The Witches 1967
Directed by
Luchino Visconti
The Witches Plot Summary
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Gwen Mayfield, a schoolteacher, returns to England after a traumatic encounter with witch-doctors in Africa. She takes a position with the enigmatic Reverend Alan Bax, who runs a remote village school in Heddaby, but the man behind the clerical collar is not a true minister, and the village’s only church lies in ruins. In the midst of this quiet, unsettled place, she forms a bond with Alan’s sister, a respected journalist who sees through the town’s surface calm.
In the village, a romance develops between two pupils, Ronnie Dowsett and Linda Rigg, which the adults try to block for reasons Gwen cannot fully understand. Linda lives with her grandmother, Granny Rigg, a figure steeped in rumor and superstition, believed by many to be a witch. Ronnie, a gifted pupil, earns Alan’s support for a chance to study at a prep school, yet his father resists this plan. Gwen volunteers to tutor Ronnie, hoping to keep the boy engaged and anchored in the community. In a quiet, symbolic moment, Ronnie presents Linda with a male doll to complement her female one, signaling their intention to be a couple in a world that seems wary of their bond.
Trouble intensifies when Ronnie falls into a coma. Gwen discovers the male doll with pins stuck through it and its head missing, a detail that unsettles everyone. She shares her concerns with Stephanie, a colleague who invites her to co-author an article about witchcraft in contemporary England. Ronnie’s mother grows increasingly agitated, and Gwen’s inquiries lead her to Granny Rigg’s house as she tries to uncover a pact or bargain that might be driving these events. Ronnie’s father confronts Granny, but soon after, he is found drowned in a nearby pond, a tragedy that deepens Gwen’s sense that dark forces are at work.
Gwen begins to fear that people who claim to be witches are orchestrating events to pull Ronnie away from Linda, and possibly to sacrifice Linda herself as part of a ritual. She agrees to testify at Ronnie’s inquest, hoping to uncover the truth. An incident involving Stephanie’s dogs injures Gwen, and she is taken to the Bax home for treatment by the local doctor. That night, an African totem looms in her room, frightening her into another nervous breakdown.
Months pass, and Gwen recuperates in a nursing home, with her memories of Africa largely erased. A doll belonging to a visiting little girl triggers the return of those memories, and she manages to escape the hospital, hitching a ride back to Heddaby. A whisper from the village suggests Linda has not been away on holiday but has instead fallen under the witches’ spell.
One fateful night, Gwen observes a coven gathering at the ruined church and follows them to uncover their plan. The coven, led by Stephanie, reveals a life-extending ritual that requires the sacrifice of a pure maiden, to be performed at Lammastide. Linda has been brought to the ceremony, though she stands in a trance and cannot resist. Gwen confronts the danger, and as the ritual begins, she cuts herself and smears blood on Stephanie’s robe, defiling it. Confronted by the mortally ill effect of the act, Stephanie collapses and dies.
In the weeks that follow, Heddaby gradually returns to normal. With the coven dismantled and Stephanie’s influence broken, Gwen chooses to remain in the village and continue teaching at Alan’s school, marking a cautious return to stability and a renewed sense of purpose.
The Witches Timeline
Follow the complete movie timeline of The Witches (1967) with every major event in chronological order. Great for understanding complex plots and story progression.
Gwen returns to England and is hired
Gwen Mayfield returns from Africa after a nervous breakdown and is hired to teach at a remote village school run by Reverend Bax in Heddaby. The move marks a fresh start, but the village's quiet hides deeper tensions. Her arrival sets the stage for the unfolding community mystery.
Bax's true role and the ruined church
Gwen discovers that Bax is not a genuine minister and wears a clerical collar only for security. She also finds the village church in ruins, hinting at hidden forces at work in Heddaby. The revelations shake her confidence in her new surroundings.
Gwen befriends Bax's sister
Gwen forms a rapport with Bax's sister, a respected journalist, gaining an ally within the Bax household. The friendship provides her with a broader view of the village's power dynamics. It also gives Gwen a trusted confidant as strange events begin to occur.
