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Daughters of Satan (1972) movie poster

Characters & Themes

Daughters of Satan (1972) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Release, runtime and language
1972 · 90 mins · English
JustWatch #12,867 10
Directed by
Hollingsworth Morse
Starring
Tom Selleck, Vic Diaz, Barra Grant, Vic Silayan, Paquito Salcedo, Paraluman

When a man acquires a painting that shows witches being burned at the stake, he is shocked to recognize his own wife among the condemned. The artwork pulls him into a secret cult of sensual, fire‑wielding witches who revel in torture and desire, forcing him to confront a terrifying link between the image and his own marriage.

On this page (8)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Characters explained (7)
  3. 3 Where & when it takes place
  4. 4 Themes & meaning (3)
  5. 5 Character & meaning questions
  6. 6 Movie threads
  7. 7 Movies like Daughters of Satan
  8. 8 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Daughters of Satan (1972)

Where can you watch Daughters of Satan? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV and MGM Plus: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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7 main characters · contains spoilers

Daughters of Satan Characters Explained: Who Is Who

The main characters of Daughters of Satan (1972), heroes and villains: what drives them, how they change over the course of the story and what each of them reveals about the film's bigger ideas.

  • James Robertson (Tom Selleck)

    American museum curator drawn into a web of witchcraft and danger. Intellectual and skeptical at first, he grows increasingly unsettled as the painting's prophecies and his wife's behavior hint at possession, forcing him to question reality.

    • 🧭 Investigator
    • 🕵️‍♂️ Husband
  • Chris Robertson (Barra Grant)

    James's wife, whose increasingly disturbed demeanor mirrors a dangerous occult influence. Her attempts to kill James, memory gaps, and shifting loyalties push the couple toward a fatal confrontation.

    • 💔 Jealous
    • 🪄 Influenced
  • Kitty Duarte (Tani Guthrie)

    Dominant leader of the coven, a figure of control who wields ritual power and manipulates others to fulfill the witches' fate.

    • 🔪 Dominatrix
    • 🕯️ Manipulative
  • Juana Rios (Paraluman)

    A mysterious visitor who befriends Chris and claims a role in the coven's plan, later revealed as Almina Remundo, a nurse with occult ties.

    • 🪄 Mysterious
    • 🧭 Enigmatic
  • Carlos Ching (Vic Diaz)

    Owner of a bustling antique store and a gateway to the past through his artifacts, connecting the present to the 1592 painting.

    • 🛍️ Antique dealer
    • 🗝️ Gatekeeper
  • Dr. Dangal (Vic Silayan)

    Psychiatrist who investigates James and Chris's behavior, becoming entwined in the mystery as visions and murders unfold.

    • 🧠 Psychiatrist
    • 🔍 Investigative
  • Mortician (Paquito Salcedo)

    Mortician connected to the occult's darker rituals and the murder investigation, providing eerie atmosphere and a link to death scenes.

    • ⚰️ Mortuary worker
    • 🕯️ Ritualistic

Last updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:19

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Setting

Where and When Does Daughters of Satan Take Place?

The setting of Daughters of Satan (1972): the year and time period, the places and locations, and how they shape the characters, the mood and the tension of the story.

Time period

Location

Manila, Philippines, Carlos Ching's antiques store, Mortuary, Dr. Dangal's office, a dilapidated villa, a restaurant, cliff overlook

The story unfolds in Manila, a bustling city where a secret coven hides in the shadows of ordinary life. Key locations include Carlos Ching's antiques store, a mortuary, and a psychiatrist's office, as the mystery deepens. The coven gathers in a dilapidated villa, while later scenes move to a restaurant and a cliffside trap that becomes central to the plot.

  • 🌆 Manila setting
  • 🏺 Antique trade
  • 🕯️ Supernatural elements
  • 🗝️ Secrets and rituals

Last updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:19

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3 major themes

Daughters of Satan Meaning: Themes & Message Explained

What is Daughters of Satan (1972) really about? The emotional, social and philosophical themes the film keeps returning to, its symbolism and the message beneath the surface.

  • Occult Possession

    A hidden occult force threads through the narrative as the Duarte coven appears to possess Chris and influence James. Paintings and visions act as gateways to past crimes, blurring the line between illusion and reality. The tension escalates as ritualistic signs surface in nightly episodes, culminating in a fatal confrontation.

