Blood Legacy (also called Legacy of Blood and Will to Die) is a 1971 horror film directed by Carl Monson, starring Rodolfo Acosta, Merry Anders, Norman Bartold, John Carradine, and Faith Domergue.
There is a 1978 film with the same name and a similar plot, but it should not be confused with this one.
In this 1971 effort, Christopher Dean (John Carradine) has died. His four adult children—Greg, Veronica, Johnnie, and Leslie—along with their spouses, as well as Christopher's longtime three servants, have been summoned to the mansion to listen to Christopher's previously recorded last will.
The servants are entitled to a monthly salary of $500 as long as they remain in service. The children, on the other hand, are to inherit equal portions of the $136 million balance of the estate. However, in the event of any child's demise, the remaining share will be distributed among the surviving siblings. If all the children perish, the servants become the heirs to whatever is left.
A peculiar condition in the will requires the children to stay in the deceased's house for one week to qualify for their inheritance. Christopher, in his recorded message, explicitly expresses his lack of affection or respect for his four offspring. He advises them to decline his offer if they possess any virtue.
The narrative takes a dark turn as the killings commence with the murder of Mrs. Greg Dean's dog. The violence escalates to the decapitation of the police officer summoned to address the incident, continuing until only one individual remains alive. The terms of the will create an atmosphere of suspicion among all present parties.
The surprise, and seemingly illogical, twist lies in the revelation of the perpetrator and the motive behind the killings.
Horror hostess Elvira, Mistress of the Dark (Cassandra Peterson) presented Blood Legacy as part of her Movie Macabre series. The film was also riffed by the cast of Cinematic Titanic.