Rotten Tomatoes
Submit search Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

Night Watch

Play trailer Poster for Night Watch PG 1973 1h 45m Mystery & Thriller Horror Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
40% Tomatometer 10 Reviews 66% Popcornmeter 50+ Ratings
Ellen Wheeler (Elizabeth Taylor) is an unhappy housewife who settles her fraying nerves with alcohol while staring out her window. When she witnesses what she thinks is a murder through a neighbor's window, she calls the police, who find nothing when they investigate. With her neglectful husband (Laurence Harvey) skeptical and unsupportive, Ellen turns to her friend Sarah (Billie Whitelaw), who is slightly more receptive as the pair attempt to get to the bottom of the mystery.
Watch on Fandango Stream Now

Where to Watch

Night Watch

Critics Reviews

View More
Phillip McCarthy The Age (Australia) Mar 18, 2025
There is very little new about these stock murder mystery questions or even Hutton's treatment of the story as a whole. In fact, in parts it lacks of imagination makes it positively melodramatic. Go to Full Review Variety Staff Variety Mar 26, 2009
Lucille Fletcher's Night Watch isn't the first average stage play to be turned into a better than average film. Astute direction and an improved cast more than help. Go to Full Review Time Out Jan 26, 2006
Tired, old-fashioned thriller. Go to Full Review Michael Billington Birmingham Post Jun 14, 2022
This is a film that works because of the ingenuity of its plotting, the atmospheric traditionalism of its direction and the skill of its playing, especially by the artful Miss Taylor. Go to Full Review Bernard Drew Gannett News Service Oct 2, 2019
Who could ask for anything less? Go to Full Review TV Guide Mar 24, 2011
2/4
Filled with red herrings and featuring a bloody "twist" ending, Night Watch fails to create much of an atmosphere. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More
Daryl S @RT82403853 Oct 29, 2024 Elizabeth Taylor was as great acting as she was beautiful! The story was fabulous and I didn't see the ending coming! Highest marks! See more Ted B @Movieaddicted Jul 7, 2024 3.5 stars; A clever murder mystery. Elizabeth Taylor plays an emotionally abused wife who witnesses two murders in the house across from hers while looking out the window. When the police investigate, they don’t find anything in the abandoned house. She then turns to her friend to help her try to solve the mystery of the disappearing corpses. There are a couple of clever twists at the end of the film. Very ’70s in its production and background music. It is worth a watch. See more Michael B @RT79820631 Apr 11, 2024 This Was A Real Good Thriller,Liz Taylor Did A Excellent Acting Job.😱😱😱😀😀😀 See more CodyZamboni @CodyZamboni Sep 23, 2023 Movie is an effective thriller, with old school creepy spooky atmosphere. Classic horror conventions like thunder, lightning, the eerie house next door, utilized to the hilt. Elizabeth Taylor anchors this film with an empathetic performance. And the ending is a doozy. See more Dave S @RT68722908 Mar 10, 2023 As she watched her storied Hollywood career fade away in the rearview mirror, Elizabeth Taylor tried to claw back some of the glory days with Night Watch, a flawed but financially successful (I seem to recall that it was quite popular when released) thriller in the tradition of Hitchcock. In it, Ellen (Taylor) seems to be tottering precariously on the edge of sanity as she tries to convince anyone who'll listen to her that two murders have been committed in the abandoned house next door. The whole thing plods along slowly, the only distraction being Taylor's scene-munching overacting. To its benefit, it does manage to create some suspense in a scene towards the end, but then throws that accomplishment out the window with one of the most ludicrous plot twists imaginable. All in all, it's not bad, but it sure isn't good. See more Apr 13, 2022 The funniest Elizabeth Taylor movie ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL, all ages. See more Read all reviews
Night Watch

My Rating

Read More Read Less WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW POST RATING

Cast & Crew

View All

Brian G. Hutton

Director

Elizabeth Taylor

Ellen Wheeler

Laurence Harvey

John Wheeler

Billie Whitelaw

Sarah Cooke

Robert Lang

Mr Appleby

Tony Britton

Tony

More Like This

View All
Asylum 69% 53% Asylum Watchlist Poltergeist 89% 79% Poltergeist Watchlist Jaws III 10% 17% Jaws III Watchlist The Beast Must Die 44% 36% The Beast Must Die Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More
View All

Night Watch

Night Watch (1973) Night Watch (1973) Night Watch (1973) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Ellen Wheeler (Elizabeth Taylor) is an unhappy housewife who settles her fraying nerves with alcohol while staring out her window. When she witnesses what she thinks is a murder through a neighbor's window, she calls the police, who find nothing when they investigate. With her neglectful husband (Laurence Harvey) skeptical and unsupportive, Ellen turns to her friend Sarah (Billie Whitelaw), who is slightly more receptive as the pair attempt to get to the bottom of the mystery.
Director
Brian G. Hutton
Producer
George W. George, Martin Poll, Barnard Straus
Screenwriter
Tony Williamson
Production Co
Brut Productions
Rating
PG
Genre
Mystery & Thriller, Horror
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 10, 1973, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 1, 2016
Runtime
1h 45m
Join The Newsletter Join The Newsletter Cookie Settings