A modern retelling of the Scottish Tam Lin story, with the bewitching Michaela “Mickey” Cazaret (Ava Gardner) seeking to hold onto the younger Tom Lynn (Ian McShane), who falls fast and hard for vicar’s daughter Janet Ainsley (Stephanie Beacham).
Mickey is very rich and surrounds herself with opulence furnishings and attractive young people (designated as a coven in the end credits) to amuse herself. When his affection for Janet begins to pull him away from Mickey, Tom discovers the disturbing depths his paramour will resort to in order to keep her young lover.
This was actor Roddy McDowall’s only directorial effort, perhaps his Scottish heritage made this the only project he felt drawn to. McDowall lets Gardner and McShane carry the movie on their shoulders, and while they are not together long enough to understand Mickey’s obsession with Tom, the actors are both so charismatic you won’t worry about that much at all.