Ronnie and Linda's romance meets opposition
The romance between pupils Ronnie Dowsett and Linda Rigg becomes a focal point in the village, but adults fiercely oppose it. Gwen cannot fully understand the hostility, suggesting there are hidden beliefs at work in Heddaby. Their relationship creates a growing tension within the community.
Ronnie's prep-school plan and Gwen tutors
Bax proposes Ronnie attend a prep school outside the village, but Ronnie's father resists. Gwen volunteers to tutor Ronnie at home, hoping to keep him close and safe. The tutoring arrangement draws Gwen further into the boy's world and the village's unspoken rules.
The doll, the coma, and a sign of witchcraft
Ronnie gives Linda a male doll as a companion for their budding relationship. The next day, Ronnie falls into a coma, and Gwen discovers the doll has pins through it and its head is missing. The disturbing find suggests someone is dabbling in witchcraft.
Stephanie invites Gwen to co-author a witchcraft article
Stephanie, Bax's sister, invites Gwen to co-author an article about witchcraft in contemporary England, impressed by Gwen's knowledge of African magical practices. Gwen sees this as an opportunity to explore the village's occult undercurrents further. The collaboration deepens Stephanie's interest in Gwen's work.
Ronnie's mother visits Granny Rigg and Ronnie goes to Wales
Ronnie's mother visits Granny Rigg to secure Ronnie's welfare, and Ronnie is soon taken to stay with relatives in Wales. Ronnie's father confronts Granny Rigg over the matter and is later found drowned in a village pond, heightening the village's mysteries and fears.
Gwen weighs witchcraft against the tragedy at hand
Gwen begins to think the witch rumors might be real and suspects the schemes to keep Ronnie away from Linda could lead to a sacrifice. She volunteers to testify at Ronnie's father's inquest, stepping into a dangerous public spotlight. The idea of witchcraft shifts from rumor to potential danger in the village.
Dogs injure Gwen; a totem and breakdown
An incident involving Stephanie's dogs leaves Gwen injured and she is taken to Bax's home for treatment by the local doctor. During the night she encounters an African totem and suffers another nervous breakdown, deepening the sense that dark forces surround the Bax household. The event bonds her further to the dangers she senses.
Memory loss, then a return to Heddaby
Months later, Gwen is recovering in a nursing home with memory gaps about Africa. A visiting little girl's doll triggers the return of her memories, prompting her to escape the facility and hitchhike back to Heddaby, where she is welcomed again by the Bax family. The homecoming re-ignites her investigation into the village's secrets.
Linda rumored missing; coven gathers
A village whisper claims Linda, thought to be away on holiday, has actually been taken by witches. Gwen senses that a coven is gathering, and she moves toward the ruined church where the group is rumored to convene.
The coven is revealed and Gwen is targeted
A coven led by Stephanie is exposed gathering at the church, and Stephanie reveals a life-extending ritual that requires a pure maiden and a clean sacred place. She makes clear her intention to initiate Gwen into their ranks.
Lammastide ritual and the botched sacrifice
During the Lammastide ceremony, Linda appears in a trance and is unable to help herself. Gwen intervenes by cutting herself and smearing blood on Stephanie's robe, defiling it. Stephanie collapses and dies from convulsions as the ritual's power turns against her.
Peace returns and Gwen stays as teacher
Weeks later, Heddaby returns to a semblance of normalcy. Gwen decides to stay and continue teaching at Bax's school, choosing to make the village her home despite its lingering shadows. The community slowly rebuilds around her.
The Witches Characters
Explore all characters from The Witches (1967). Get detailed profiles with their roles, arcs, and key relationships explained.
Gwen Mayfield
A schoolteacher who returns from Africa after a nervous breakdown, bringing a rational, observant mindset to a village obsessed with superstition. She navigates local hostility and uses her knowledge of magical practices to interpret strange events, while risking her own safety in the process.
Reverend Alan Bax
A wealthy figure who presents himself as a minister but hides that he does not fully embody the clerical role, wearing the collar for security and control rather than faith. His influence and secrecy help maintain the social order, even as the church’s authority wanes.
Ronnie Dowsett
A gifted pupil whose close relationship with Linda becomes a focal point of village tensions. He experiences a dramatic turn when he falls into a coma, symbolizing the fragility of youth caught between belief and reality.
