The Corpse Vanishes (1942)

Director: Wallace Fox

Writers: Sam Robins, Gerald Schnitzer, Harvey Gates

Composer: ???

Starring: Bela Lugosi, Luana Walters, Tristram Coffin, Elizabeth Russell, Minerva Urecal, Angelo Rositto, Joan Barclay, Kenneth Harlan, Gwen Kenyon, Vince Barnett, Frank Moran, George Eldredge

More info: IMDb

Tagline: KIDNAPPED BRIDES Are The Victims Of His Terror! Prepare to shudder when you see the strange practices of this doctor who sacrificed beautiful women for the sake of a mad love!

Plot: A scientist, aided by an old hag & her two sons - a malicious dwarf and a brutish moron, kills virgin brides, steals their bodies, & extracts gland fluid to keep his ancient wife alive and young.

My rating: 6.5/10

Will I watch it again?  Yes.

Here's a fun little Poverty Row picture made on the cheap but delivers the Lugosi goods.  Bela is being Bela but he's having some fun which lets us join in. It's barely over an hour long and it's great that they use every bit of it to try and thwart the plans of Bela & pals.  It's a fun story and it's great that people die (marriage is bad, OK?).  The acting from everyone is earnest and fits the tone precisely as needed.  The music (I'm assuming it's stock library music as no composer was listed in the credits) is fun and it often has that OUR GANG vibe.  Despite having a low budget, the filmmakers do a wonderful job in making something entertaining out of it.  Here's a fine example of a film that works well with being an hour long.  These were commonplace but the quality of entertainment varied wildly.  This one is worth your time.  It's in the public domain so you shouldn't have a problem finding it on YouTube for free.