I Walked with a Zombie (1943) – Review

The type of zombies found in modern media are a far cry from their early cinematic depictions as you will find no brains being eaten in these early outings and it was more supernatural affliction rather than viral.  Thus films like 1932’s White Zombie, which dealt with the voodoo aspect of the affliction, and so does the film we will be looking at today, I Walked with a Zombie, an entry that blends voodoo with the narrative structure of Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre.

Loosely based on the article “I Walked with a Zombie” by Inez Wallace, the plot takes place on the tropical island of Saint Sebastian and revolves around Canadian nurse Betsy Connell (Frances Dee) who is assigned to care for Jessica Holland (Christine Gordon), the ailing wife of plantation owner Paul Holland (Tom Conway), who is suffering from some strange waking death. Right from the start it’s made clear this is not your typical horror movie as the romantic chemistry that builds between Betsy and Paul is quite palpable. Paul’s Byronic monologues really get Betsy’s engines running and as the story progresses we learn of the “love triangle” that had existed between Jessica, Paul and Paul’s half-brother Wesley Rand (James Ellison) and that this brotherly betrayal may or may not have led to Jessica’s zombie-like state.

 

Stalking the halls like a mindless sleepwalker.

As Betsy delves deeper into the eerie environment, and discovers the secrets hidden within the island, the line between the supernatural and psychological begins to blur. We learn that Wesley’s mother and Paul’s stepmother (Edith Barrett) has been using the local’s belief in voodoo to slip in actual medical aid to the rather superstitious community, telling the islanders that Vodou spirits speak through her so that they will comply with her medical and sanitary recommendations.  She also holds a darker secret, one that dates back to the supposed tropical fever that put Jessica in her current near-catatonic condition, in fact, every one of the household seems to feel tons of guilt – with the possible exception of Wesley whose alcoholic cheating heart I don’t think can even process guilt – but his love for his brother’s wife will eventually take a page out of an E.C. comic.  What we get isn’t something I’d call a “just end” but it’s definitely poetic.

 

This is not quite walking off into the sunset together.

Stray Observations:

• Despite being optioned by the studio, Val Lewton did not like Inez Wallace’s “I Walked With A Zombie” so he adapted the story to fit the novel “Jane Eyre” as he felt Wallace’s plot was too clichéd. 
• While sailing to Saint Sebastian, Paul tells Betsy “There’s no beauty here, only death and decay. Everything good dies here. Even the stars.” With an attitude like that I’m betting he wasn’t asked to write for the island’s tourism board.
• On her first night, Betsy follows the sounds of a woman sobbing up the stone staircase of the old fort’s tower, and you can add that to my list of “Things I would never bloody do.”
• Both this film and Cat People feature rather graphically violent statuary that figure heavily into the plot.  Val Lewton and Jacques Tourneur clearly liked their symbolism to be a little heavy-handed.
• Dr. Maxwell comments “She makes a beautiful zombie doesn’t she?” which is a statement that will rarely be attributed to the zombie genre again.

 

The ethereal and lovely Christine Gordon.

With this horror entry, Val Lewton and director Jacques Tourneur proved you didn’t need zombies munching on flesh to terrify an audience, just some great lighting and a fantastic score, and it was all back-dropped by a tragic romance.  Basically, there’s a lot to love about this film and one of the most remarkable aspects of I Walked with a Zombie is its skilful use of atmosphere. The movie’s Caribbean setting, accompanied by its impressive cinematography and hauntingly beautiful visuals, creates a sense of other worldliness that permeates every frame. The shadowy forests, mysterious voodoo rituals and the constant presence of the crashing waves contributed to an unsettling ambience, leaving us immersed in a world where the line between reality and nightmare is indistinct.

Note: Jacques Tourneur’s handle of Haitian Vodou’s subject matter was surprisingly tactful and the script never treats it as evil, this is not to say its depiction here doesn’t have spooky elements.

Jacques Tourneur’s direction is masterful, showcasing his ability to build tension and suspense through subtle visual cues and deliberate pacing. The film’s narrative unfolds slowly, allowing both the characters and the audience to become enveloped in the unfolding mystery. And rather than relying on cheap jump scares or excessive gore, Tourneur builds a sense of dread through his expert control of the film’s atmosphere, creating a genuinely unsettling and eerie experience. With the combination of J. Roy Hunt’s brilliant cinematography, creating a world of light and dark, and the haunting score by composer Roy Webb you have the ingredients for a first-class horror movie. Then screenwriters Curt Siodmak and Ardel Wray take the whole genre up a notch and the result is more a tragic love story than it is a horror movie.

