The equivalent of what Ken Russell's version of "The Rainbow" was to his earlier "Women in Love", this prequel to "The Innocents" is unpleasant and hideously dull. It features an overweight Marlon Brando seducing the svelte Stephanie Beacham in perhaps one of the most repulsive sex scenes of all times, not because of any gratuitous nudity or even the difference in their ages, but simply because of how his handyman character treats the innocent nanny that Beacham plays. It's like a game of how much physical and emotional abuse that Beacham can take, either from her two charges (Verna Harvey and Christopher Ellis) or the humorless housekeeper (Thora Hird),but the sadomasochism he enjoys tormenting her with while entertaining the two children with his stories of Irish blarney.

I was expecting a light Gothic horror film from this because of its ties with the Henry James novel, and I was completely disappointed that it is basically a character study with little plot and even less to recommend of it. There are amusing scenes where the children play various pranks (particularly when they strand Hird in their gorgeous treehouse),and Brando's cartoon Irish accent is a hoot, but the writing and directing makes it very disappointing, especially in the hands of a veteran like Michael Winner. The elements of horror do not show up officially until the last 10 minutes of the film, and one moment is pretty hideous. Scenes involving wild animals (a toad and a dead bird) are a bit disturbing but not gruesome, although the popping sound involving the toad has an obvious outcome.

There is quality in the pretty musical score as well as the country sets and did nice photography, but that doesn't change the fact that this is very difficult to get through, and that when it does hint of any elements of ghost, in this all spoken about and not represented visually. Ultimately, this is the type of film that tries hard but does not know what it wants to be, and the audience is left more befuddled because of that. The last scene ends pretty much begins where "The Innocents" began, and it is interesting to note that Anna Palk does highly resemble Deborah Kerr who played that role in the 1961 film. If you consider horror to be a man of Brando's size laying on top of a woman Beacham's size, then this is indeed horror.

Although the sets and cinematography are scrupulously suggestive of the early 20th century in the United Kingdom and the performances quite good, The Nightcomers never quite gels as a Gothic horror classic. Maybe we see a bit too much of ourselves and don't like to think of the implications of what we're watching.

The children of a wealthy British family are left orphaned by the deaths of their parents in a motor car crash. A cousin who is the closest relation to the father Harry Andrews is at the estate to tidy up affairs, but has no desire to stay there or act as a parent to these two. Never mind, they are amply provided for with cook and governess who are Thora Hird and Stephanie Beacham. The father had a valet played by Marlon Brando and since there is clearly no need for one now he's relegated to the gardener's duties.

Brando's delightful Irish gardener Quint bonds with the kids. He's full of blarney and charm, but that cheerful exterior hides a rather complex and sadistic being. The kids catch him and Beacham in some kind of bondage game as Brando initiates Beacham into the finer points sadomasochistic sex. Both children take careful notes. The kids are played by Christopher Ellis and Verna Harvey.

In the end what happens sets the stage for Henry James's classic Gothic horror tale The Turn Of The Screw. That was brought to the screen ten years earlier as The Innocents which starred Deborah Kerr as the new governess for the kids. According to The Nightcomers, The Innocents would be the last thing anyone would have entitled that film.

Fine performances, wonderful sets and cinematography, yet the film just lacks a spark to consider it a classic. Marlon Brando's fans will want to see it though.

This is a loose prequel to the classic Henry James ghost story The Turn of the Screw, which itself was successfully filmed in 1961. Of course, with Michael Winner at the helm of this film, it soon changes from a ghost story to something more exploitational, as the director deals with a sado-masochistic relationship between the gardener and the governess that certainly WASN'T on the mind of Henry James when he wrote his story! In today's society where so-called documentaries on everything from sexual perversion to sex changes are ten a penny on every television channel, these sexual scenes have lost their power to shock; the sight of Stephanie Beacham hog-tied in the bedroom isn't perhaps as outrageous as it would have been in the 1970s.

Elsewhere, the film plods along slowly with a lack of pace and lack of action. Much of the screen time is given to the rather unsavoury character Quint, which is unsurprising considering that he's played by Marlon Brando. Brando gives one of those offbeat, anything-goes type performances that I personally hate; Johnny Depp's turn in PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN is the most recent example of this type of "acting". Adopting a surprisingly good Irish accent, Brando boozes, sleeps, and acts odd throughout the film, most memorable in the opening scenes where he causes a frog to explode after making it smoke a cigarette!

The film has some good turns from the adult performers, all of whom are to be seen in rather more genteel fare than what's on offer here. Stephanie Beacham, who resolutely refused to disrobe in many of her other films, shows that she's not camera shy here, regularly stripping off for the torrid sex scenes. Harry Andrews pops up in a few scenes to lend some quiet dignity to the proceedings, while the biggest surprise of all comes from the appearance of Thora Hird as the ghastly housekeeper with maggots in her hair. I'm somebody who knows Hird solely from her role in the long-running sitcom LAST OF THE SUMMER WINE, so her appearance here seems quite extraordinary!

Sadly, the film is let down by some diabolical acting from the 'child' actors – one of whom, Verna Harvey, was actually 20 when this was filmed! Christopher Ellis is particularly bad and his voice really grates on the viewer's nerves. Winner seems to be a somewhat slapdash director, filming bland, boring shots at one moment and overusing the zoom lens at another. He fails to insert any much-needed energy or excitement into the proceedings, even at the shocking climax, which plays out as staidly as the rest of the film. Still, the Cambridgeshire locations are nice to look at – almost as nice as Beacham's ample charms – which is something, I suppose.