The Tomb of Ligeia

Synopsis: Some years after having buried his beloved wife Ligea, Verden Fell meets and eventually marries the lovely Lady Rowena. Fell is something of a recluse, living in a small part of a now ruined Abbey with his manservant Kenrick as the only other occupant. He remains infatuated with his late wife and is convinced that she will return to him. While all goes well when first married, he returns to his odd behavior when they return to the Abbey from their honeymoon. The memories of Ligea continue to haunt him as well as her promise that she would never die.
Director(s): Roger Corman
Production: American International Picture
 
IMDB:
6.6
Rotten Tomatoes:
78%
NOT RATED
Year:
1964
82 min
341 Views


You cannot bury her in consecrated ground.

- She was not Christian.

- This is my ground.

- It is the Lord's ground.

- Then let the Lord refuse her.

- She will not rest with Christian dead.

- She will not rest because she is not dead.

To me.

She will not die because she willed not to die.

Is her will stronger than the Lord's?

These are her words.

M ooo o oo ooo o go

o o oo ooo

o o o o o oo o

- lasphemy

- enediction.

Now hear mine. She desecrates the earth

and her will rots with her bones.

oth are as damned and dead

as the devil's soul.

(cat yowhs)

A nervous contraction.

Nothing more.

Nothing more.

So silent now?

Well, why don't you speak?

Or you? Or you?

Pray, speak.

Or has the cat got your tongues? (chnuckhEs)

You must have met in hell.

(hnurntirng hnorrns sournd)

- The fox may go to ground.

- Damn the fox Where's my daughter?

Where's my daughter?

Rowena

- Rowena

- Hello, Christopher.

Come on, boy.

- Rowena, the fox has...

- other the fox. This is far more intriguing.

- Ligeia...

- (cat yowhs)

No,

(scrEams)

- What is it?

- I heard her scream.

She was thrown by her mount.

I thought it unwise for her to move.

- In preventing it, I seem to have frightened her.

- Yes, quite.

- I thought the abbey was deserted.

- It is, save for myself, a servant and...

- Is she all right?

- Yes, quite all right, Christopher.

Verden?

Good Lord

I never would have...

- Those glasses...

- The result of a morbid reaction to sunlight.

ut I thought that... that not hearing from you...

I mean, after the funeral...

- Perhaps you had better fetch the lady's horse.

- Yes. Yes, of course.

Rowena... don't be frightened.

He's an old friend.

o Roo o o o o o,

M Vooo o

- How do you do?

- Terribly sorry to have trampled the asphodels.

- They are so bright.

- The flowers of death.

How very appropriate.

Yes...

- Take her in while I fetch her father.

- That won't be necessary.

I'm afraid it will.

- You aren't blind, are you?

- No. I live at night. My vision is painfully acute.

Oh, no No Please Please, that light

- I'm sorry. I only thought...

- No.

No, oo

I'm sorry.

Ko c

Sherry and some linen bandages.

- (cat mEows)

- (RowErna) The same cat?

- Is it broken?

- It doesn't appear to be, but it needs binding.

M:

Thank you.

You do that rather well.

Where did you learn?

I see.

Do you suppose I could make you smile?

Do you laugh, Mr Fell?

Only at myself.

- I see.

- Do you? You keep saying, "I see."

- ut your vision seems more limited than mine.

- (marn) Rowena

- Rowena

- Here, Father.

Are you all right? Oh, doctor here already?

Splendid.

- No...

- Are you sure you're all right?

Good. I want to show you this.

Damnedest fox you ever saw. Must be a freak.

- I've never seen anything like it.

- Oh, Father, please

- Lord Trevanion, Mr Fell...

- Fell? Oh, the doctor. Terribly rude of me.

- He is not...

- Look at this fox. What do you think?

I suppose foxes aren't in your line.

o og o o oc o Vt ps pa a,

oc o o g o o N Doo

In Egyptian art,

it is found at the feet of Ashtophet,

goddess of ill-omened marriages... as her pet.

Hmm... Really?

- If it belongs in Egypt, why is it here?

- It was kept by the Lady Ligeia.

As a pet? A fox?

W o o o o o oo g o

M o

I think we ought to be going.

Christopher, help me on with my boot.

- Are...?

- I'm fine now, Father.

- Have I said something?

