The Wicker Man (1973)

On 29 April, Sergeant Neil Howie of the West Highlands police flies to the remote island of Summerisle to investigate an anonymous letter about a missing girl, Rowan Morrison. Howie, a devout Christian, is shocked to find that the islanders worship the old pagan gods, make love openly and teach children about fertility rituals. Everyone, including Rowan's mother, claims Rowan never existed.

At the Green Man Inn, the landlord's daughter, Willow, tries to seduce him, but he resists. He notices photographs of past harvest festivals, each with a May Queen, but the most recent one is missing. At the school, he finds Rowan's name in the register, and the teacher directs him to her grave.

Lord Summerisle explains that his grandfather brought new fruit crops to the island in 1868 and encouraged the old religion, which the islanders embraced after the harvests flourished. When Howie digs up Rowan's grave, he finds only a dead hare. He then finds the missing photograph: last year's harvest failed. He learns that the islanders make human sacrifices when the crops fail and concludes that Rowan is alive and will be sacrificed.

On May Day, Howie finds that his seaplane has been sabotaged. He disguises himself as Punch the Fool to join the May Day procession, and when Rowan appears, he rescues her and flees into a cave. But outside, the islanders are waiting, and Rowan happily runs back to them.

Lord Summerisle reveals that Howie was always the intended sacrifice. He came of his own free will, has the power of a king as a representative of the law, is a virgin, and is a fool. The islanders force him into a giant wicker man filled with animals and set it alight. As they sing "Sumer Is Icumen In", Howie prays and recites Psalm 23 until the burning head of the wicker man collapses into the sunset.

Was Rowan ever missing? No. Her disappearance was a trap to lure Howie to the island.

Why was Howie chosen? He fit four conditions: he came of his own free will, he had the power of a king as a policeman, he was a virgin, and he was a fool who fell for their deception.

Does Howie die? Yes. He is burned alive inside the wicker man.

What does Howie warn them about? That the crops failed because of the climate, not the gods, and that when the next harvest fails, the islanders will sacrifice Lord Summerisle himself.

Is the ending a defeat for faith? It can be read either way. Howie dies a martyr, praying to the end, while the islanders believe their sacrifice will save them.