The Old Dark House

source: The Old Dark House

Truly one of Universal greatest unsung horror films, The Old Dark House is a unique blend of gothic setting, quirky characterizations, wicked black and dry humour, a great ensemble cast, and the workings of the mind of James Whale. Whale made the film the year after Frankenstein. He was again paired with Karloff. But unlike their first association, Karloff's star is far less brighter in this film as his performance, although good and servicable, is over-shadowed by atmosphere, Whale's direction, witty dialogue, and a cast of scene stealers such as Melvyn Douglas, Charles Laughton, Eva Moore, and Ernest Thesiger. Others in the notable cast include lovely Gloria Stuart, Lillian Bond, and Raymond Massey. Thesiger and Moore, as the brother and sister imposed upon by travellers in the stormy night, are fantastic as they interact and play out their eccentricities to perfection. Thesiger has the choice lines in the film as the effeminate Horace Femm, a cowardly man that cowers to his deaf sister. He is a joy to watch and each of his lines oozes with oil. Moore is also very good as she bellows repeatedly, "N beds! No beds! They can have no beds!" The story is based on a novel by J. B. Priestly. The plot is somewhat antiquated now, but Whale's direction puts a lot of life into it. And let's not forget Karloff, however small his part, still turns in a great menacing performance as a lecherous, drunken servant named Morgan ogling Gloria Stuart from the moment he sees her. The Old Dark House is a great film, and it should be more highly touted by Universal!

The Old Dark House is a relatively boring old horror with a rather absurd romance angle. For a while, it was considered a lost film. It disappeared after being pulled from syndication when Castle re-made it in 1963. But was later re-discovered and re-released. It's also notable for being Karloff's first credited leading role (although he was in Frankenstein prior to this, he was not listed in the credits). The story basically revolves around a group of vacationing friends who get trapped amid a landslide and flood, which forces them to stop at an old house, inhabited by a secretive family with a dark past, to ask for help. Said inhabitants are an odd bunch to say the least....they aren't very hospitable, offer warnings...and seem to be hiding something sinister. Next a showgirl and her sugar daddy show up at the door in a similar predicament (as to provide an oppourtunity to tie in a romance angle, and a little comic relief). The remainder of the film has Karloff wooing the young gold digger; trying to discover what this family is trying to keep locked away and hidden; and of course....attempting to escape with their lives. But the whole thing just plods along without really engaging you much....and the way the whole romance angle (which culminates with a f*cking marriage proposal....after knowing each other for half a night haha) plays out is just ridiculous. Then it's over. Not sure it deserves the high rating it has on IMDb (7.3), considering what it is. Seems pretty basic, mild, and, well....boring, to me. Not to mention the whole romance angle seemed forced and out of place. 4 out of 10.

Frankly, any movie that can turn the line "Have a potato..." into one of the funniest lines in cinema history has got a thumbs-up from me. This movie is the epitome of camp horror: drunken butlers, pyromaniacs locked in the attic, mad old grannies, thunderclaps and lots of underlighting. And I have to say it works tremendously well if you don't take it too seriously. All the performances are wonderful, especially Ernest Thesiger and Eva Moore as elderly siblings who seem to spend the entire movie seeing who can overact the most. For someone who loves laughing at old black-and-white horror movies (Nosferatu is best) it was strange for me to see one that was intentionally funny. But it really is. From Morgan's overdone make-up and grunting to Rebecca Femm spooning pickled onions onto her plate, it really is hilarious. So, if your open-minded and enjoy watching people ham it up in brilliant roles, then sit, back watch this film and I think you'll enjoy it. Just don't expect to be scared by it.

This is a wonderfully directed and uniformly brilliantly acted Suspense yarn with a heady mix of drawing room comedy. The now tired genre of stranding an odd-ball mix of characters in a trapped setting is given a comically fresh and wickedly mysterious lift by the vastly underappreciated director James Whale. This "ghost" tale, taken from the work of J.B. Priestley, and strikingly similar in tone and characters to his wonderfully melodramatic play, An Inspector Calls, is that rarity of mixed genres - Comedy & Suspense, which we will no doubt not see the likes of again. This is the world of Noel Coward mixed with Edgar Allan Poe. The cast is chock full of stars - Boris Karloff, Melvyn Douglas, Charles Laughton, Gloria Stuart, Raymond Massey - and wonderful supporting character actors like Ernest Thesiger and Eva Moore, Brember Wills and the brilliant gender bending turn from Elspeth Dudgeon. See this Movie!!! The direction is brilliantly atmospheric, the characters range from silly to delicously macabre, and the tension and mood are indescribably and wonderfully bizarre. I won't spoil any of the plot twists, although they are far less important to the success of this film, then it's mood.

