After her father dies, a rich young woman goes to live with her mysterious and decadent uncle in 19th century England. His dark castle sets the scene for intrigue, treachery, and murder.
Subgenres: gothic
Director: Peter Hammond
Starring: Peter O'Toole, Barbara Shelley
 2 reviews | ||||||||||
After watching this film, I was forced to reflect on why in its two-and-a-half-hour run it did not find the time to give us more insight into the characters. They're ciphers. Interesting ciphers, sure, but ciphers nonetheless. This rather languid piece is well-acted and moody (even if the primary mood is somnambulistic) and features a highly interesting performance by Peter O'Toole as the depraved Uncle Silas. All the more disappointing when the piece ends in a cliche of mistaken identities. Could have been much better, though that's probably a weakness of the source material, Sheridan Le Fanu's Uncle Silas. (Nov 2, 1999) 
A brooding, complicated, visually stunning adaptation of Lefanu's Victorian classic. The scope of the novel was faithfully reproduced, and Peter Hammond's clever cinematogrophy captures the gothic darkness of the novel with refreshing skill. Edney, O'Toole, and Lapotaire deliver particularly fine performances, and the supporting characters are crisp and defined. LeFanu's novel does drift at times (with characteristic Victorian style) and the writer does well in fitting the film into its time frame. The crumbling mansions and bleak scenery is chilling and wonderful, and the decadent corruption and murderous finale of Lefanu's psychological thriller will appeal to all fans of the curious or bizarre. I consider The Dark Angel to be a very fine example of faithful literary adaptation-- television drama at its best. (Jul 19, 1999)
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Based on Uncle Silas, by Sheridan Le Fanu.
One of the castles in this film is in reality Harlaxton Manor, also featured as Hill House in the 1999 film The Haunting.
