Charles Kessler (Bela Lugosi) lives in his creepy mansion with his daughter, Virginia (Polly Ann Young), and a household staff which includes the black butler Evans (Clarence Muse). Kessler's wife (Betty Compson of Escort Girl) ran off with a lover who was killed in an accident even as Mrs. K's body disappeared. She is presumed dead, but actually the gardener (!), Jules (Ernie Adams), has somehow managed to hide the woman in a chamber below the garage. Periodically she escapes confinement, and when her husband spots her poking in the window or prowling the grounds, he has a psychotic episode, throws his cloak over his victim, and suffocates or strangles them. (This is revealed very early on in the film.) As the movie opens there have already been a number of murders and the latest is of the maid, Cecile (Alice Dahl). Virginia's very handsome fiance, Ralph (John McGuire, who also plays Ralph's twin brother), becomes a suspect when it is discovered that he argued with Cecile, a former girlfriend, shortly before her death. There are tragic consequences to this but the murders continue.
Lugosi in a contemplative mood |
Verdict: Lugosi gives this a professional gloss but the script is hopeless. *1/2.
2 comments:
By the 1940s, poor Bela was picking his way through these haphazard cheapies. Only a couple years before, he was still Karloff's costar in great films like Son of Frankenstein as the iconic Igor. But I always love to see him don his Dracula cape, no matter how bad the movie.
Hope you had a happy Halloween, Bill!
-Chris
I did, Chris -- hope you did, too!
Lugosi, a talented and tragic figure who at least forever made his mark in films!
Post a Comment