The Blood on Satan's Claw
THE BLOOD ON SATANS CLAW Ralph Gower (Barry Andrews) is plowing and turns up a skeleton with fur and an eye. He runs back to tell the Judge (Patrick Wymark) and Isobel Banham (Avice Landone as Avice Landon). The Judge refuses to believe it is anything important but Ralph with the help of Isobel persuades him to come and have a look.Peter Edmonton (Simon Williams) is bringing home his lady friend, Rosalind Barton (Tamara Ustinov). Cathy Vespers (Wendy Padbury) runs alongside the horse, speaking to Peter. Ellen (Charlotte Mitchell) rushes in to tell Isobel that the Master is bringing home a lady friend. Looking out the window, Isobel makes known that she doesnt approve of the farmers daughter and tells Ellen to go back to work.Peter enters and introduces his fiancée Rosalind, who gets a less than enthusiastic welcome from his aunt.In the field Ralph and the Judge find only bones. The fur and eyeball are missing. The judge tells Ralph for the second time that he is wasting his time.Ralph spots and calls out to Reverend Fallowfield (Anthony Ainley), who has just caught a snake in the bushes. Asking the Reverend if he has seen a strange person in the area, the Judge is told that there are a few of those seen lately since a death in the village.The Judge wins a card game played with Isobel, Peter and Rosalind. He suggests that she should go home rather than stay the night with her intended. She protests that it would be too much trouble. Peter proposes that she sleep in his room. Isobel informs him that Rosalind may stay in the attic room, which has not been occupied for some years. Peter is told that Ellen will clean it up for habitation.Rosalind is showed the room by Peter, who promises to come to her later that night around eleven when the others are asleep.The Judge converses with Ralph, telling him that he once fancied Isobel many years ago. He makes a toast to the exiled king and smashes the glass.Rosalind is admiring a bouquet of small flowers in bed when she hears wind blowing and the door creaking open. She goes to investigate. Finding no one, she goes back to bed and screams at something unseen.Peter, who is sneaking up for the rendezvous, hears the screams but is unable to open the door. He calls for help and the Judge opens the door with ease. Rosalind continues screaming. Isobel goes in to see about her, but is struck in the face and comes out bleeding. The Judge summons Ellen to fetch Ralph and the local doctor. He slaps Peter, blaming him for her malady.Ralph arrives and nails a board to the door, sealing it up with Rosalind inside. Peter protests but the Judge tells him there is no more that can be done for her. In the morning men will come to take her away to asylum. Peter is told by the Judge that Rosalind could never have made a proper wife for him and that he should count himself lucky.Ellen tends to Isobel, who has a high fever and scratches on her face. The doctor (Howard Goorney) examines her, telling her that she has some sort of distemper. Ellen fetches a drink for the doctor, who swallows it and admits he doesnt know what the malady is.Angel Blake (Linda Hayden) and Mark Vespers (Robin Davies) are playing in the field. Cathy says there might be a wedding, which draws the attention of Angel. Angel finds a small object in the loose dirt but refuses to show it to Mark. She runs off.The board is removed and Rosalind is carried off, her arms bound. She makes a lurid face at Peter as she is escorted downstairs. Before she passes him, he notices her hand on the stair railing having fur and claws.Ellen looks out the window as they are removing Rosalind, remarking how there is no telling what will become of her after being in that asylum. The Judge also watches from his window. He turns and notices that the birdcage is empty.Ellen calls to the Judge, saying that Isobel has disappeared. He goes upstairs to investigate.The next day at school, Fallowfield is teaching from the Bible. He asks why Boaz was generous towards Ruth. No one answers at first, but then Mark answers that because he was a man and she was a woman. One girl opens up a small pouch and screams. Fallowfield seizes it and pulls out a furry claw. Cathy screams and Fallowfield drops it on the floor. It is picked up and the pouch sent person to person behind their backs. Finally ending up with the pouch, Fairfield empties it. The claw is missing.The search party returns to the house, informing the Squire that they found nothing. He tells them to search again. Mumbling against him, they reluctantly turn around.Squire tells the Judge that the searchers have lost the scent but that Isobel must have the