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Drama thriller

The Night Digger (1971): Cast, Ratings & Plot

The Night Digger (1971) movie poster

The Night Digger is a 1971 drama thriller directed by Alastair Reid, starring Patricia Neal, Pamela Brown and Nicholas Clay. It runs 1 hour 37 minutes. IMDb users rate it 6.3/10.

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The Night Digger (1971) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 37m (97 min)
Director
Alastair Reid
Genres
Drama , Thriller , Horror
Original language
English
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is The Night Digger About?

The premise of The Night Digger without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

A chance encounter with tragedy plunges an innocent bystander into the dark reality of urban despair. Investigating the lives of expectant mothers struggling in the city's underbelly, they confront the harshness of their circumstances and the fragility of life. The experience blurs the lines between hope and sorrow, revealing a haunting perspective on mortality and leaving a lasting impact on their understanding of the world.

The Night Digger Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • socially awkward
  • gazebo
  • church
  • blindness
  • handyman
  • shallow grave
  • gossip
  • adopted daughter
  • psychopath
  • domineering mother
  • male nudity
  • new zealand literature on screen
+38 more
  • 20th century literature on screen
  • new zealand crime literature on screen
  • f rated
  • decaying mansion
  • drifter
  • deadly secret
  • serial killer
  • grand guignol
  • sexual melodrama
  • psychological drama
  • suspense mystery
  • age disparate romance
  • tragic romance
  • gothic thriller
  • church organist
  • stroke victim
  • caretaker
  • man child
  • rape and murder
  • invalid
  • secret life
  • corpse
  • visiting nurse
  • scotland
  • speech therapist
  • man hides in a cabinet
  • sexual humiliation
  • ultimatum
  • cash withdrawal
  • image make over
  • seaside cottage
  • herd of sheep
  • driving a motorcycle off a cliff
  • ends with suicide
  • young
  • servant
  • spinster
  • foster care
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Cast & crew

The Night Digger Cast

Patricia Neal leads the cast, with Pamela Brown and Nicholas Clay. Directed by Alastair Reid; 10 actors are credited in all.

From the director

More from Alastair Reid

More films directed by Alastair Reid: What Rats Won’t Do, Teamster Boss: The Jackie Presser Story, Artemis ’81 and Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.

Full filmography
Ratings

The Night Digger Reviews & Ratings

IMDb users rate The Night Digger 6.3/10.

Plot

The Night Digger Plot Summary

What happens in The Night Digger from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 13 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

In this intense drama, Maura Prince (Patricia Neal) balances her part-time role as a speech therapist with the demanding responsibility of caring for her blind and invalid mother, Edith (Pamela Brown). The situation changes dramatically with the unexpected arrival of Billy Jarvis (Nicholas Clay), who ingratiates himself with Edith by playing on her emotions. Claiming to be a long-lost relative, Billy quickly becomes a hard worker, which eases Maura’s initial skepticism into eventual trust.

Full summary

The whole story of The Night Digger, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Quiz

How Well Do You Know The Night Digger?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
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  10. Question 10: not answered

Who plays the role of Maura Prince in 'The Night Digger'?

Details

The Night Digger Also Known As

5 alternative titles, including “El enterrador nocturno” and “Das Haus der Schatten”.

Also known as
  • El enterrador nocturno
  • Das Haus der Schatten
  • Paixão e Crime
  • 午夜掘墓人
  • Ночной мотоциклист

Seen The Night Digger?

FAQ

The Night Digger FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date

Runtime, release date, director, cast, ratings and post-credit scenes of The Night Digger, each answered in a sentence.

How long is The Night Digger?

The Night Digger runs 1 hour 37 minutes (97 minutes).

When was The Night Digger released?

The Night Digger was released on July 30, 1971.

Who directed The Night Digger?

The Night Digger was directed by Alastair Reid.

More films by Alastair Reid

Who is in the cast of The Night Digger?

The Night Digger stars Patricia Neal, Pamela Brown and Nicholas Clay, among 10 credited actors.

How is The Night Digger rated?

The Night Digger has 6.3/10 on IMDb.

Does The Night Digger have a post-credit scene?

No. The Night Digger has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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