First off, I must say that reading the review of this movie in the annual paperback guide to movies by critic Leonard Maltin and his cronies is inadvisable as it gives away the ultimate twist. No matter what one thinks of a movie, they shouldn't be spoiling things like that for the unfamiliar.
Anyway, "Nothing But the Night" tells the story (based on a novel by John Blackburn) about murders plaguing an orphanage located on a Scottish island, and the subsequent investigations, and certainly has an impressive pedigree going for it: another teaming of cinematic greats Sir Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing, direction by Peter Sasdy ("Taste the Blood of Dracula", etc.), and a fine supporting cast including Diana Dors, Georgia Brown, Keith Barron, Gwyneth Strong, Fulton Mackay, and in his first major film role, the young Michael Gambon (now immediately recognizable as having replaced Richard Harris as Dumbledore in the "Harry Potter" series).
This project came to fruition as an attempt by Lee to "create more serious genre films", and it was the first (and, sadly, last) production by Lees' then recently formed Charlemagne company (named in reference to his Italian ancestry), which he'd started with old Hammer associate Anthony Nelson Keys. "Nothing But the Night" proved to be unsuccessful back in 1973, which is too bad; it has its problems, but those have more to do with the wild story which some viewers may rightly question.
That's not to say, though, that this interesting, offbeat, very atmospheric, and in fact sometimes downright insane movie doesn't have its moments. Some of them may provoke unintended laughter, but some of them are unexpectedly bleak and brutal (although these don't really involve blood / gore). Some of the plotting is definitely too obvious. At least, if one doesn't know how this will all resolve itself (and, admittedly, it does take almost the whole movie for things to finally become more or less clear), they may keep watching just to see things continue to develop.
Lee and Cushing remain great fun to watch, totally professional and displaying that ever present chemistry. Dors definitely has the showiest role and makes the most of it; luscious singer Brown is striking as the overly aggressive reporter, young Strong is absolutely adorable, and the too briefly seen Barron is very believable as the young psychiatrist determined to solve the problems of his strangely traumatized young charge.
Unfortunately, the filmmakers would come to realize that they didn't have as much control as they would have liked, and director Sasdy - personally chosen for the project by Lee - admits it's not among his best work. But fans of British horror may have fun discovering or rediscovering it.
Seven out of 10.
