Dir: Robert Siodmak
Starring: Dorothy McGuire, George Brent, Ethel Barrymore & Kent Smith
More Info: IMDB
Plot: Beautiful young mute Helen is a domestic worker for old ailing Mrs. Warren. Mrs. Warren's two sons, Albert (a professor) and womanizing impudent Steven, also live in the Warren mansion. Mrs. Warren becomes concerned for Helen's safety when a rash of murders involving 'women with afflictions' hits the neighborhood. She implores her physician, Dr. Parry, to take Helen away for her own safety. When another murder occurs inside the Warren mansion, it becomes obvious that Helen is in danger.
My Rating: 6
Would I watch it again? Nah
I was expecting more of an old-time horror movie but it turned out to be more of a murder-mystery. It's not that bad but it ain't that great, either. It's got a lot of what are now cliches. The mute girl speaks for the first time at the end when she screams in terror, keep guessing who the killer is or isn't, the dying old lady who can't move anything but her mouth and she ends up shooting the killer at the end, and so on and so on. The clip from above is one of the creepiest moments in the film.
Because it's an older film and it's a murder-mystery loaded with cliches, it's harder to take seriously. Now, I LOVE old movies. I've got hundreds of films dating before 1950. I'm at home with a 70-year-old movie as I am with one I just saw in the theater last week. With this one it was a bit too lighthearted and the only real fun I had, besides watching some great acting from the character actors (Elsa Lanchester (the Bride in THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN) and Rhys Williams in particular) was trying to figure out who the killer is and the plot gives you reason to believe just about everyone.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment