Okay, here we go with another recently colorized horror classic for our enjoyment. This Astor Pictures production is very well done with great actors and nice sets. We have Dungeon Fave Bela Lugosi as Charles Kessler, Polly Ann Young as his daughter Virginia, John McGuire as Ralph and brother Paul Dickson, Clarence Muse as Evans, Alice Dahl, Betty Compson, Ernie Adams and George Pembroke. One interesting note, Clarence Muse, a black man, played his role of Evans the servant with an almost intellectual demeanor, and spoke as a normal person. How refreshing for that time, and it's worth a watch just for that detail alone, he's great.
The complicated story goes like this... Well-to-do Charles Kessler lives with his daughter Virginia in a home where his wife left him a few years back. Virginia's fiancée Ralph Dickson is accused of killing their maid Cecile, and things go downhill from there.
It's another marriage anniversary, and Charles makes a special occasion to celebrate, in hope she will come back to him.
Charles reminds Evans to serve Mrs. Kessler first...
In reality, Mrs. Kessler is being taken care of her in a hidden room on the grounds. She has lost her memory and is pretty much not all there.
After Virginia and Ralph return from a drive, Evans is moving the car when he overhears Ralph and their maid Cecile arguing.
Ex-lovers, Cecile tells Ralph to lay off Virginia, or things will get ugly. Ralph tells her to go to Hell, nothing will stand between him and Virginia.
Later that night when Charles is reading, he starts to go into a trance. He goes to the window and sees his wife in the yard, she tells him that he will kill anyone!
The message finally gets through, with sheer glee, Charles goes into Cecile's room and strangles her! Too bad, he's such a nice guy otherwise.
Virginia and her dad do everything they can to save Ralph from the electric chair, but Evans has testified about what he overheard the two saying, including the 'nothing will stand in his way' quote, bummer! That's one very cool photo there.
Poor Ralph gets fried, and he didn't even do it!!
Paul Dickson shows up, he's the brother of Ralph and is invited to stay with the Kesslers. He also seems to be a help in trying to find out who the killer is, that's Police Lt. Williams on the right.
In a really creepy scene, Charles is possessed again and enters Virginia's room with the intent of killing her, but he snaps out of it when a lightning bolt hits down close to the house. He leaves the room.
Now, someone has defaced the painting of Mrs. Kessler, someone's a PSYCHO around here!
Then, Mrs. Kessler shows up looking for a meal. Two policemen find her in the kitchen and take her to Charles, where she claims that he's the one committing the murderer!
Charles goes into a trance and now everyone knows who the killer really is!
Charles starts walking like the Frankenstein monster and stumbles out of the room.
In the hallway, Charles turns and charges Lt. Williams, he get's him in a strangle hold and won't let go as Paul tries to get him to stop.
In the next room, Mrs. Kessler keels over and dies in front on the cops.
That seems to break the spell and Charles come back to reality. He's ready to face his punishment like a man and walks out the door followed by the police.
2 comments:
Found a NICE copy of this.
I watched this on fullscreen and on my 21"screen
it looks real good, like someone uploaded the blu-ray:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtDIbv8xBww
30 sec into the movie & Lugosi is already greeting
empty chairs occupied by invisible friends....this is great!
& the poor waiter has to serve them too!
Those cheap old, great old, "poverty row" Monograms! I love 'em, black and white, or even colorized; they're short, watchable, and just plain fun! And delightful old Bela is as entertaining as ever!
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