CrimeDramaHorrorMystery

Assault

- Evil grows wild... nothing else lives very long.

After a schoolgirl is raped while taking a short cut through the local woods, and another murdered a few days later, the police are baffled. With the help of a reporter, and against the wishes of a local psychologist, a young schoolteacher uses herself as bait to lure the perpetrator out.

Release Date : 1971-02-11

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : George H. Brown Productions

Production Country : United Kingdom

Alternative Titles : In the Devil's GardenSatan's PlaythingsTower of TerrorPlaything of the Devil

Cast

Character Name : Julie West

Original Name : Suzy Kendall

Gender : Female

Character Name : Det. Chief Supt. Velyan

Original Name : Frank Finlay

Gender : Male

Character Name : Reporter

Original Name : Freddie Jones

Gender : Male

Character Name : Greg Lomax

Original Name : James Laurenson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Tessa Hurst

Original Name : Lesley-Anne Down

Gender : Female

Character Name : Leslie Sanford

Original Name : Tony Beckley

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mr. Bartell

Original Name : Anthony Ainley

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mrs. Sanford

Original Name : Dilys Hamlett

Gender : Female

Character Name : Det. Sgt. Beale

Original Name : James Cosmo

Gender : Male

Character Name : Matron

Original Name : Marianne Stone

Gender : Female

Character Name : Coroner

Original Name : Allan Cuthbertson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Doctor

Original Name : Kit Taylor

Gender : Male

Character Name : Girl in Library

Original Name : Janet Lynn

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sgt. Milton

Original Name : Patrick Jordan

Gender : Male

Character Name : Susan Miller

Original Name : Anabel Littledale

Gender : Female

Character Name : Police Doctor

Original Name : Tom Chatto

Gender : Male

Character Name : Day Receptionist

Original Name : Jan Butlin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Chemist in Hospital

Original Name : William Hoyland

Gender : Male

Character Name : Desk Sergeant

Original Name : John Swindells

Gender : Male

Character Name : Night Receptionist

Original Name : Jill Carey

Gender : Male

Character Name : Man in Chemist Shop

Original Name : David Essex

Gender : Male

Character Name : Girl in Chemist Shop

Original Name : Valerie Shute

Gender : Female

Character Name : Fire Chief

Original Name : John Stone

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jenny Greenaway

Original Name : Siobhan Quinlan

Gender : Female

Character Name : Mrs. Hurst (uncredited)

Original Name : Patricia Driscoll

Gender : Male

Character Name : Final scene pc (uncredited)

Original Name : Pat Gorman

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dead Chemist (uncredited)

Original Name : Charles Rayford

Gender : Male

Character Name : Doctor (uncredited)

Original Name : Renu Setna

Gender : Male

Character Name : Man in Police Station (uncredited)

Original Name : Reg Thomason

Gender : Male

Character Name : Police Driver (uncredited)

Original Name : Joe Wadham

Gender : Male

Reviews

Wuchak

@Wuchak

2025-04-20

**_A rapist/murderer lurks in the woods outside a girls’ school near London_** “Assault” (1971) was renamed “In the Devil’s Garden” for its American release. It fits because the only eyewitness in the movie says that the killer looks like the devil. Yet producers also wanted to take advantage of satan’s popularity in cinema in 1973-1974 when it finally made it to America. Lesley-Anne Down appears as the main student and was only 16 years-old during shooting. She hadn’t yet blossomed into the jaw-dropping beauty of “The Great Train Robbery” eight years later, but it’s interesting seeing her when she was so young. Elsewhere, Suzy Kendall plays the art teacher, the story’s heroine, and is quite attractive with the quintessential early 70’s look. As for the masculine cast, there’s a pesky reporter reminiscent of the soon-to-come Kolchak. Meanwhile three main suspects rise to the fore, but I had a hard time distinguishing between them. At the end of the day, this is a British murder mystery comparable to a giallo and I found the commentary on male lust psychologically interesting. For instance, the headmistress’ husband regularly leers at the girls at the school and even “cops a feel” when he can, which naturally doesn’t help his marriage. It’s frustrating for the wife, needless to say. Then there’s the contrast between fantasizing about alluring lasses versus actually raping & killing them. As the detective points out, he can’t book men for their dubious thoughts, only their criminal actions. You have to roll with the questionable elements in order to appreciate the flick. For instance, why would the killer be skulking in the titular “garden” waiting for prey when he knew the area was taboo by that point, although a clueless girl indeed walks through. Not to mention, the teacher & several of her students drive through at the very moment a crime is committed (or, more accurately, just committed). Why Sure! It runs 1 hours, 31 minutes, and was shot in Buckinghamshire, which is just northwest of London, and more specifically: Heatherden Hall, Pinewood Studios; Windsor’s End; Black Park Country Park; and London Road, Beaconsfield. GRADE: B-