constitution of an ox. The Judge reminds him that she was ill. Peter, still devastated from what happened to his fiancée, listens to their conversation out of their sight. Squire leaves, patting Peter on the back. As the Judge approaches, Peter remarks that he believes that evil has entered the house. The Judge tells him he must cleanse his mind of such fancies. He tells Peter that they each should go to their rooms for the night.Peter, having remained downstairs staring at the fire, decides to go upstairs to bed. Coming to the attic room, he enters and sits on the bed. He picks up the nosegay, smelling it and lying down.The light by his bed goes out and he hears rumbling noises from under the floor. Rising and looking at the floorboards, he observes one of them rising up. When it rises several inches, he puts his hand down in the opening to feel around. Suddenly his hand is grabbed by something. He struggles to free his hand from the grip. As he pulls it out of the hole, we see it was grabbed by a furry claw. He covers the board up by putting an old chest on it. The furor ceases and he lies down to sleep.Later we see the claw creeping up and grabbing him. A struggle ensues and Peter reaches for his knife, hacking at the claw and crying out.Coming in, the Judge sends Ellen for bandages. He notes that Peter has severed his own hand.The doctor shows the Judge an old book containing illustrations of demons and devils. The Judge says that witchcraft has been proven untrue. The doctor tells him to look at a drawing of a devil which looks like what Peter described. Peter stirs and the doctor attends to him, saying the drug has worn off. The Judge asks the doctor if he can borrow the book, saying he would like to study it further.As the Judge is leaving, Ralph asks that he continue to help them. He promises to return when the time is right. Squire tells Ralph not to spread any more tales of witchcraft. The Judge tells Squire that the evil must be allowed to grow before it can be destroyed.Mark and his sister Cathy are returning home in the woods. Mark tells of a pain he feels. She begins praying the Lords Prayer with him as they journey on.At home, Ellen says she will fetch the doctor for Mark. Mark says the pain is gone, but Ellen insists that she will only be gone a short time and will return with the doctor. She tells him to eat an apple and leaves. Mark plays with some small bones he has collected. Standing to pick an apple, he feels the twinge in his side again. He sits and takes a bite of the apple as two girls gaze at him through the window. They enter and ask him to join them to play. He mutters that he doesnt play girls games. They tell him that Angel wants him and that they have been taught new games. When he hears that Angel wants him, he accompanies them.The next day at school there are several absent. Fallowfield asks where Mark is, only to be told that he is sick at home. Asking where Angel Blake is, he is told by the red-haired boy (Denis Gilmore) that she sends her regards and apologies that she has something fearfully important to do. Fallowfield shows his anger, remarking that he does not like the insolent ungodliness he sees growing in the children.The members of the coven are playing blind mans bluff with Mark as the victim. He blindly reaches out, trying to touch someone as they all run around him giggling. Finally he stops suddenly as if sensing something. He is grabbed around the neck by a cord.Returning home through the woods, Ellen carries a bottle of medicine. Suddenly the bottle smashes and she is shocked. She looks around and sees a young man smiling at her. She tells him that the bottle contained medicine for Mark. He laughingly replies that Mark will not need it anymore and has been shod in the woodshed. Ellen returns to the woodshed and is horrified to see the bleeding body of Mark underneath the woodpile.Fallowfield is seen with his rabbit in his chambers. Angel enters and approaches him. He calls out to her, telling her that he wants to talk to her. He says he will discuss with her father her insolent behavior. Angel disrobes and asks if he likes what he sees. He rebukes her and tells her to cover herself up. She comes close, telling him that they want him to come and participate in their games. He curses her, saying he doesnt ever want to see her there anymore. She curses him, saying that if he wants to see what becomes of his pupils, Mark has already succumbed.Next we see the graveside service for Mark, with Fallowfield reading from the Book of Common Prayers. Angel and her father (Godfrey James) come up behind the others and wait. As Angel concentrates her gaze upon