The Night Digger

The Night Digger (1971)

Genres - Mystery, Thriller  |   Sub-Genres - Psychological Thriller  |   Release Date - May 12, 1971 (USA - Limited), Jul 30, 1971 (USA - Unknown), Jul 30, 1971 (USA)  |   Run Time - 110 min.  |   Countries - United Kingdom  |   MPAA Rating - R
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Synopsis by Hal Erickson

Adapted by Roald Dahl from a novel by Joy Crowley, The Road Builder is better known by its American release title: The Night Digger. Patricia Neal, then Mrs. Dahl, stars as the repressed middle-aged adopted daughter of blind and elderly Pamela Brown. Both women are drawn to Nicholas Clay, a seriously disturbed young handyman whom they shield from the authorities. Neal and Brown are particularly fascinated by Clay's mysterious nocturnal forays. When Neal decides to offer herself sexually to Clay, she learns to her horror just why Clay spends so much time outdoors at night. An eerie Bernard Herrmann score enhances the stomach-churning tension.

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Keywords

aging, blindness [physical], daughter, estate, handyman, invalid, investigation, killing, lawyer, love, maniac, mansion, mother, murder, police, protection, rape, refugee, search, spinster, woman, youth