The Devil Rides Out

The Devil Rides Out, known as The Devil's Bride in the United States, is a 1968 British horror film, based on the 1934 novel of the same title by Dennis Wheatley. It was written by Richard Matheson and directed by Terence Fisher. The film stars Christopher Lee, Charles Gray, Niké Arrighi and Leon Greene. It is considered one of Terence Fisher's best films. It was the final film to be produced by Seven Arts Productions after the company was merged with Warner Bros. to become Warner Bros.-Seven Arts on 15 July 1967. Plot Set in London and the south of England in 1929, the story finds erudite Nicholas, Duc de Richleau (Christopher Lee), investigating the strange actions of his protegé, the son of a late friend, Simon Aron (Patrick Mower), who has a house replete with strange markings and a pentagram. He quickly deduces that Simon is involved with the occult. De Richleau and his friend Rex Van Ryn (Leon Greene) manage to rescue Simon and another young initiate, Tanith (Niké Arrighi), from a devil-worshipping cult. During the rescue, they disrupt a May Day ceremony on Salisbury Plain, in which the Devil appears under the guise of the "Goat of Mendes". They escape to the country home of de Richleau's niece Marie (Sarah Lawson) and her husband Richard Eaton (Paul Eddington). They are followed by the group's leader, Mocata (Charles Gray), who has a psychic connection to the two initiates. After visiting the house while de Richleau is absent to discuss the matter and an unsuccessful attempt to influence the initiates to return, Mocata forces de Richleau and the other occupants to defend themselves through a night of black magic attacks, ending with the conjuring of the Angel of Death. De Richleau repels the angel, but it kills Tanith instead (for, once summoned, it must take a life).