This film is based on a JB Priestley novel, and it shows. We are in the territory of the country house, the benighted travellers and the Dark Secret. If the storyline is weak and the acting hammy, James Whale directs with aplomb and the gothic effects of lighting and weather are impressive. On a stormy night, Philip and Margaret Waverton (Raymond Massey and Gloria Stuart) are motoring through remote Welsh countryside with their friend Penderel (Melvyn Douglas). Landslides block the road before and behind, and the three cold, wet travellers are forced to seek refuge at the dark house on the hill. The house is occupied by a centenarian invalid, his three disturbed offspring and their wild butler, Morgan, played by Boris Karloff. The group is joined by two other stranded travellers, Sir William Porterhouse (Charles Laughton) and Gladys (Lillian Bond). "This house gives me the creeps," opines Margaret, and the tension builds as mirror distortions, howling winds and strange noises from behind locked doors lead inexorably to the appearance of Saul Femm, the family's Dark Secret. Margaret Waverton is the sex interest. She undresses because her things are wet, and puts on a figure-hugging gown. She and Gladys squeal and seek the protection of the men, and occasionally flash their cleavages. Morgan, the dumb giant, takes a lustful interest in Margaret, and the faun-and-satyr scenes are well done. Charles Laughton is great as 'Bill' Porterhouse, the self-made Lancashire tycoon. A stock target of Priestley's, this rapacious capitalist is the butt of some impassioned sermonising, put here into the mouth of Penderel. Porterhouse is 'weekending' with Gladys, the chorus girl, another of priestley's two-dimensional characters - the Fallen Woman. Gladys is not beyond salvation, however, and she and Penderel fall madly in love. Penderel has dated horribly. This type of hero - the moustachio'd, tweedbound war hero with the flippant, cheerful manner - seems ludicrous to a modern viewer. Perhaps the greatest criticism of Penderel is that his jokes are relentlessly unfunny. Melvyn Douglas is a sort of British bargain-basement Clark Gable, without the sex appeal. Raymond Massey is workmanlike as the bland 'nice guy' Philip. Ernest Thesiger gives his character, Horace Femm, a quirky appeal, but Eva Moore as Rebecca is too strident and unsubtle. Lillian Bond plays Gladys with a breezy charm and a natural insouciance. Brember Wills is unnerving as the unpredictable Saul. Karloff's first appearance is dramatic, and he sustains the menace of Morgan very effectively throughout the film. The chiaroscuro lighting effects are excellent, for example when Horace and Philip are alone on the staircase. Margaret's shadowplay is cleverly done, especially its powerful climax. Predictably for a creaking old British thriller, the film has some glaring flaws. Penderel and Gladys disappear to the barn for what must be several hours, but no-one seems to notice, not even Bill, Gladys's companion. When Morgan attacks Margaret in the main room, not one of the eight other people in the house is on hand to help the poor woman. The dialogue by means of which Penderel and Gladys declare their love is execrable sub-Noel Coward stuff. Why doesn't Saul finish off Penderel when he has him at his mercy on the hearth? And where does Horace disappear to when the action is going on? How come everyone is so matter-of-fact the following morning? And why are the travellers leaving, when the road is still blocked by the landslides? Verdict - a fairly feeble apparatus, enlivened by some good performances and Whale's directorial professionalism.

It's one of director James Whale's most offbeat films along with "Bride of Frankenstein" (IMHO his masterpiece). It's based on the J.B. Priestley novel and it was filmed during the Pre-Code Era. I'd say it's a mixture of horror film, spoof and black comedy...in some aspects it's related to "Arsenic and Old Lace", although it has a darker mood. On a very stormy night, a group of travelers find shelter in an eerie and scary welsh manor, inhabited by the "weird" Femm family, and there begins a quick chain of events (the film lasts only 72 minutes) until the film's conclusion. The weary and wet travelers include Raymond Massey and Gloria Stuart as a married couple who are traveling through the country with happy-go-lucky friend Mr. Penderel, played by Melvyn Douglas. Other travelers who arrive to this Huge House, are Charles Laughton, playing a rich businessman of humble origins with his lover, Lillian Bond, who's great and very sexy in her role of a joyous chorus-girl. Then we have the Femms: Religion fanatic Rebecca Femm, who has an obsession with "sinners", expertly played by sinister-looking Eva Moore; her wishy-washy brother Horace Femm, played by the great Ernest Thesiger, who impersonated "Dr. Pretorius" in "Bride of Frankenstein"; 102 years old Sir Roderick Femm, who is played by actress Elspeth Dudgeon, who's listed in the cast as "John" Dudgeon (creepy character!) and "seemingly harmless" psychopath and pyromaniac Saul Femm, played by Brember Wills. Boris Karloff deserves to be mentioned apart, who impersonates the scarred butler, Morgan, who lusts after Mrs. Waverton (Gloria Stuart), perhaps because she gets to wear a sexy 1930s low-cut dress, the type which pre-Code Jean Harlow wore. Whale's direction is excellent. I was especially impressed with the shot of the front of the spooky old house in which the Femms reside as seen from the eyes of the passengers in the car. Whale liked to use a subjective camera, which was unusual for many early thirties movies. The camera is the viewer as that viewer moves through the scenes. Best of all was the late Gloria Stuart's commentary on the Kino DVD, which was excellent. She is such a pleasure to listen to as she reminisces about the movie, and talks all about everyone involved. I never would've known anything about the brilliant actress Eva Moore if it wasn't for her great commentary. She provides so much insight, and is so funny and charming at the same time. She also talks about other things, and other aspects of her career. It's almost like having a conversation with her, she's that relaxed. She speaks very highly of James Whale, and says that he's the best director she ever worked with. She points out different aspects of his filming, especially his use of shadows. She says that making this movie was the high point of her career, and that she never made another movie that she enjoyed working on as much as this one. Take that James Cameron! Highly recommended.