 

“If only my wife wasn’t a lifeless zombie, I could divorce her and marry you.”

On the acting side of things, Frances Dee delivers a commendable performance as Betsy Connell, the film’s compassionate and curious protagonist. She exudes a perfect balance of vulnerability and determination, drawing us into her quest for the truth. Tom Conway as Paul Holland adds an air of mystery to the film, portraying a conflicted and haunted man torn between love and duty.  This was a change of pace for him after playing the rather rakish psychiatrist in Cat People. Pretty much all of the supporting cast deserve praise for their contributions, particularly James Ellison as the drunken and tortured brother who is both sympathetic and pathetic in his struggles.  Finally, there is Christine Gordon as the enigmatic zombie-walking Jessica and she does a lot without saying a single word.

 

Not to say that’d I take her for a walk.

At its core, I Walked with a Zombie explores themes of love, fate, and the clash between science and spirituality. It delves into the complexities of the human psyche, examining the power of suggestion and the blurred boundaries between the conscious and the subconscious. By blending supernatural elements with psychological exploration, the film provokes thought and leaves a lasting impression on its viewers. However, it is worth noting that the film’s portrayal of the Caribbean and its inhabitants can be viewed through a lens of colonialism and cultural appropriation, which was prevalent in Hollywood productions of that era. While it is important to acknowledge these problematic aspects, it is also possible to appreciate the film’s artistic merits and its contributions to the horror genre.

Note: Jessica is stabbed in the arm during a voodoo ceremony and doesn’t bleed, which causes the islanders to believe she is an actual zombie, and while the film never declares the events depicted here as being supernatural this lack of bleeding is never explained.

In conclusion, I Walked with a Zombie is a classic horror film that continues to captivate audiences with its timeless atmosphere, exquisite visuals and evocative storytelling. It is Jacques Tourneur’s direction, coupled with standout performances of its cast that makes this film an unforgettable cinematic experience. Despite its age, this movie remains an essential watch for fans of classic horror and anyone seeking a haunting journey into the depths of the human psyche.

Night Monster (1942) – Review

If you are invited by a bitter invalid to an old dark house, one that is located near a foggy swamp, don’t go as it’s not going to end well for anybody.  But without such examples of Darwinism in action we wouldn’t get such fun classic horror films like Universal’s Night Monster.

The plot of 1942’s Night Monster is, to say the least, rather bizarre as it involves three doctors and one of the most convoluted revenge plots ever.  The film opens with Dr. King (Lionel Atwill), Dr. Timmons (Frank Reicher) and Dr. Phipps (Francis Pierlot) being invited up Ingston Towers by former patient of theirs, Curt Ingston (Ralph Morgan) who is now a cripple and wheelchair bound. This meeting to illustrate to them a new “medical wonder” that he has learned of from Agor Singh (Nils Asther), a Hindu yogi who has developed the ability to dematerialize matter from one place and then reconstitute in another with nothing but the power of his mind. Ingston claims that this ability could allow people who have lost the use of their limbs to have these useless appendages “broken down” and rebuilt healthy and new. The forthcoming exhibition of materialization consists of Agar Singh bringing forth an Egyptian skeleton that is holding a box containing a cursed blood ruby.

 

As party tricks go, this is a good one.

As this is ostensibly a murder mystery, with a liberal dose of horror, we have a body count that climbs rather high for such a short film.  The murderous festivities start with a maid (Janet Shaw) who tried to quit and reveal the secrets of Ingston Towers, and then one by one the three doctors are brutally strangled to death. Helping to solve this mystery is psychiatrist Dr. Lynn Harper (Irene Hervey) who was summoned secretly by Ingston’s sister Margaret (Fay Helm) to prove to all that she is not insane and thus secure freedom from the control of her brother and his insanely controlling housekeeper Sarah Judd (Doris Lloyd). And what would a murder be without a visiting mystery writer?  In the case of this film, we have Dick Baldwin (Don Porter) as our stalwart hero and while he is stalwart he’s also rather bland. These two will provide the plot with its required protagonists and the less said about them the better. Of course, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the creepy butler Rolf (Bela Lugosi) or the Ingston’s chauffeur Laurie (Leif Erickson) who does double duty as a sexual predator.

 

Quite the line-up of suspects.