Fallowfield, he is distracted and looks repeatedly at her. The wrapped corpse is lowered into the grave and the final words are spoken. Cathy feels a pain and turns to see Angel looking strongly at her.As people are leaving, Fallowfield follows the Squire, asking to speak with him. Angel and her father also approach to speak to the Squire. Telling Fallowfield to wait in the church, he listens as Angel and her father tell the Squire that Fallowfield demanded that Angel strip and submit to him or she would end up like Mark. They convince him that Fallowfield is guilty and the Squire promises to put an end to it.Returning home through the woods, Cathy feels another pain. She tells Ellen that its nothing serious. Ralph comforts her, calling her  my love.  He turns to go another direction as Cathy rushes to join Ellen, telling her that Ralph spoke of her that way.Cathy is approached by two boys from the coven. One of them is cracking a whip (the same whip that smashed the medicine bottle). They claim they are upset about Mark. She asks if they have seen Ralph. Saying no, the red-haired one runs up to her. She tells him she is picking flowers for Marks grave. He insists that he knows where some large flowers are. She asks where and he offers to show her.They lead Cathy through the woods and along a path. One of the boys jumps down on her, tying a rope around her. She screams, saying they are hurting her. They insist its just a game and take her on. Her screams are heard in the distance by Ralph who is driving a carriage home. He sets off looking for her.They lead her into a clearing where Angel places a crown of thorns and flowers on her. They are joined by other members of the coven. Ralph continues to search for her and call her.Meanwhile Fallowfield is arrested, charged with ravishing Angel Blake and is a suspect in the murder of Mark Vespers. He insists that Squire has made a mistake.The coven leads Cathy to the ruins of an old church where she is summoned to the front to be offered to the furry clawed creature of their worship. All at once Cathy is pushed to the ground by Angel. Pulling up the back of her dress, Cathy is seen to bear the mark of the beast.Ralph happens upon the woodsman Ned Carter (Jason Twelvetrees) who lives in a shanty in the woods. Questioning him about Cathy, Carter tells Ralph he saw a group of young people being led by Angel Blake. He doesnt remember seeing Cathy at all.As members of the coven strike her with flowered branches, one boy approaches and disrobes. Other boys tear the clothing from Cathy, who is horrified. As Cathy is raped, the others look on in approval. After its over, a pair of shears is handed to Angel, who stabs Cathy in the back. Her screams are heard by Ralph.Angel repeatedly stabs Cathy and leaves her to die. Ralph finds her bloody body.Squire leads men with Fallowfield into the barn and begins to question him about the death. He denies it, saying he knows not how the death occurred. They are about to judge him when Ralph comes up carrying Cathys body. Ralph tells them that Angel and her coven did this. Squire orders the Reverend to be released and calls for the men to seek the coven members. Peter approaches and gazes sadly at Cathys body.Peter saddles his steed and rides to the Judges house, telling him how things have deteriorated in the village. The Judge is persuaded to return, telling Peter that he will use undreamed of measures.Margaret (Michele Dotrice) is seen running from a mob of men. They capture her and throw her into a pond as a witch. Hearing their struggles, Ralph approaches just as she is hurled into the water. He demands to know what they have done. Telling him that they have done in a witch, they all seem pleased. He asks how they knew she was a witch. They reply that if she floats, she is a witch. Ralph tells them that if she drowns, they have become her murderers. They become sullen and leave. As Margarets body floats to the surface, Ralph wades in to retrieve her.Back at the house, Ralph tells Ellen that he rescued her from the mob who was trying her as a witch. Margaret stirs and Ellen calls for her to be moved by the fire. She tells Ralph to fetch Cathys bed to put the girl in. As she is cleaning the girl up, Ellen spies the devils mark on her. She shows it to Ralph, who recognizes it.The doctor is summoned but refuses to help, saying she bears the devils mark. Ralph and Ellen insist that she be saved. Ralph suggests that the doctor remove the mark. He says he is not equipped to do so and that it will only regrow. Finally he is convinced to operate.Margaret is tied down and the doctor begins cutting. She cries out but is held down. When the