Linda Rigg
Ronnie’s partner whose romance with him triggers suspicion and fear within the village. Her relationship becomes a battleground for defenses of tradition versus modern understanding.
Granny Rigg
A grandmother figure whose reputation as a witch feeds fear and superstition in the community. Her presence intensifies the villagers’ suspicion of anything beyond their accepted norms.
Stephanie
The coven’s leader whose interest in a ritual of longevity drives the central conflict. She is cunning, powerful, and willing to manipulate others to achieve her ends.
The Witches Settings
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Location
Heddaby, England, Africa, Wales
The story unfolds in the remote English village of Heddaby, built around a ruined church and tight-knit families. The village atmosphere is insular, suspicious of outsiders, and heavily influenced by local lore. Gwen's backstory in Africa contrasts with the village's superstitions, while Ronnie's relatives in Wales become part of the wider web of connections surrounding the events.
The Witches Themes
Discover the main themes in The Witches (1967). Analyze the deeper meanings, emotional layers, and social commentary behind the film.
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Witchcraft and superstition
Witchcraft and occult beliefs permeate the village’s daily life, shaping rumors and guiding actions. The witches’ coven stages a ritual-centered fear that others attempt to interpret as real danger. The tension between rational explanation and magical thinking drives the central mystery. Gwen’s Africa-based knowledge clashes with the village’s folkloric explanations, highlighting the power of belief.
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Religious authority and secrecy
The Reverend Bax presents a facade of piety while guarding hidden motives and maintaining social control. The church’s ruin mirrors the decline of genuine spiritual guidance in the community. Secret agendas and protective lies reveal how authority can manipulate fear to preserve the status quo. The investigation into Ronnie and Linda’s relationship exposes the hypocrisy underlying public virtue.
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Female resilience
Gwen embodies rationality, education, and courage as she faces hostility and danger. Her determination to understand the phenomenon leads her to confront the coven and fight for Linda’s safety. The story centers on a woman’s agency within a male-dominated village politics. Her return to Heddaby after trauma underscores the theme of personal resilience.
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Ritual violence and sacrifice
The plot culminates in the threat of a life-extending ritual that hinges on the sacrifice of a pure maiden, intensifying the sense of imminent danger. The ritual frame elevates fear into a tangible menace that destabilizes the community. Gwen’s act of defilement and the coven’s downfall resolve the tension between ritual power and moral authority. The resolution emphasizes the destruction of the cycle of ritual violence.
The Witches Spoiler-Free Summary
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In a quiet, mist‑shrouded stretch of the English countryside, a series of intimate sketches turn the ordinary into a mirror for contemporary womanhood. A celebrated actress checks into a secluded mountain resort, stirring envy among her peers and desire in the men who serve them. A lone stranger aids an injured traveler, while a widowed father and his son wander the countryside in search of a new wife and mother. A quiet housewife confronts the growing distance in her marriage, daring to demand the romance that has long since faded. Each vignette is linked by a shared sense of longing, expectation, and the subtle pressure of the world that watches women’s choices.
At the heart of the tapestry is Gwen Mayfield, a schoolteacher who returns to England after a harrowing encounter with witch‑doctors in Africa. She takes a post at a remote village school run by the enigmatic Reverend Alan Bax, a man whose true nature is as opaque as the crumbling church that shadows the town. The village itself is a study in contrasts: modern hopes mingle with age‑old superstitions, and the ruins of the old place of worship whisper of rituals long forgotten. Gwen’s arrival awakens a quiet curiosity, and she soon finds an unexpected ally in Alan’s sister, a sharp‑tongued journalist whose investigations peel back the veneer of rural tranquility.
The film’s tone is atmospheric and contemplative, letting the damp air and muted colors set a backdrop where secrets feel as palpable as the fog. As Gwen settles into her role, she becomes entangled in the lives of two pupils, Ronnie Dowsett and Linda Rigg, whose tender connection hints at something both tender and precarious amid the community’s unease. The presence of Granny Rigg, a reclusive elder steeped in rumor, adds a layer of mythic tension, while Stephanie, a colleague with an eye for the occult, offers an intellectual doorway into the village’s lingering belief in witchcraft. Together, these characters weave a portrait of a place caught between progress and the weight of its own legends.
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