One of the film’s strongest aspects is its well-crafted mystery and while Night Monster isn’t your typical murder mystery – at no point is Miss Marple going to have any drawing room reveals – as these killings has a supernatural element.  It is these series of mysterious deaths occurring in and around the mansion that enables the plot to create an intricate web of secrets and the suspenseful builds up enough over the film’s 73-minute running time to keep viewers engaged and guessing until the very end. It should be noted, that while this film utilized the Universal backlot that doesn’t stop it from easily establishing an eerie and foreboding atmosphere. The dark, shadow-filled corridors, creaking doors and howling wind contributed to the overall sense of dread that permeates the film. And the black-and-white cinematography by Charles Van Enger adds to the film’s charm, allowing the audience to fully immerse themselves in its haunting atmosphere.

 

“Could someone please turn off the fog machine?”

Stray Observations:

• Margaret Ingston exclaims, “Blood… the whole house reeks of it. The air is charged with death and hatred and something that’s unclean!” which sounds overly dramatic but in all fairness, that’s your average home in a Universal Horror Movie.
• While credited as an original story and screenplay by Clarence Upson Young, in many respects Night Monster is a remake of Doctor X as it has many of the same plot elements and even the same climax, and both featured Lionel Atwill.
• The scene of a foggy forest behind the opening credits is the same as that used in the opening of The Wolf Man (1941).
• The miniature used for the burning mansion at the film’s climax is identical to the miniature of the burning castle shown at the climax of The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942).

 

Getting home insurance in a Universal Horror Film must be tough.

The cast delivers solid performances with Universal favourite Bela Lugosi in a role that is a nice departure from his more famous vampiric part, playing a mysterious butler who looks and acts so guilty he could have easily been named Red Herring. His performance is understated yet captivating and it adds an air of intrigue to the film. Then we have Doris Lloyd as the ever-loyal housekeeper who I’m guessing went to the same charm school as Mrs. Danvers from Hitchcock’s Rebecca. On the other hand, Lionel Atwill was rather wasted in the role of one of the doctors set up to die in this “Old Dark House” murder mystery as he is knocked off with barely a few minutes of screen time.  It is a bit disingenuous that they gave Lugosi and Atwill top billing, promoting the film as a “Great horror team-up” when they were both playing minor roles.

 

“I hope I’m not murdered off-screen. I really hate that.”

Directed by Ford Beebe, Night Monster stands out for its effective storytelling, weaving together elements of classic horror, mystery and psychological suspense. It adeptly utilizes misdirection so as to keep the viewers engaged as one attempts to unravel the truth behind the terrifying events unfolding on screen. As the plot unfolds, the characters’ secrets are revealed, leading to a satisfying climax that provides a surprising twist that certainly didn’t see coming. The film’s atmospheric setting plays a crucial role in building a sense of foreboding and unease with the mansion’s dark corridors, secret passages, and eerie landscapes contributing to a palpable sense of isolation and impending doom. The clever use of lighting and shadow created a visually captivating experience, heightening the tension and the mystery surrounding the night’s events.

 

If only our ostensible leads were as captivating as the cinematography.

Night Monster is also notable for its inclusion of elements of psychological horror, supernatural phenomena, and scientific intrigue with a dash of Hindu spiritualism, which not common of films of this era, and it’s this blending of elements that created an engaging narrative that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats. While the special effects may appear dated by modern standards, they still manage to capture the imagination and contribute to the film’s overall charm. Even if you look past the “monsters” feet looking as if they were borrowed from Lon Chaney Jr’s The Wolf Man, one aspect that may disappoint contemporary audiences is the limited development of certain characters, our two protagonists are fairly bland and uninteresting, certainly when compared to all the crazy people living in that old dark house. Additionally, the film’s reliance on certain horror tropes may be predictable for seasoned horror enthusiasts.

 

Casting Bela Lugosi is the cinema equivalent of shorthand.

In conclusion, Night Monster might not be as well-known as some of the other horror movies of its time but it still deserves recognition for its atmospheric setting, intriguing plot. The subpar performances by the leads hurts the film a little and is most likely a key reason why this entry never gained the same level of fame as other films from the era, such as it’s predecessor Doctor X, but fans of classic horror movies and those interested in exploring the genre’s roots will find this entry an enjoyable and haunting watch.

Horror Island (1941)

A haunted castle, buried treasure, hidden passages and a phantom killer all add up to a fun little “And then there were none” mystery that reveals in the “Old Dark House” subgenre, in fact, fans of Scooby-Doo should get a lot out of this mystery as the setting and the comedic hijinks have a very Mystery Incorporated feel to them, so sit back and enjoy a cheesy trip to Universal’s Horror Island!