- It's all right, Father.

- Hey, the fox

- In the wicker, my lord.

No, o

Poo, oo

I said it's not.

- Well, where could it...? I mean, how could it...?

- Perhaps you can tell me.

- Through here.

- ut the fox was dead.

The cat was not.

It appears the cat has made off with the fox.

ut is that possible? I mean...

Were it not possible, the fox would still be here.

I trust your ankle will give you no further trouble.

I'm afraid it's a bit awkward. Do you mind

if I send your fee by messenger, Doctor?

That won't be necessary.

Thank you.

Goodbye, then.

- Well?

- Has Ligeia's death changed him greatly?

He's certainly changed, but I never knew her.

- Was he always so morose?

- A bit mysterious, perhaps.

- Do you like him?

- I don't think so, but what has that to do with it?

To do with what?

Who one is drawn to,

who one loves, even who one marries.

M o

o ooco, o

No, o oo, g

Wilful little b*tch, ain't she?

Hell to be married to, I should think.

Her mother certainly was, God rest her soul.

I'm told that Ligeia too

was not without... wilfulness.

(TrEvarniorn) Peperel Peperel

- Where the devil...?

- ehind you, my lord.

Damn me if I eat with Squire Daniels again.

ad breeding and worse whisky.

From Mr Fell, sir.

See this reaches him... as soon as possible.

- I'm riding to the village. I can...

- That won't be necessary, my dear. ye.

- Well, off to the assizes.

- The assizes

- I've got an important brief.

- How you can practise law is beyond me.

M o,

o, Pooo

(RowErna gasps)

Rowena?

og

Noo, oo coo oo o coo

Do you understand?

I do not like to be discovered unannounced.

- (RowErna sobs)

- Stop that Stop it

I'll get you something. I can't send you off

shivering like a frightened kitten, now, can I?

Come here.

Your hair...

It makes a shambles of the light.

Come along.

I dare say you've never had tea

in the kitchen before.

No, o

- Here.

- Thank you.

Does she look like me?

Who?

The woman you seem so afraid

will arrive unannounced.

Why did you come here?

To deliver Christopher's reply to your note.

Really to see you. Sugar?

I have nothing to offer.

- You make me want to offer you something.

- Pity prompts you.

There are people one pities

without being drawn to them.

I even pity Christopher.

o ooo oo, o o,

o o g o og c o o o oo

The beauty of such a life lies in its limitations

and accepting them.

Oh, I know.

I suppose I'm spoilt and terribly wilful.

Wilful? You don't even know

the meaning of the word.

No, oo oo go

Why?

Why must I go?

M g o o coo oxocoo

Very good, sir.

You don't understand.

- I can welcome no one here.

- Even in the kitchen of all places?

- Wait. Wait.

- Let me go

I'm sorry.

Please, let me go.

Yes. Yes, that is, after all what I want too, isn't it?

To be let go.

Yes, of course, of course.

Pale and cold and...

...and yet, so much life...

It was her longing for life...

...only for life, that haunts me.

o o o oooo o o o,

o o o o oo o

M oo oo o oo g o o o

Seeing you

and seeing her.

Yet, when you thought I was Ligeia,

you tried to attack me.

I don't remember.

No o oc g,

M ooo, ooo

I stagger about like some drunken lord

in some...

(cat yowhs)

It seems you're always looking after my wounds.

eg pardon, sir, Mr Christopher Gough wishes

to be announced. He's in the refectory.

- Can I be helping, sir?

- Yes. Yes, Kenrick, please.

o co o og o o,

oo C oo

Of course.

Kenrick, bring Lady Rowena to the great hall

when you've finished.

And fetch my glasses.

I believe you'll find them by the portal.

Oh, and Kenrick...

...I want that animal destroyed.

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Robert Towne

Robert Towne (born Robert Bertram Schwartz; November 23, 1934) is an American screenwriter, producer, director and actor. He was part of the New Hollywood wave of filmmaking. His most notable work was his Academy Award-winning original screenplay for Roman Polanski's Chinatown (1974), which is widely considered one of the greatest movie screenplays ever written. He also wrote its sequel The Two Jakes in 1990, and wrote the Hal Ashby comedy-dramas The Last Detail (1973), and Shampoo (1975), as well as the first two Mission Impossible films (1996, 2000). more…

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