Night Digger, The

Maura Prince (Patricia Neal) leads a lonely life in a dilapidated country mansion, sensing the world is passing her by as she cares for the demanding, invalid mother (Pamela Brown) who adopted her years ago. Then a much younger stranger (Nicholas Clay) takes up residence as a handyman. He's handsome, helpful. Wary Maura grows to love him but it's all too good to be true. Psychosexual tensions, menacing ambiance and murders most foul are unearthed by The Night Digger, a Gothic suspense drama scripted by Roald Dahl and set to an edgy Bernard Herrmann score. Dahl's wife Neal turns in a poignant performance made even more authentic by the fact that Maura, like Neal in real life, is a recovered stroke victim.

• drama