Based on the short story “Terror of the South Seas” by Alex Gottlieb, Horror Island is set on a island in a story centres around criminally unemployed Bill Martin (Dick Foran), who along with his partner Stuff Oliver (Fuzzy Knight) have tried and failed on numerous quick money-making schemes.  The only thing to Martin’s name is a rundown castle on deserted useless rock but when a peg-legged man named Tobias Clump (Leo Carrillo) brings the two them a treasure map – of course there’s a treasure map – he tells the two men that twenty million dollars worth of buried treasure is on that island. Bill becomes a little intrigued if a bit skeptical and the only piece of veracity to this tale is that some cloaked “phantom” tried to steal the map – if someone else wants it then it must be valuable – but after being told by a reputed cartographer Jasper Quinley (Hobart Cavanaugh) that the map is a fake, Bill decides to use the gullibility of the public and offers a “treasure hunt” cruise to his island, for fifty dollars apiece.

 

“Alas, poor Morgan, I knew him well.”

George Waggner’s Horror Island isn’t just a horror/mystery/comedy set in a spooky location it’s also got a bit of a love story thrown in for added measure, which comes in the form of Wendy Creighton (Peggy Morgan) a posh proprietor of a nearby yacht club jamboree.  Her and Bill have the standard “meet cute” that is required for these sorts of romantic comedies, and before you can say “Yo, ho, ho, and a bottle of rum” she boards Bill’s boat The Skiddoo and becomes one of the passengers conned into this treasure hunting business. But what other suckers have been lured to this island by the prospect of pirate gold? As I mentioned at the start, this movie could be considered a precursor to the Scooby-Doo mysteries and thus the passengers are actually suspects in the forthcoming mystery and over the film’s sixty-minute running time we have to figure out what’s really going on with Morgan’s Island.

 

They would have been better off stopping at Gilligan’s Island.

First on the suspect list we have Bill’s cousin George (John Eldredge) who is willing to “take the island off his hands” for $20,000 dollars, then we have Wendy’s current boy toy Thurman Coldwater (Lewis Howard) who comes across as a professional gigolo, but he’s almost a better comic relief than Stuff Oliver and so he’s not really up for consideration.  Next is Jasper, a small-time gangster by the name of Rod Grady (Ralph Harolde) and his wife Arleen (Iris Adrian), then there is Sergeant McGoon (Walter Catlett) who is working for the Business Association and he wants Bill’s business shut down due to advertising of ghosts on his island – as ghosts don’t exists he considers their ad false advertising – but like Thurman, he’s here for more comic relief than anything else.  Finally there is Professor Jasper Quinley who despite claiming the map is a fake still wants to come along for the adventure.  What’s up with that?

 

“What are the odds that we will all be alive come morning?”

The interesting wrinkle in this mystery is that the “Haunted Castle Con” has Martin believing that all the weird stuff going on is simply stuff that Oliver’s rigged as scare tactics, that he’d set up ahead of time to give the customers a few thrills and not the work of an actual Phantom.  It’s not until bodies start piling up that he begins to realize that there is more going on than a fake treasure hunt. Continuing with the Scooby-Doo analogy, I’d say Bill Martin is a perfect fit for the part of Fred Jones as he is stoic and no-nonsense while the cowardly Stuff Oliver is a perfect Shaggy Rogers and Wendy Creighton being both beautiful and skeptical she can fill the bill for both Daphne and Velma. The only one missing character is Scooby-Doo himself – sadly, there are no animals sidekicks in this movie – but Tobias Clump at least rounds the group up to five members.

 

“Which one of us is a meddling kid?”

Stray Observations:

• Proof that Universal Pictures is ecologically friendly, the manor house on Morgan’s Island consisted of the stone staircase from the Carfax Abbey  from 1931’s Dracula while many of the remaining sets were recycled from 1939’s Tower of London.
• A delivery boy brings a package addressed to Bill Martin that turns out to be a time bomb and they only survive blasts because when tossed aboard their boat it falls in the water, but how did the Phantom know when the kid would deliver it? If that kid had been caught in traffic the bomb would have exploded too early.
• Though the Phantom has never been in the castle before he seems to have a detailed knowledge of the its layout, with all its secret rooms and passageways. Did someone publish a book on Morgan’s Island that he found at a local library?
• The Phantom wears a black cloak and a slouched hat and has him in danger of being sued by Lamont Cranston for ripping off the look of The Shadow.

