The Wicker Man (1975)

Now widely regarded as a classic British horror film, The Wicker Man also works as a mystery or thriller. This is due to the fact that the script never gets ahead of itself, allowing the plot to simmer until it finally threatens to boil over during the movie’s memorable climax. Filled with fine performances (especially from Christopher Lee and Edward Woodward), high tension, and a constant feeling that something’s not quite right, The Wicker Man is a film which deserves far more credit than it ever received from American audiences. What a shame that the Nicholas Cage remake was such a complete and utter piece of rubbish.

As the film begins, Sergeant Neil Howie (Edward Woodward, who you might also remember as television’s The Equalizer) arrives at the isolated island of Summerisle. The mainland police received a letter stating a girl on the island had gone missing, and Sgt. Howie has been dispatched to get to the bottom of the mystery.

To say that Howie is a man of faith would be an understatement. In fact, he’s positively prudish in his interpretation of the Christian beliefs. It might be downright alarming if it wasn’t all so comical, especially when his world collides with that of the residents of Summerisle. They are unabashedly pagan, and both sides seem to look at the other with a mixture of curiosity and contempt (with most of the contempt coming from Howie).

Besides being confounded by an island full of heathens, Howie is also stonewalled in his investigation at every turn. Residents claim to have never heard of the missing girl, but it becomes obvious that they’re lying through their teeth. The upright inspector becomes increasingly incensed, a condition which doesn’t improve when he meets Lord Summerisle (Christopher Lee), the confident and relaxed master of the island.

As Sgt. Howie inches closer to the truth, we slowly come to realize that things are far more sinister than they initially seem. Howie draws the same conclusion, and his investigation reaches a fever pitch during the island’s annual Mayday festival. When the final curtain is pulled back–and Howie exclaims “Oh, Jesus Christ!”–it’s one of the most powerful and honest moments ever captured on film, regardless of genre.

Woodward carries the film along, and his performance is a large reason for its success. In his hands, Howie is a complex man driven by faith, and his immersion in the pagan culture seems to provoke nothing but hostility. No doubt, The Wicker Man is saying something about the tendency of Christians towards intolerance, and it says it all too well. But the pagans don’t get out unscathed, either. They seem harmless enough at first, but the film demonstrates that the “old ways” aren’t necessarily all they’re cracked up to be.

Modern viewers will find it a bit dated with traditional folk songs and lots of free love, but that shouldn’t stop you from giving it a look. The Wicker Man remains a classic meditation on faith, and it should also provide open-minded viewers with plenty of post-movie discussion material.