Father Goddard (Richard Burton), an austere and domineering schoolmaster-priest at a remote Roman Catholic boarding school in England, considers standout student Benjie Stanfield (Dominic Guard) to be an ideal candidate for the priesthood.
But Stanfield’s friendship with Scottish hippy Blakey (Billy Connolly in his movie debut) – who has set up his tent in the woods outside the school – leads to murder.
His confession to Father Goddard that he’s killed Blakey and buried his body in the woods – and his tormenting of Goddard based on the rule that the priest cannot reveal anything shared in confession – drives the priest insane, and he goes into the woods to dig up the corpse.
Lashings of Catholic guilt pervade this totally bonkers potboiler, and it might never have been released had it not been for the star presence of Burton (looking much the worse for wear after years of alcoholism), the film’s only point of interest.
The deliciously sick twist ending might strike some viewers as a bit of a stretch, and, indeed, the final scene – which features an Agatha Christie-style explanation for various mysterious events – is laborious.
Father Goddard
Richard Burton Benjie Stanfield
Dominic Guard Blakey
Billy Connolly Headmaster
Andrew Keir Arthur Dyson
David Bradley Brigadier Walsh
Willoughby Gray Father Hibbert
Preston Lockwood Father Clarence
Brook Williams Father Matthews
James Ottaway Mrs Hoskins
Hilda Fenemore Louella
Sharon Duce Miss Froggatt
Hilary Mason Cawley
Robert Addie Gladstone
Trevor Martin
Director
Anthony Page
Video
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His confession to Father Goddard that he’s killed Blakey and buried his body in the woods – and his tormenting of Goddard based on the rule that the priest cannot reveal anything shared in confession – drives the priest insane, and he goes into the woods to dig up the corpse.
Father Goddard
Headmaster
Father Matthews