 

Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men?

The film cleverly employs spooky island mythology, such as curses and secret passageways to keep the audience engaged and on their toes, and the cast delivers performances that are true to the era’s style, with exaggerated reactions and melodramatic exchanges. Dick Foran, known for his appearances in various B-movies, leads the ensemble with his charismatic charm and he provides a solid anchor for the film. With his character combining elements of heroism and comic relief that adds a nice touch of levity to what could have been an otherwise dark narrative. The film’s pacing is commendable, consistently maintaining a sense of urgency and building tension as the characters stumble upon bizarre occurrences and encounter a masked killer. Although the plot may be predictable by today’s standards, it successfully keeps things going with its unexpected twists and turns.

 

“I’m pretty sure I’m not the murderer, what about you?”

A key element to pull off such a feat is the film’s setting and the excellent production designs provide everything a fan of the genre could want, particularly the manor itself as its secret passages and hidden rooms evoke a sense of intrigue and discovery, while the costume design though not extravagant suits the characters and the period in which the film is set. One of the standout aspects of Horror Island is its atmospheric cinematography by Elwood Bredell. The black and white visuals effectively create an ominous mood, especially during nighttime scenes where we see shadows dance around dimly lit corridors. Bredell is is able to beautifully capture the proper level of spookiness, enhancing the overall eerie ambience of the film, not to mention the Phantom himself is a fun villain.

 

“My career choice was either “killer phantom” or John Carradine look-a-like.”

George Waggner’s Horror Island remains an enjoyable and nostalgic watch for fans of classic horror cinema. Its blend of adventure, suspense and a touch of humour provides a welcome escape to a simpler era of filmmaking. If you’re in the mood for a campy and lighthearted fright fest, this 1941 gem is worth a watch. Just don’t expect groundbreaking storytelling or cutting-edge scares, but fans of Scooby-Doo will most likely get a thrill out of seeing an early version of this style of mystery.

The Black Cat (1941) – Review

The 1930s and 1940s were a Golden Age of “Old Dark House” stories with such offerings as The Cat and the Canary and Horror Island populating theatres, but when you blend that “Old Dark House” setting with one of the works by the greatest Gothic writers of all time, Edgar Allan Poe, you are pretty much guaranteed a great flick, which is what we got with Universal’s The Black Cat. Will it be a faithful adaptation of said work? Probably not, but it will most likely be very entertaining.

During the opening credits, we get a title card stating, “Suggested by the story by Edgar Allan Poe” and that should give one a clue as to just how close this will be as an adaptation of the original story. For context, Poe’s story dealt with a man and his problem with black cats, leading to him murdering his wife and walling up her body with the cat, while in this film, we have a rich old cat lady whose greedy relatives are all waiting around to inherit her money and estate, with at least one of them ready to rush things along if need be. So one can safely say that the screenwriters of this movie took a few liberties with the source material because other than an ominous black cat there is not much here to compare it to the Poe short story.

 

We do get a crematorium/mausoleum with a cool statue of a black cat.

The plot of this movie deals with all the relatives of “Cat Lady” Henrietta Winslow (Cecilia Loftus) gathering at her spooky mansion in the hope that she will kick the bucket sooner than later so that they can each get a piece of the inheritance. Director Albert S. Rogell provides us with quite the array of suspects in The Black Cat, with the most prominent being Montague Hartley (Basil Rathbone) who is married to Henrietta’s niece Myrna (Gladys Cooper) but who clearly has an eye for the much younger granddaughter Margaret Gordon (Claire Dodd) and also has some debts hanging over his head. Then there is Richard Hartley (Alan Ladd), Myrna’s son from a previous marriage, whose knowledge of chemistry makes him a suspect when an attempt to poison Henrietta fails.  And finally, there is her granddaughter Elaine Winslow (Anne Gwynne) who is to inherit the house. All of these greedy bastards would love to get their inheritance as soon as possible but when Henrietta is found dead in her crematorium – built to cremate and house the ashes of her beloved cats – they learn that the will has an addendum which states that no one gets a thing while housekeeper Abigail Doone (Gale Sondergaard) is still “alive and well” and taking care of the cats at Winslow Manor.

 

I wonder who is going to end up dead next.

