Â
 Following the highly suspicious gun death of her estranged mother, Diane Shaw (
BELINDA MONTGOMERY) is practically adopted graveside by purported family friend Lilith Malone (
SHELLEY WINTERS) who
I-N-S-I-S-T-S Diane move in with her and her mute man servant (
DARK SHADOWS' JONATHAN FRID) immediately. Back at the house, Lilith makes a production number out of presenting Diane with a cheap looking ring once owned by her late mother. Perhaps blinded by her grief, Diane fails to notice the ominous portrait of Satan hanging above the mantel. She does realize that Lilith and her middle-aged posse of eccentric pals, who include the legendary
ABE VIGODA and the handsome Southern woman who was the manager of the Susan B. Anthony Hotel for Women on
BOSOM BUDDIES, have an off-putting interest in her. As soon as Diane gets her hands on her inheritance from the executor of her mother's estate (
JOSEPH COTTON), she hightails it out of Lilith's house, takes on a roommate and moves into a horse-themed bachelorette pad downstairs from the curly-haired dreamboat Steve (
ROBERT FOXWORTH). Although relations between Diane and Lilith have grown strained, dopey Diane agrees to return to Lilth's place for a swinging party in her honor. After executing one of the most awkward interpretative dances ever to be captured on the small screen, Diane learns the horrible truth that her late mother got her freak on one drunken night with the Prince of Darkness, and that she is Satan's little girl. Determined to lead a normal life, well as normal as one can for being
THE DEVIL'S DAUGHTER, Diane severs all ties with Lilith and fast tracks her courtship with the aforementioned Steve by accepting his proposal of matrimony. Naturally, wedding protocol dictates an appearance by the Father of the Bride, and being the big softie that he is, Satan shows up to give his little girl away. Exhibiting all of the subtlety of a monster truck jam,
SHELLEY WINTERS owns this sub-par, supernatural TV movie by bulldozing over anyone with the misfortune of sharing screen time with her.
- The brief cameo by DIANE LADD as Diane's mother and Satan's concubine
- Diane shakes her tail feather and jiggles it, just a little bit, for the daffy devil worshippers
- The tragic death of Diane's roommate at the hooves of an overexcited horse
- Steve's super dreamy eyes shining like a
crazy demonic diamond for Diane at the altar
Related
I must have been 11 or 12 the first time I saw this movie, and it just blew my mind. Scared the bejesus out of me!
To this day, when the mood strikes, I like to pull a Shelly/Lilith while hosting parties and when a guest says they have to leave, I yell out "LEAVING! WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU'RE LEAVING?!?!?"
Seriously, thanks for this review, I would love to see this ABC Movie of the week again.
I have a soft spot for Shelly Winters and her trademark lack of restraint. I'd be happy watch her read the phone book.
Another great movie. This one just got a DVD release through Wild Eye. I reviewed it a couple of times, I love it so much. I mean… so much. It's quite creepy and even in a mute state, that Frid is one mad talent. And of course as you stated, Shelly OWNS. A good double feature for this would be another Shelly TVM called Revenge. Or the Initiation of Sarah, or the Sex Symbol. If Winters is in it, then it's worth seeing!
I'm sure that when I got light-headed and disoriented at the Gateway theater in Pittsburgh a few years later watching 'Jaws' with my parents it was due in no small part to the horrific repressed image of that architect/Demon of Endor, Steve. Heck, every Sunday during church after Jaws I'd get the same way during the homily – had to go outside to get some air - no way I was gettin' spooked by a shark omen - I had to be expecting Steve with the glowing eyes and Joe Cotten with the furry hooves!  Â