THE TOMB OF LIGEIA (1964).

THE TOMB OF LIGEIA is a 1964 American-British horror film directed by Roger Corman. Starring Vincent Price and Elizabeth Shepherd, it tells of a man haunted by the spirit of his dead wife and her effect on his second marriage. The screenplay by Robert Towne was based upon the short story "Ligeia" by American author Edgar Allan Poe and was the last in his series of films loosely based on the works of Poe. Tomb of Ligeia was filmed at Castle Acre Priory and other locations with a mostly British cast.

PLOT:
A funeral takes place at the side of Castle Acre Priory. The casket has a window allowing the face of a beautiful young woman to be seen. A black cat jumps on the coffin and seems to steal the soul of the woman.

The widower, Verden Fell is both mournful about and feels threatened by the death of his wife, Ligeia. He had sensed her soul's reluctance to die and was concerned about her near-blasphemous statements about God (she was an atheist). Alone and troubled by an eye condition that requires him to wear dark glasses, Fell shuns the world.

By accident, back at the graveside, he meets a headstrong young woman, Rowena, who pursues him even though she is apparently betrothed to an old friend, Christopher Gough. Against Fell's better judgement, he marries Rowena. Ligeia's spirit seems to haunt their mansion, previously a medieval abbey, and nocturnal visions and the sinister presence of a cat (which may be inhabited by the spirit of Ligeia) distress Rowena. The cat, who first appears at Ligeia's burial, wounds and appears to attempt to kill Rowena several times and Fell unsuccessfully orders its destruction. Ultimately he must face the spirit of Ligeia and resist her or perish.

The climax of the film takes place when Fell has a showdown with Ligeia, now in the form of a cat. Fell is blinded by Ligeia, but gets the upper hand and strangles the cat, while the tomb around him burns down, due to an accident. Fell and Ligeia perish and Gough and Rowena start a new life together.

CAST:
Vincent Price as Verden Fell
Elizabeth Shepherd as Rowena Trevanion/Ligeia
John Westbrook as Christopher Gough
Derek Francis as Lord Trevanion
Oliver Johnston as Kenrick
Richard Vernon as Dr. Vivian
Frank Thornton as Peperel the butler
Ronald Adam as clergyman
Denis Gilmore as livery boy
Penelope Lee as maid