To spice things up we have an old friend of the family, Hubert Smith (Broderick Crawford), arriving with the hopes of brokering a real estate deal with whichever family member lands the house, and along for the ride is his friend Mr. Penny (Hugh Hubert) a rather clumsy and larcenous antique dealer who spends the bulk of the film bumbling around and breaking things, claiming “That is how antiques are made.” It is important to note that one’s enjoyment of this film will greatly stem from how much of Hugh Hubert’s brand of comedy you can stand because even I, who has a high threshold of silly comedy, found his character to be very trying. We must now mention the final suspect in this murder mystery, who is Henrietta’s gardener Eduardo Vigos (Bela Lugosi) who is also a blatant Red Herring.

 

“Don’t mind me, lurking is just a hobby of mine.”

Stray Observations:

• Broderick Crawford comments that Montague Hartley “He thinks he’s Sherlock Holmes” which was a nice nod to the fact that Basil Rathbone had already played in two Holmes films, The Hound of the Baskervilles and The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.
• Bela Lugosi had earlier starred in 1934’s The Black Cat, alongside Boris Karloff, which like this was an adaptation, albeit a darker and more violent adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe’s story than this outing.
• Universal horror fans may recognize the interiors and exteriors of the Winslow Mansion as having appeared in Night Monster, The Mummy’s Tomb, The Mummy’s Ghost, and Son of Dracula.
• The only real connection to the Edgar Allan Poe story is when a black cat is trapped inside a crematorium with the damsel in distress and its yowling alerts the hero.
• Gale Sondergaard is pretty much playing the same character from her turn in The Cat and the Canary. If you need a creepy housekeeper look no further than Mz. Sondergaard.

 

Who could ever suspect her?

One of the most striking aspects of The Black Cat is its atmospheric cinematography and set design. The film masterfully creates a sense of dread and unease, eerie compositions, and oppressive architecture to heighten the tension, which works as a nice counterpoint to the film’s somewhat comedic moments. Without a doubt, cinematographer Stanley Cortez was a master of light and shadow thus the Winslow mansion itself, with its strange and intricate design, becomes a character of its own, adding an extra layer of mystery and horror to the narrative. However, it’s important to note that the film does deviate significantly from Edgar Allan Poe’s original story, only borrowing the title and a “few” thematic elements.

 

Who will be the next victim?

As an “Old Dark House” movie The Black Cat has all the prerequisite tropes; a dark and stormy night, secret passageways, a washed-out bridge, cut phone lines and even a grasping hand from out of the shadows, sadly, it also has some very tiresome comedic schtick surrounding the bumbling and inept Mr. Penny who is far more annoying than he is funny, that said, Broderick Crawford is quite amusing as the wannabee hero and him futilely trying to solve the mystery is the glue that holds this movie together as is any time he has to face off against Basil Rathbone.

 

“I’m telling you, the game is definitely afoot.”

In conclusion, The Black Cat is a classic horror film that showcases the talents of its ensemble cast, with notable performances by Basil Rathbone, Broderick Crawford, and Gale Sondergaard. It effectively combines elements of mystery, horror, and comedy creating a chilling cinematic experience. Fans of Edgar Allan Poe’s work may not appreciate its use liberal use of the short story but those who appreciate atmospheric horror will find themselves engrossed in this captivating tale of greed and murder in an old dark house.

Man-Made Monster (1941) – Review

Directed by George Waggner and starring Lon Chaney Jr, this low-budget Universal Pictures production showcases the enduring fascination with the perils of scientific experimentation and the boundaries of human control, a film that would usher in a new wave of mad science.

The film centres around the character of Dan McCormick (Lon Chaney Jr.) a carnival performer who survives a devastating bus accident caused by an electrical storm. McCormick is taken in by Dr. John Lawrence, (Samuel S. Hinds) who wants to study him so as to find out why he has an immunity to electricity.  Which is all well and good but there is also Dr. Paul Rigas (Lionel Atwill), Lawrence’s colleague and resident mad scientist, who discovers that McCormick’s unique resistance to electricity also makes him a perfect subject for his own dangerous experiments. Rigas seeks to manipulate and control McCormick’s body utilizing high-voltage electrical currents, hoping to someday create a race of mindless slaves of great physical strength. Needless to say, things don’t go well and when Dr. Lawrence becomes an obstacle in further experiments and so Rigas orders the now mindless McCormick to kill the kindly scientist. This is a dark and horrifying tale of science being used in the worst ways imaginable.

 

Nobody here will make it to the end credits alive.