skin is removed, the doctor puts it into a bottle. Ralph insists that it be burned. Ellen remarks that there is no blood. The girl confesses her name is Margaret and that she belongs to the devil. She wants to know why her leg hurts.Margaret is seen recovering. Ralph brings her flowers, telling her that she will soon be well enough to walk as well as he. She tells him she will run away to Angel, who is waiting for her. He tells her that Angel is no longer around and that she doesnt serve Angel anymore. She insists to return but Ralph says the Lord will strike her down. She claims her lord is stronger-that he soon will be. She urges Ralph to join them and serve her master, who grows stronger with each sacrifice. He disgustedly refuses her and leaves.The doctor approaches Ralph, asking about Margaret. He replies that she is a hopeless case, talking about her master the devil. The doctor says that the fiend has been seen around, hobbling on one foot. All at once Ellen cries out that Margaret has run away. They begin searching for her. The doctor realizes that the coven will learn that he was the one who removed the skin and will have it in for him. At that moment Peter rides up on his horse and tells him not to worry. Ralph and Ellen come running back, recognizing that Peter has returned. The Judges carriage pulls up and he emerges as they fill him in on what has been happening.Inside, the doctor shows the Judge the skin he removed from Margaret. The Judge takes it for evidence. Outside he reveals trained dogs that will sniff out the devil. They are given the scent of the skin and begin searching.Margaret runs back to Angel with the dogs trailing her. She calls out for Angel to save her. As she approaches she steps into a large trap. Angel comes and asks what she has done. Margaret confesses that the Edmontons have kept her a week at their farm and removed the skin. When Angel sees that the skin is gone, she tells Margaret that she will leave her to the dogs. Margaret continues to struggle to free herself from the trap.The men with the dogs approach, followed by Ralph and the Judge. Ralph tries to free her from the trap. She slaps him, blaming him for her troubles. The Judge asks her name and wants to know who set the trap for her. The Judge says to bring her along.They tie her up in the barn and the Judge questions her about Angel. He tells her that it was Angel who trapped her. She says they meet anywhere that is hidden. Under threat of the dogs attack she admits that tonight they will meet at the old church. The Judge says that is all he needs to know. She tells him he will be too late and that tonight her master will be strong enough to defeat him.Ralph is seen weeding a garden. He accidently cuts his ankle and begins to peel back his sock to observe the wound. He is horrified to see the devils skin underneath. A raven mocks him as Ralph runs away.Returning to the house, Ralph knocks until Ellen opens the door. She asks about his leg but he tells her not to look. She tells him the Judge will take care of everything in the village. He says they may be coming for him and asks if she is alone. She says Peter went to the village. He reveals that he got the skin from Cathy and goes upstairs.The Squire is talking to the villagers about the situation. The Judge is seen approaching in his carriage. He emerges and says that only those resolved to fight this scourge may accompany them. They leave.Ralph looks out from the attic window and sees the villagers carrying torches. He begins to hear approaching footsteps, which grow louder and louder. He realizes the devil is coming for his piece of skin.The mob arrives at the old church site, where a ceremony is going on around a fire. Angel stands in front of Ralph, who has been brought there to give his flesh. She indicates for the ceremony to begin. Coven members march around the fire as one girl (Yvonne Paul) strips and dances before Ralph, giving him a knife. Angel watches from the side. The Judge and men arrive and hide their torches, watching the ceremony. The Judge calls for the large crucifix/scepter to be uncovered which was brought with them. Angel sees it and cries out. She rushes toward it and is stabbed in the darkness. She falls to the ground.The Judge wields the sword toward the other coven members who begin to cower and retreat. The fiend is seen facing the sword and gradually his devilish face is shown in the darkness. The Judge fearlessly continues pressing the sword toward the devil, who finally backs into the fire and collapses. At that moment, the skin is gone from Ralphs foot. They watch as the fiend burns.
violence, cult, murder, atmospheric