This movie looks really great. The studio did a fantastic job of creating a really eerie mood--with a great tomb-like home and decent storm effects throughout the film. So the mood was certainly right for the film. However, despite being a very creepy film, poor acting and occasionally stupid moments in the plot make this only a passable thriller. As far as acting goes, the worst job was done by Charles Laughton. He was supposed to play a common working stiff who made good. But someone needed to tell him that to seem common you do not need to speak your lines at twice the normal volume. This is one of his earliest films and you can see he has a bit to learn. Also, inexplicably, at times Melvin Douglas' voice keeps cracking like he's in the throes of puberty. I really can't understand why. Now all the acting wasn't so poor. Ernest Thesiger carried the movie with his creepy and appropriate acting--he gives you the willies all by himself. And the rest of the cast was fine as well. Plot-wise, the movie just didn't make sense. Okay, you've got a homicidal arsonist locked in an upstairs room. So, you apparently hire a guy to watch him who is prone to getting drunk and trying to kill people himself?! Huh? And, the next day after these two maniacs ran about the home trying to kill everyone, you bid everyone goodbye with a smile on your face??!! Also, for some odd reason, some idiot thought that having Melvin Douglas instantly fall in love with Laughton's lady friend made sense. Well, this occurs so quickly and inexplicably that it doesn't. So how, despite these problems, does the film STILL merit a 6? Well, most of it is due to the general creepiness of the film. Despite plot holes and occasional over-acting, the film is just plain scary and creepy throughout.

First one carload of normal people who can't go on due to flash flooding stop in a Gothic horror house for food and shelter and then another. Strange doings are happening at the house occupied by the Femm family and their mute servant Morgan. You can't really say there is any kind of coherent plot to the unfolding events and plot for me is usually the one indispensable part of any film. But in this case I make an exception because obviously Director James Whale was having a little fun with the audience by now used to Universal Studios horror film products. Whale creates a film of dark moods and light banter among the guests who can't quite figure out what's with this family of weirdos. The Old Dark House marked the American film debut of Charles Laughton and Laughton overacts outrageously as does the whole cast in the role a bluff, overbearing, but essentially good hearted Manchester businessman who's got himself a Sir before his name and is right proud of it. This was also early work for Melvyn Douglas and Raymond Massey as another two of the guests. Boris Karloff plays the sinister and mute servant Morgan. Karloff had one of the great speaking voices ever in films and interesting that this and his break through role as the Frankenstein monster required no dialog. The Old Dark House is one great Halloween movie and listen close to the campy dialog that will tickle your funny bone if you don't miss it.

A bunch of annoying characters are stuck in an old, dark house in the middle of nowhere during a violent storm. The brother and sister (Ernest Thesiger, Eva Moore) who run the horse are strange and the mute butler (Boris Karloff) is scarred and violent. And where is that creepy laughter coming from? This film is considered a classic but I can't see why. I've seen it multiple times trying to figure out WHY people like this film and I'm at a loss. It has a great director (James Whale), a very good cast and an eerie setting but it falls flat. Mainly almost all the characters are annoying. You have some wonderful actors here giving their worst performances--Melvyn Douglas, Charles Laughton and Raymond Massey are the worst offenders. Moore and Thesiger are (I think) supposed to be amusing but their lines fall flat. Thesiger's looks give new meaning to the word "overacting"--also his constant recitation of "Have a potato" isn't even remotely funny. Moore is just loud and obnoxious. The only two that are good are Karloff (who's downright terrifying at times) and Gloria Stuart (young and beautiful). The script is full of attempts at humor that fall flat at every turn. The horror content is, at best, pretty weak. Only Karloff manages to scare and he can't carry the entire movie. I was basically bored and this seemed MUCH longer than it is (about 70 minutes or so). I think some people assume that since it's old, was lost for quite a few years and has a top director and cast it must automatically be great. Sadly it's not. Also the only print I've seen is in terrible shape--the sound is muddy and the picture is (at times) too dark to make out anything. I'm not holding the film itself responsible for that but it might have affected my judgment (but I don't think so). A 1.