Lon Chaney Jr.’s portrayal of Dan McCormick is the standout performance in this outing, which is not surprising as Chaney was known for his skill in playing tortured characters and in this film he delivers a sympathetic and emotionally charged performance.  A man caught between his desire for survival and his fear of becoming a pawn in a dangerous game, struggling to shrug off the mental control Rigas holds over him. His physical transformation, as his body becomes increasingly affected by the experiments, is convincingly portrayed, heightening the horror elements of the story as he becomes addicted to the electrical treatment he is subjected to. This would also be Universal’s first foray out of Gothic horror and into a setting that would not only take place stateside but hinge on a tragic character becoming a monster through no fault of his own.

 

“Not only are you a killing machine, you will never need a reading light.”

Stray Observations:

• Dan McCormick is the sole survivor of a horrific transit accident, completely unaffected by the electricity that killed everyone else, which kind of gives off an M. Night Shyamalan Unbreakable vibe.
• Any self-respecting scientist with half a brain should know better than to have Lionel Atwill as a partner, it’s only ever going to end badly.
• Lionel Atwill’s Dr. Paul Rigas believes electricity can create a new form of life, clearly, he went to the school of Frankenstein to get his degree in Mad Science.
• After escaping from the electric chair, the District Attorney informs the press that experts believe that Dan will run out of power and die within a few hours. I’d like to know where he found experts on people who can draw electricity and electrocute people with a touch.
• Dan may have been turned into an almost near-mindless monster but he’s still human enough to rescue a damsel in distress.

 

Women do tend to get carried off a lot in these things.

Lionel Atwill, in the role of Dr. Paul Rigas, exudes a commanding presence and sinister charisma and it’s his character that serves as the catalyst for the events that unfold, and Atwill’s performance effectively captures the morally ambiguous nature of a scientist obsessed with pushing the boundaries of human limitations, but while Man-Made Monster successfully maintains suspense and delivers a compelling story it does suffer from some pacing issues as it really has to pack a lot of information in a movie that runs only an hour in length. The film also toss in a love story between reporter Mark Adams (Frank Albertson) and Dr. John Lawrence’s daughter June (Anne Nagel) that, at times, seems rather out of place and any time spent with them only makes us want to return to whatever Atwill and Chaney are up to.

 

“Our job is to simply be horrified.”

One of the strengths of Man-Made Monster lies in its atmospheric cinematography and eerie lighting, which contribute to the film’s overall sense of dread. The black-and-white visuals and shadowy settings effectively enhance the tension and create a foreboding atmosphere throughout the narrative. Its modest budget is cleverly masked through inventive camera work and lighting techniques and Elwood Bredell’s aforementioned cinematography is excellent. Despite its limitations in budget, Man-Made Monster remains an enjoyable classic for fans of old-school horror cinema and serves as a noteworthy precursor to later science fiction films that would explore the dangers of tampering with nature and the consequences of unchecked scientific progress. The movie’s themes and central premise remain relevant even after more than eight decades, reminding us of the ethical dilemmas that arise when scientific advancements clash with moral boundaries.

In conclusion, Man-Made Monster may have some bizarre story elements but with its atmospheric visuals, Lon Chaney Jr.’s engaging performance, and its timeless cautionary tale, you can’t knock the end result. If you have a penchant for vintage horror films or an interest in the historical development of the genre, this 1941 gem is certainly worth checking out.

The Monster and the Girl (1941) – Review

What would you do if your sister was forced into prostitution and then you were framed for murder? This question is the heart of Paramount’s The Monster and the Girl, which you have to admit is a pretty good premise, but instead of being a simple revenge flick we get a savage gorilla and a brain transplant. Who says mad science never pays off?

Directed by Stuart Heisler and written by Stuart Anthony, The Monster and the Girl follows the story of a young woman who tries to save her wrongfully convicted brother from a death sentence only for things to take a decidedly bizarre turn for the worse. The plot is fairly simple, smalltown girl Susan (Ellen Drew) is tricked into a life of prostitution and when her brother Scot Webster (Philip Terry), a nice guy and church organist tries to track down the man responsible and he is framed and convicted of murder for his troubles.  As I said, a pretty simple plot, lucky for us his quest for justice doesn’t end in the electric chair, instead, he unwittingly becomes involved with Dr. Parry (George Zucco) a scientist experimenting with the transplantation of human brains into animal bodies. Needless to say, things get even more complicated from here on out.

 

“This is the last time we get a brain off of Craigslist.”