  • Generational Curse

    The plot ties present events to a long-ago execution from 1592 depicted in the painting, suggesting a vendetta carried across generations. Kitty and the coven frame James as a possible descendant of the magistrate who ordered the burnings, fueling the sense of a hereditary doom. The artwork and prophecies imply that the past seeks vengeance in the present.

  • Betrayal and Deception

    Characters manipulate one another through seduction, misdirection, and trance to advance occult aims. Chris uses cunning to quiet her husband and Juana's presence complicates loyalties, culminating in a cliffside murder plan. Despite close calls, ultimate treachery results in a shocking final stabbing.

Last updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:19

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Character & theme questions

Daughters of Satan Characters & Meaning: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask about Daughters of Satan (1972): who the characters really are, their relationships, what the symbols mean, where it takes place and what the movie is really about. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Where is the movie set?

The film takes place in Manila, Philippines. The story unfolds across several key locations including Carlos Ching's antiques store, a mortuary, Dr. Dangal's psychiatrist office, a dilapidated villa where the coven gathers, a restaurant, and a cliffside location that becomes central to the climax.

  • manila
  • philippines
  • setting
  • locations
  • antique store
  • villa
Q2

When does the story take place?

The film is set in the early 1970s, though the narrative draws heavily on events from 1592 depicted in the painting. This creates a temporal bridge between the present-day story and the historical execution of witches that fuels the generational curse.

  • 1970s
  • time period
  • historical
  • 1592
  • past and present
Q3

What is the Duarte coven?

The Duarte coven is a secret group of witches led by Kitty Duarte who practice dark occult rituals involving fire, torture, and desire. They operate from a dilapidated villa in Manila and believe in fulfilling an ancient prophecy linked to a 1592 witch burning. The coven manipulates those around them, particularly targeting James Robertson as part of a hereditary vendetta.

  • duarte coven
  • kitty duarte
  • witches
  • cult
  • occult
  • satanism
Q4

Who is James Robertson?

James Robertson is an American museum curator portrayed by Tom Selleck who becomes the film's protagonist. Initially skeptical and intellectual, he is drawn into the world of witchcraft after acquiring a painting showing his wife among witches being burned at the stake. As the story progresses, he experiences visions and discovers his wife may be possessed, forcing him to confront a terrifying supernatural threat.

  • james robertson
  • tom selleck
  • protagonist
  • curator
  • museum
Q5

Who is Chris Robertson and what happens to her?

Chris Robertson is James's wife, played by Barra Grant. She becomes increasingly disturbed throughout the film as the Duarte coven appears to possess her. Her behavior shifts dramatically, she experiences memory gaps, attempts to kill her husband, and her loyalties shift between genuine fear and occult influence, ultimately becoming the instrument of James's tragic fate.

  • chris roberton
  • barra grant
  • possession
  • wife
  • charlatan
Q6

What is the significance of the painting in the story?

The painting is a 17th-century artwork depicting witches being burned at the stake in 1592. It serves as both a literal gateway to past crimes and a supernatural link between generations. James is horrified to recognize his wife among the condemned figures, and the artwork acts as a prophetic tool that drives the coven's actions, suggesting the past seeks vengeance in the present.

  • painting
  • 1592
  • witch burning
  • prophecy
  • artwork
  • supernatural
Q7

What is the generational curse about?

The plot involves a curse dating back to 1592 when a magistrate ordered the burning of witches. The Duarte coven believes James Robertson may be a descendant of this magistrate, making him a target for their hereditary vendetta. The coven frames James as a possible descendant deserving punishment for the historical injustice, creating a fatalistic theme of inescapable revenge across generations.

  • generational curse
  • 1592
  • vendetta
  • descendant
  • magistrate
  • hereditary
Q8

Who is Kitty Duarte?

Kitty Duarte is the dominant leader of the Duarte coven, portrayed by Tani Guthrie. She wields significant ritual power and manipulates others to fulfill what she sees as the witches' destined fate. As the central antagonistic force, she orchestrates the conspiracy against James and represents the controlling, malevolent heart of the film's occult threat.

  • kitty duarte
  • tani guthrie
  • coven leader
  • witch
  • antagonist
Q9

What does the occult possession theme represent?

The occult possession theme explores how a hidden supernatural force threads through the narrative, with the Duarte coven appearing to possess Chris and influence James through visions. Paintings and prophetic images act as gateways to past crimes, blurring the line between illusion and reality. This theme drives the film's central horror, questioning what is real and who can be trusted.

  • possession
  • occult
  • vision
  • reality
  • supernatural
  • psychological
Q10

What role does betrayal play in the film?

