THE DEVIL RIDES OUT (1968)

THE DEVIL RIDES OUT (U.S. title: The Devil's Bride), is a 1968 British horror film directed by Terence Fisher and starring Christopher Lee, Charles Gray, Niké Arrighi and Leon Greene. It was written by Richard Matheson based on the 1934 novel of the same title by Dennis Wheatley.

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, investigating the strange actions of his protegé, the son of a late friend, Simon Aron, 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 manage to rescue Simon and another young initiate, Tanith, 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 and her husband Richard Eaton. They are followed by the group's leader, Mocata, 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).

His attacks defeated, Mocata kidnaps the Eatons' young daughter Peggy. The Duc has Tanith's spirit possess Marie in order to find Mocata, but they only are able to get a single clue, and Rex realizes that the cultists are at a house he visited earlier. Simon tries to rescue Peggy on his own, but he is recaptured by the cult. De Richleau, Richard, and Rex also try to rescue her, but they are defeated by Mocata. Suddenly, a powerful force (or Tanith herself) controls Marie and ends Peggy's trance. She then leads Peggy in the recitation of a spell which visits divine retribution upon the cultists and transforms their coven room into a church.

When the Duc and his companions awaken, they discover that the spell has reversed time and changed the future in their favour. Simon and Tanith have survived, and Mocata's spell to conjure the Angel of Death has been reflected back on him. Divine judgment ends his life, and he is subject to eternal damnation for his unholy summoning of the Angel of Death. De Richleau comments that it is God to whom they must be thankful.

Cast
Christopher Lee as Nicholas, Duc de Richleau
Charles Gray as Mocata
Niké Arrighi as Tanith Carlisle
Leon Greene as Rex Van Ryn (dubbed by Patrick Allen)[6]
Patrick Mower as Simon Aron
Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies as Countess d'Urfe
Sarah Lawson as Marie Eaton
Paul Eddington as Richard Eaton
Rosalyn Landor as Peggy Eaton
Russell Waters as Malin
Eddie Powell as The Goat of Mendes (uncredited)
Yemi Ajibade as African cultist (uncredited)
Peter Swanwick as cultist (uncredited)
Keith Pyott as Max (uncredited)