What is unusual about The Monster and the Girl is that the villain isn’t Dr. Perry, because while George Zucco’s Dr. Pary fits the “mad scientist” template he is a rather benevolent character and more misguided than he is mad, instead, the primary villain of this film is Big City gangster W. S. Bruhl (Paul Lukas) who is running some kind of white slavery ring. Susan is seduced by Larry Reed (Robert Paige), who is one of Bruhl’s flunkies, and after a quick courtship they are married. Unfortunately for Susan, the marriage is a sham and the priest was also one of Bruhl’s gang and she is then forced into prostitution with the rather odious threat – “Either you come up with the $95 in hotel fees or go to jail, or you could simply work for us” – and if this criminal scheme seems overly complicated then you’ve hit on one of the film’s charms.  It’s not just the idea of a man’s brain in the body of an ape we have to swallow but the most convoluted white slavery ring in history as well.  That all our villains meet their fate at the hands of a vengeful killer ape is almost poetic and makes this a great flick.

 

“It’s hard out here for a pimp.”

Stray Observations:

• In the 1936 film The Walking Dead, a wrongfully convicted man is executed and his body is given over for scientific experiments but the body is revived and the man seeks out the men who sent him to the chair. Maybe prisons should just stop handing bodies over to mad scientists, just a thought.
• People should really stop picking up murder weapons when they find a dead body as it results in no end of trouble for their lawyers.
• With this film we get your standard small-town girl wanting to escape and experience big-city life, which rarely ends well in these stories but even rarer when it to involves a gorilla.
• I’m no doctor but just how viable would a brain be after 2000 and 2,500 volts from an electric chair have passed through it? Not to mention Scot’s brain not having oxygen between the electric chair and the brain transplant.
• That the dog recognizes his old master even when in its inhabiting the body of a gorilla is a surprisingly sweet and touching aspect that one doesn’t expect to see in this genre.
• The first victim of the gorilla is the District Attorney, who is the one who prosecuted Scot, but other than a suspicious glance between him and Bruhl during the trial we get no evidence that he’s corrupt and worthy of a vengeful death.
• When it comes to mad science I’d be hard-pressed to find better examples than that of George Zucco and Lionel Atwill who both exemplify the genre in many wonderful performances.

 

“I’m sure that brain was here a moment ago.”

The Monster and the Girl is a classic horror film that wonderfully combined elements of science fiction, crime, and tragedy to tell a bizarre but fun tale. The pacing of the film is also well-maintained, ensuring that the audience remains invested in the characters’ fates, and if this little horror gem has any faults is that at a swift 65-minute running time we don’t get to the gorilla running lose and knocking off members of Bruh’s gang until the well past the halfway mark.  While The Monster and the Girl may not be as well-known as other films of the era, it deserves recognition for its ambition and its successful blending of multiple genres as it delves into themes of justice, revenge, and the consequences of tampering with nature, adding depth to the story and elevating it beyond a typical horror film. The black-and-white cinematography adds to the film’s eerie ambience, transporting us to a world of shadows and uncertainty, it cleverly uses lighting and shadow play to enhance the tension and suspense, particularly in the scenes involving the monster.

 

“I just returned from having some fun over at the Rue Morgue.”

The performances in The Monster and the Girl are solid, with Ellen Drew delivering a compelling portrayal of a determined and courageous woman and truly terrible circumstances and she brings a sense of vulnerability to her character, making her journey all the more poignant.  But my favourite performance in this film comes from that of ape-suit actor Charles Gemora who manages to convey a remarkable amount of pathos within his short amount of screen-time and the few moments between him and Skipper the Dog are heartbreakingly sad. Not to mention the fun stuff of him somehow navigating the big city to pull off multiple revenge murders with no one spotting a big-ass gorilla lumbering around.  Basically, this is a fun film that succeeds in delivering a surprisingly thought-provoking story that goes beyond the typical monster movie tropes of the time. It explores themes of empathy, redemption and the power of compassion. Although it may not have achieved the same level of recognition as some of its contemporaries, it remains an intriguing and memorable entry in the classic horror genre.

 

We need more crime thrillers involving killer gorillas.

In conclusion, The Monster and the Girl is a fascinating and atmospheric film that blends horror, science fiction, and crime elements. With its strong performances, striking visuals, and thought-provoking themes, it offers a unique perspective on the monster movie genre. While it may have its pacing issues, the emotional depth and compelling story make it a worthwhile watch for fans of classic cinema and horror enthusiasts alike.