Betrayal and deception are central to the film's dark narrative. Characters manipulate each other through seduction, misdirection, and trance to advance occult aims. Chris uses cunning to quiet her husband while Juana's presence complicates loyalties. The film culminates in shocking betrayal as ultimate treachery results in a fatal stabbing, fulfilling the coven's destiny through intimate betrayal rather than external violence.

  • betrayal
  • deception
  • seduction
  • manipulation
  • treachery
  • murder
Q11

Who is Juana Rios?

Juana Rios, played by Paraluman, is a mysterious visitor who befriends Chris and claims involvement in the coven's plan. She later is revealed to be Almina Remundo, a nurse with occult ties. Her character represents the infiltration of ordinary life by supernatural threat and the blurred lines between friend and foe in the film's dangerous world.

  • juana rios
  • almina remundo
  • parallel man
  • nurse
  • mysterious
Q12

What is Carlos Ching's role in the story?

Carlos Ching, played by Vic Diaz, owns the antique store where James acquires the painting. He serves as a gateway to the past through his artifacts, connecting the present-day mystery to the 1592 painting. His shop represents the dangerous intersection between the mundane antique trade and supernatural artifacts that bridge historical events to the present.

  • carlos ching
  • vic diaz
  • antique store
  • artifacts
  • dealer
Q13

Who is Dr. Dangal?

Dr. Dangal, portrayed by Vic Silayan, is a psychiatrist who investigates James and Chris's deteriorating behavior. He becomes entangled in the mystery as visions and murders unfold around the couple. His role provides a rational, clinical perspective that contrasts with the supernatural events, though he ultimately cannot prevent the tragic outcome.

  • dr dangal
  • vic silayan
  • psychiatrist
  • psychology
  • investigation
Q14

How does the film end?

The film ends tragically with James being murdered by his own wife Chris, fulfilling the coven's destiny. This devastating conclusion represents the ultimate betrayal and the success of the generational vendetta. The ending is unequivocally sad, with the protagonist killed by the person closest to him, his wife possessed by the very witches his ancestor condemned.

  • ending
  • tragedy
  • murder
  • wife
  • death
  • fatal
  • finale

Movie threads

More Movies Like Daughters of Satan, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Daughters of Satan tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Occult horror movies where the home is threatened, like Daughters of Satan

Where a dark supernatural force corrupts a relationship from within. If you liked Daughters of Satan, you'll find similar chilling tales of satanic possession and betrayal here. This collection features horror movies where a spouse or family member is secretly part of a dark cult, turning the home into a place of danger. Explore more films about psychological manipulation and supernatural threats from within.

  • supernatural possession
  • occult
  • paranoid
  • betrayal
  • sinister
  • anxious
  • Tone: dark, paranoid, sinister
  • Pacing: steady, escalating dread
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative typically follows a protagonist who uncovers unsettling clues that their partner or loved one is involved in occult practices. The story builds as the protagonist's suspicions grow into horrified certainty, culminating in a confrontation where the domestic sanctuary becomes a battlefield against a satanic or supernatural entity.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped by their core conflict: the corruption of a intimate, trusting relationship by an occult force. They share a mood of domestic paranoia, a dark tone centered on betrayal, and the intense horror of safety being destroyed from the inside.

Gothic slow burn horror movies with a fatalistic curse, like Daughters of Satan

Atmospheric tales where a historical curse methodically seals a tragic fate. Fans of Daughters of Satan will appreciate these similarly paced horror films about inescapable curses. Discover movies where a dark past catches up to the present through occult rituals and supernatural vengeance. These stories share a steady pacing, a heavy emotional weight, and a bleak, fatalistic tone that leads to a tragic conclusion.

  • gothic
  • fatalistic
  • oppressive
  • eerie
  • occult
  • anxious
  • Tone: dark, eerie, fatalistic
  • Pacing: steady, slow burn
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern begins with the discovery of an artifact or history tied to a past transgression. A curse is set in motion, and the plot unfolds methodically as omens and supernatural events escalate, confirming the characters' helplessness. The journey is less about solving a mystery and more about witnessing the inevitable, sad fulfillment of a dark destiny.

Why they belong together: Movies in this thread are united by their specific vibe: a gothic, eerie atmosphere combined with a steady, unhurried pacing that allows dread to accumulate. They focus on the theme of fatalism, where characters are trapped by a supernatural history, resulting in a heavy emotional weight and typically a bleak or sad ending.

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Every angle

Daughters of Satan (1972) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Daughters of Satan in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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