Top model Alison Parker (Cristina Raines) moves out of the New York penthouse in which she has been living with Michael Lerman (Chris Sarandon) to find a place of her own.
She seeks the help of leading estate agent Miss Logan (Ava Gardner) to help her find an apartment. Miss Logan suggests that she might find what she is looking for in an old ivy-covered brownstone house in Brooklyn, overlooking the Manhattan skyline. Alison agrees and moves in as soon as the formalities are completed.
All goes well for a little while and then incidents begin to occur which cause Alison a deep sense of unease: Why, for example, does an old blind priest on the top floor (John Carradine) persist in gazing sightlessly through the windows towards the Statue of Liberty?
Who is the effusive little fellow (Burgess Meredith) with a cat and a canary who calls on Alison and who appears so inoffensive and amusing?
Who are the curious people at the party where Alison unexpectedly finds herself the guest of honour?
What is the cause of the mysterious sounds in the night which compel Alison to seek the help of Miss Logan again?
But why are there no traces of the people Alison insists she met at the weird party? Why does the very room in which the party was held have a completely unlived-in appearance, cobwebs and all?
Finally and most chillingly, who is the Sentinel and what is the Sentinel’s hideous duty?
In spite of the reassurances of Miss Logan and Michael, Alison finds herself being inexorably drawn towards a vortex of evil so horrible as to threaten the very sanity of any normal human being.
Michael Lerman
Chris Sarandon Alison Parker
Cristina Raines Professor Ruzinsky
Martin Balsam Father Halliran
John Carradine Robed Figure
José Ferrer Miss Logan
Ava Gardner Monsignor Franchino
Arthur Kennedy Charles Chazen
Burgess Meredith Gerde
Sylvia Miles Jennifer
Deborah Raffin Detective Gatz
Eli Wallach Detective Rizzo
Christopher Walken Film Director
Jerry Orbach Sandra
Beverly D’Angelo Brenner
Hank Garrett Hart
Robert Gerringer Girl at End
Nana Visitor Man at end
Tom Berenger Perry
William Hickey Malcolm Stinnett
Gary Allen Rebecca Stinnett
Tresa Hughes Mrs Clark
Kate Harrington Lilian Clotkin
Jane Hoffman Emma Clotkin
Elaine Shore Dr Aureton
Sam Gray Priest
Reid Shelton Alison’s father
Fred Stuthman Alison’s mother
Lucie Lancaster Jack
Jeff Goldblum Raymond
Zane Lasky
