LUCIFER'S WOMEN

In 1954, Dr. John Wainright, a former academic-turned-illusionist, publishes a book about reincarnation in which he espouses to be the mesmerist Svengali, reincarnated. John's publisher, Sir Stephen, reveals to him privately that he himself is the reincarnation of the leader of the Society of the Bleeding Rose, a Satanic cult. Stephen convinces John that he is there to replenish the cult's psychic energy via human sacrifice: The intended goal of the ritual is to transfer Stephen's soul into the body of the sacrificed individual during a double suicide; their deaths must occur at the moment of orgasm for the transference to work.

John initially picks up Mary, a prostitute, and kidnaps her to indoctrinate her into the cult, making her a slave to Satan. He subsequently attempts to court Trilby, a naive and virginal exotic dancer whom he encountered at a nightclub where he performs his illusionist act. Meanwhile, Trilby's drug-addicted prostitute roommate, Barbara, and her pimp, Roland, have simultaneously planned to seduce Trilby, as they are both enchanted by her beauty. Trilby begins to grow suspicions of John's intentions with her. Later, Barbara and Roland convince Trilby to engage in a threesome. John arrives and interrupts the sexual encounter, and Roland insults him. John stares into his eyes, apparently putting him under a spell. Shortly after, Roland is hit and killed by a moving car while crossing a street.

Through a series of supernatural experiences in which he communes with Svengali, John comes to find that Trilby is a source of eternal energy—a goddess—and the Svengali is bent on using her for the benefit of the cult. John begins to regret his involvement, but the spirit of Svengali threatens him. John, who feels legitimate affection for Trilby, flees to the nightclub to warn her. In her dressing room, John informs Trilby that he caused Roland's death, and that it will not be safe for her to be around him, as he—under the possession of Svengali—will murder her. Trilby is impervious to his claims, and suspects he has taken hallucinogens.

After she leaves the nightclub, Trilby finds John—possessed by Svengali—sitting in the back seat of her car. He stares into her eyes, causing her to fall into a spell. That night, John stages a magic show at a high society party, performing his sawing-in-half act on Mary. The same night, the cult holds their ritual in a large mansion, using the kidnapped Trilby. The ritual culminates in Stephen and Trilby having sex on an altar, Trilby brandishing a knife to stab Stephen at the moment of orgasm. During the ritual, Mary suddenly grows jealous of Trilby, and expresses possessiveness over Stephen, her master; she interjects, and stabs Stephen herself before committing suicide.

With the ritual failed, Svengali departs John's body. John, now freed of the burden, flees the house with Trilby. From a balcony, the spirits of Svengali, Mary, and Stephen laugh and watch.

The ritual is sabotaged when Mary, overcome with jealousy, kills Stephen and herself, causing the soul transference to fail. Svengali's spirit departs John, who escapes with Trilby, as the spirits of Stephen, Mary, and Svengali look on.

The failed ritual restores John's autonomy by breaking Svengali's supernatural hold but leaves the world haunted by restless spirits. The intervention by Mary shifts the power dynamic and undercuts the cult's plans, suggesting that personal motives can collapse even the darkest of magic. The final tableau—spirits laughing overhead—serves as a sardonic coda, underscoring the film's cynical attitude towards both love and occult obsession.