, obviously doesn't like betrayal and orders his minions to kill her. At her funeral, the unsuspecting Diana accepts an invitation from the caring Lilith Malone – allegedly a close friend of her mother – to move in with her. Lilith throws many parties and introduces Diane to several of her prominent friends, but she also gets very mad when the young girl announces that she wants to move in with her friend Susan. But then, Diane falls in love with Susan's hunky boyfriend Steve… "The Devil's Daughter" occasionally gives the impression of being very tedious and drawn-out, but that's probably just because you know exactly what will happen. The last 10-15 minutes, on the other hand, are very intense and chilling. There's even an ingenious mini-twist just before the climax that I really appreciated! The cast is a pleasure to glaze at, with stellar performances from the aforementioned Winters and Vigoda, but also from Jonathan Frid ("Dark Shadows"), Ian Wolfe, Robert Foxworth and the fantastic classic actor Joseph Cotton.

If you decide to see "The Devil's Daughter" on YouTube, like I did, be aware that the picture is VERY pink and blurry. It's best watched on a small screen (such as your computer) and as for the pink...well, I guess we're stuck with it unless there's another copy out there somewhere.When her mother dies, Diane (Belinda Montgomery) is befriended by Lilith (Shelly Winters) who says she is one of her mother's old friends. She invites Diane to live with her and soon she agrees. But Lilith is a weird lady and so are her very odd friends...and Diane is naturally very creeped out by them. So, she moves out and gets a roommate--but she starts having weird dreams. She also is invited to a party at Lilith's home--and she soon discovers these new friends are all Satan worshipers. They also inform her that she's to be wedded to some demon...and not surprisingly, Diane thinks they're all a bunch of nuts. This is exactly the sort of plot that "The ABC Movie of the Week" did best--and the number of odd, supernatural films they made is huge. Think about it...films about alien impregnation, monsters living in the chimney, aliens turning folks into mindless zombies and witchcraft were the sorts of subjects of many of their productions...so "The Devil's Daughter" seems like a natural! It's creepy, strange and a lot of fun to watch. Not exactly a must see but it sure fits the bill if you want a bit of a fright.

After her mother is shot dead by a mysterious disabled man, aspiring artist Belinda Montgomery (as Diane Shaw) meets late funeral attendee Shelley Winters (as Lilith Malone). Sweetly sympathetic, Ms. Winters claims she's a close friend of Ms. Montgomery's mother. With no place to stay in the California town, Montgomery moves in with Winters and her mute chauffeur companion Jonathan Frid (as Mr. Howard). Something sinister is in the works when Winters gives Montgomery a ring designed with an emblem that matches one in a portrait of Satan, hanging prominently above her fireplace...She doesn't bat an eye at the portrait of Satan, but Montgomery decides to move in with perky Barbara Sammeth (as Susan Sanford), a young woman closer to her own age, This drives Winters nuts. She arranges for fishy friends led by Abe Vigoda to have a devilish "coming out" party for Montgomery. Late in the running time, Montgomery begins a seemingly diversionary romance with architect Robert Foxworth (as Steve Stone). This ludicrous ABC-TV "Movie of the Week" wastes the efforts of a good cast. Especially slighted is Mr. Frid; the popular star of "Dark Shadows" barely registers.**** The Devil's Daughter (1/9/73) Jeannot Szwarc ~ Belinda Montgomery, Shelley Winters, Robert Foxworth, Jonathan Frid

An aspiring mother makes a pact with The Devil for wealth in exchange for her daughter, who would one day marry Satan's son. She despicably tries to renege on the deal, and is promptly punished for her ingratitude. In an attempt to shoot The Devil, the bullet actually penetrates her own chest. Her daughter 'Diane' {Belinda Montgomery} grows up sheltered in convents and private schools, eventually developing into quite a comely young lady until the day of her mother's funeral, where she meets with Lilith Malone {Shelley Winters}, who graciously offers her to stay at her beautiful home, wherein she begins experiencing nightmares and comes upon little secrets here and there, and her suspicion grows. She becomes fascinated by a certain sigil which she notices being virtually omnipresent at the mansion, on objects, and on jewelry upon suspicious persons, including two rather feather-brained women who act like something out of The Stepford Wives.Upon meeting a new friend Alice Shaw {Diane Ladd}, she decides to be out on her own, and leaves the comfort of this veritable palace for an apartment. Here and there, Lilith and her cohorts begin appearing, monitoring her. Jonathan Frid {of Barnabas Collins / 'Dark Shadows' fame} plays a mute butler / limousine driver, who seems to feel for the young lady's perceived plight, when all she had to do all along is merely accept her birthright as the "Princess of Darkness'. One night while at a party thrown by Lilith, Diane drinks a bit too much wherein her repressed carnal expression breaks free and begins lasciviously dancing in the midst of the crowd, who begin hailing her as the said 'Princess of Darkness', as well as 'The Demon of Endor'. Her denial persists, despite her increasing experiences with her own diabolical powers made manifest. She is summoned by a Judge who informs her that her father set up a trust fund for her; who pleasantly agrees to 'give her away' at her impending whirlwind romance and wedding. I thought it rather interesting that she began dating her now dead friend's man, who perished in a freak horse 'accident' {seems that during one of Lilith's unexpected visits, she stealthily lifted a horse figurine from Alice's collection, obviously using it for a Curse}. She meets Steve Stone {Robert Foxworth} and falls horns over hoofs in love. We later come to discover that she meets her true "soul-mate" in his form. Many surprises await the viewer at the end during The Wedding with a truly delightful twist.The Devil's Daughter was released around the same time as all the legendary 'devil movies' such as The Devil's Rain, Rosemary's Baby, The Exorcist, and later, The Omen were, which also includes an 'all-star' cast, and otherwise served to launch the career of subsequent stars.