What first engaged me about this, was the delightfully unlikely pairing of Hollywood legend Marlon Brando and our own Thora Hird. And the latter certainly holds her own in her scenes with the great star. Brando does well as the sadistic Irish layabout, Quint, though it's a part many competent characters actors could have played just as well, with Hird's housekeeper apparently something of a symbol of Victorian repression, though it's difficult to see anyone concerned with children's welfare being happy to see them associate with such an unsavoury character as Quint - she gives a nuanced performance. Stephanie Beacham's governess is an inadequately written part and Winner's treatment of her relationship with Quint is too perfunctory. She remains something of an enigma, and to what extent, if any, she is a willing party to Quint's violent attentions remain unclear. Perhaps only Ken Russell could have made it all work. He surely would have put the sado-masochistic liaison at the heart of the film, while not losing sight of the vital theme of the corruption of the children. Period details, photography, and Jerry Fielding's score are fine, but there's a failure to gather momentum, merely a plod through scenes of varying unpleasantness. As the BBFC since the 1930's have had a statutory duty to remove incidences of animal cruelty, it is surprizing they allowed the callous treatment of the toad, especially as Quint's indifference to animal suffering is underlined by a rambling story about the mistreatment of a horse he amuses himself and the children with.
Review of The Nightcomers
