The Night Digger

The Night Digger
original film poster
Directed by	Alastair Reid
Screenplay by	Roald Dahl
Based on	Nest in a Fallen Tree by Joy Cowley
Produced by
Starring	Patricia Neal Pamela Brown Nicholas Clay Jean Anderson Christopher Reynalds Peter Sallis
Cinematography	Alex Thomson
Edited by	John Bloom
Music by	Bernard Herrmann
Distributed by	Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date	12 May 1971 (1971-05-12) (U.S.)
Running time	98 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

The Night Digger is a 1971 British thriller film based on the novel Nest in a Fallen Tree by Joy Cowley about two women who are visited by a suspicious handy man.^[1] It was adapted by Roald Dahl and starred his then wife Patricia Neal.^[2] The Night Digger was the American title; it was originally released in the United Kingdom as The Road Builder.^[3]

Plot[]

In a decaying mansion on the outskirts of London, middle-aged spinster Maura Prince (Patricia Neal) lives a life of drudgery caring for her blind and domineering mother (Pamela Brown). Into their dysfunctional lives, a handsome stranger appears, riding on a motorbike and looking for work as a handyman. Young Billy Jarvis (Nicholas Clay) soon makes himself indispensable around the house, but his angelic features mask dysfunctions that threaten both women's lives.

Cast[]

• Patricia Neal as Maura Prince
• Pamela Brown as Mrs. Edith Prince
• Nicholas Clay as Billy Jarvis
• Jean Anderson as Mrs. Millicent McMurtrey
• Graham Crowden as Mr. Bolton
• Yootha Joyce as Mrs. Palafox
• Peter Sallis as Reverend Rupert Palafox
• Brigit Forsyth as District Nurse
• as Dr. Ronnie Robinson
• Christopher Reynalds as Young Billy
• as Whore

Critical reception[]

In a contemporary review, The New York Times wrote "It begs for empathy for its tortured principals, but despite the clearly dedicated contributions of Patricia Neal, Roald Dahl, her scenarist-husband; Pamela Brown and a young newcomer, Nicholas Clay, the strain on credibility is a good deal more notable than the impact on the emotions";^[4] while more recently, a reviewer for DVD Talk wrote "The Night Digger doesn't carry much of a reputation, but I found it highly unusual, and more than satisfying".^[5] Cinema Retro called it "an underrated gem";^[6] and the Radio Times concluded "director Alastair Reid's neo-Grand Guignol chamber piece exudes a peculiar fascination".^[7]

References[]

Further reading[]

• Stafford, Jeff. "The Road Builder (aka The Night Digger)". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved 16 January 2011.

External links[]

• The Night Digger at IMDb

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