Plot Summary: Kenneth Magee, author, is picked up at the airport by Sam his driver in a silver Rolls and they speculate on what thet'll earn from his latest novel, The Lie. As Kenneth heads for lunch with his manager, Sam Allison, he briefly bumps into a blonde woman. Kenneth bets Allison $20,000 he can knock off a brooding, over-the-top novel ala Wuthering Heights in 24 hours given the privacy. At lunch he sees the blonde woman again. Sam suggests an abandoned mansion in Wales named "Bllyddpaetwr Manor" which Sam calls "Baldpate Manor", as he speaks no Welsch. Kenneth is to deliver his finished manuscript no later than 3:00 on Saturday. He drives through a driving rain and electrical storm. Upon arriving at the train station, two Brits moan about being stranded in this godforsaken place. He asks a dwarflike person in a cloak where Baldpate is and she simply exits into another room. Suddenly they hear a crash and the woman is sent to investigate, but they find only a broken window. Just then the station manager asks them what they're doing. The manager tells Magee that the mansion is a cursed place, and he drives on beyond the crossroads. Wow, he exclaims for Baldpate certainly looks the part, and enters the mansion, which, aside from dust, is remarkably well preserved after 40 years of neglect. He chooses a bedroom, lights a candle, and begins to type Midnight Manor: "There was nothing unusual about his arrival in the country." Suddenly he is compelled to investigate. He finds fresh water in a vitrine. In the dark, he is surprised by Elijah Quimby (Carradine), who demands to know what he is doing there. He is then introduced to Elijah's sister Victoria Quimby the caretakers. Sir Richard Thornton, he tells them, has given him permission. Victoria upbraids him for taking the Lord's name in vain. Kenneth follows and seizes the scary dwarf, and removes her mask to expose the blonde woman, who insists upon speaking to him in private. She tells him he's in terrible danger and to come with her. Kathryn Decorsey explains that "they" are trailing her, "Opiate" for international terrorism. He is intent on winning his bet and bids her good night. He sees her phone London collect and call herself Mary Norton, before she speaks with his manager Allison. She tells Allison of the caretakers, but Allison counters that there are none. Quimby throws her out, but she runs to Kenneth and tells him the caretakers are fakes and he doesn't care. She admits she is Allison's secretary. Magee invites her to pick him up and have breakfast and begins to type. As she prepares to leave, a man (Cushing) walks in and she hides. She disturbs Magee again to tell him of the man's arrival and that he has joined the others. A cat scares them, she sees movements, hears breathing, and clings to Kenneth. Sebastian Rand whose car is broken, as he prepares to say his last name, Victoria pokes him as a warning. Sebastian has spent the last 40 years in Africa. As Kenneth asks Rand why he has a key if he just broke down, Mary screams that she saw a face at the window. Kenneth goes out to investigate but doesn't see anything. Lionel Grisbane (Price) walks in "I have returned". Rand ushers the Quimby's out. Lionel Grisbane, eldest son to Lord Grisbane, joins the other 3 at quarter after eight for punch. Brisbatne has lived in America since the war. Kenneth asks why there are five table settings, but Victoria explains there are usually six, so there is no conspiracy. Kenneth makes out with Kathryn, but she suggests, win your bet first. She wawakes to the smell of a roast and he takes a break and they investigate. Empty since 1939. Again she hears breathing behind a wall. As they walk they discover portaits of Sebastian, Victoria, Lady Elenore, Lord Grisbane, Lionel Grisbane and one portait missing, all from 1935. Corrigan (Lee), an investor closing a deal to purchase the property, enters and asks them all who they are. Magee exposes the Grisbane family reunion to Corrigan. Corrigan questions their right to be on the property. They counter that 3000 years give them the right. Corrigan declares his intention to tear down the mansion and sell the property for development. The youngest Grisbane son, Roderick, brought about the fall of the house of Grisbane. Victoria pleads with Corrigan to let them spend this night and dinner reunited here after they were chased out some forty years earlier. Victoria plays the piano and sings "La force del destine". She finishes pounds the piano and criess "He did love me! Ashley!" Roderick died at 14 years, his room was sealed. Sebastian drinks and shouts "Enough lies have been told". Victoria is shocked to hear that Magee intends to stay until midnight. Corrigan explodes at this and insists on knowing why they should leave before midnight. Sebastian blurts it out "Roderick is still alive!" Corrigan wants to free Roderick from the locked room. Vincent is afraid what he'll be like after 40 years - no longer human? - and exclaims he's dangerous. They had intended to free him at midnight tonight. Lionel warns that unspeakable evil is about to be released. Sebastian insists they keep their word and release Roderick. Corrigan unlocks the door. They enter to find only scattered toys and broken furniture but no Roderick. Kathryn finds a doll full of maggots, they see murdered rats and bones, a decomposed corpse falls hanged, father suddenly clutches his heart and a chalk board shows a drawing of father stabbed. The corpse holds a bloody knife which stabbed father in the heart as it fell. Lionel announces that tonight they accept their destiny just as Roderick accepted his punishment. No doctors, no police. Roderick, they explain, impregnated a girl and murdered her pregnant in their own home. Victoria announces, "Father is dead". Corrigan looks outside for a phone. Magee goes to pack. Corrigan finds the his tires have been slashed by Roderick's bare hands, Magee's likewise. Corrigan brings in the couple from the train station, Diana and Andrew. who claim there was no train and they were locked out, so they followed the directions to the manor they had heard with Magee. Both they and Corrigan saw an inhuman-being romping outside. Diana flirts with Corrigan, prompting Andrew to warn her. Diana calls him in every way inadequate. They hear Victoria playing, but when she stops, they rush to find her strangled with piano wire. The couple continue their war and Andrew punches Diana into the mud. As Diana disrobes and washes, she screams as her flesh peels away from acid in the vitrine. Andrew is escorted downstairs and given a drink by Sebastian and he dies, poisoned. Sebastian notes that there is an open panel to the bookcase and he, Mary, and Magee head into the wall with candles, but suddenly Mary is alone and without light. Kenneth hears her calls and returns to her only after she finds Sebastian's hand - the light reveals Sebastian has been hanged. Corrigan notes how destiny and retribution are often interrelated and calls Sebastian "brother". Roderick demands justice for the simple village girl Lionel murdered and he shall serve as judge and executuioner. He repeatedly whacks Lionel with a battle axe. Mary runs to kenneth but falls on the stairs and crawls on with roderick in pursuit. Magee and Roderick slug it out until Roderick finally falls down the stairs and gets the battle axe in his stomach. Magee tells Roderick he knows the truth. One by one the presumably dead characters march out and assemble downstairs, finally Allison enters laughing. At the champagne reception afterward the actors engage in trade talk. He had written it all himself. Magee sees now from his own novel that personal emotions work even when over-the-top. Magee types and finishes his manuscript by 3:00 and wins the bet but rips up the check having had a revelation about art. He meets the real Mary for the first time and they fall in love.