One of the most intriguing mysteries is whether or not there is another plane of existence beyond our own. Shades of Darkness delves into the world of the supernatural with six bizarre, inexplicable and frightening ghost stories as told by some of the greatest mystery authors of all time. (Elizabeth Bowen, C.H.B. Kitchin, May Sinclair, Edith Wharton)Bewitched
Eileen Atkins (She Fell Among Thieves) plays the wife of a once robust man who seems to be wasting away to nothing. She knows why: He's having a love affair with the restless ghost of another villager's dead daughter. The local minister takes her seriously because he knows the villagers once burned a member of the same family for witchcraft.
The Intercessor
John Duttine stars as a young historian who seeks a quiet place in the country where he can write in peace. His sole stipulation: he can't abide children because they're so noisy. So naturally, he's kept awake at night by the eerie sound of a child's ghostly crying.
The Lady's Maid's Bell
Joanna David (Rebecca) stars as Hartley, the new maid to Mr. and Mrs. Brympton, whose household is believed to be haunted by the spirit of their last maid, Emma. Sure enough, the ghostly Emma soon turns up, drawing Hartley into the scandalous gonis-on between Mrs. Brympton and her randy next-door neighbor, Mr. Ranford.
Afterward
An unusual twist on the standard story of young newlyweds who buy a beautiful old house only to find that it's haunted. In this case, a young American husband and his wife come to England, purposely looking for a grand old haunted house. They get the house and are assured a ghost will make an appearance before too long. For once, the real estate agent didn't sell them a bill of goods. There is a ghost all right, but its' one the husband hoped he'd never have to face.
The Maze
Francesa Annis (Partners in Crime) plays Catherine, a woman who comes back to her ancestral home after many years. Her 8 year-old daughter, Daisy, is fascinated by the maze of hedges in the garden, but Catherine is deathly afraid of what might lurk there. One day Daisy takes the hand of a strange man and follows him into the maze.
The Demon Lover
When a young man sets out to fight in the First World War, his lover vows that they will be reunited, no matter what might happen to him. She soon comes to regret her noble sentiments.