A wise man (or maybe it was a woman) once said something about wanting a thing was an entirely different experience than having a thing.
Though the heart wants what the heart wants, such covetousness is largely driven by desire and not, say, factual experience. We don’t know what it’s like to live a life of luxury, but that ignorance never lessens the burgeoning appeal. Once we have it and we’ve shackled with all of the trials and tribulations that typically goes hand-in-hand with money management, government grift, and family and friends coming out of the woodwork to share in our wealth, then we come to understand what is meant by the phrase: “Money doesn’t necessarily solve all your problems.” Typically, the accrual of wealth usually brings with it a whole new spectrum of difficulties; and, while we still might wish to see what those lifestyles of the rich and famous are truly like, there’s always a downside to every advantage. You might just have to work harder to find it.
For me, the same could be said about living a life obsessed with film. Over the years of watching them, reading about them, and reviewing them online and beyond, I’ve heard so many great things about so many productions that I stopped years ago adding any new titles to my Bucket List. I’ll simply have to see what I can get to, and everything else will simply have to wait until my next go-round assuming I qualify for reincarnation. The only flicks I still hold out hope to witness at this point are those that I can make time for and I’ve heard plenty about – meaning it’s basically a required experience – and that brings me to today’s vision: 1932’s The Old Dark House.
Directed by James Whale, this Classic/Drama was adapted from J.B. Preistley’s 1928 novel (“Benighted”) by Benn W. Levy and R.C. Sherriff. It stars Boris Karloff, Melvyn Douglas, Charles Laughton, Gloria Stuart, and Lilian Bond in key roles. The story essentially revolves some weary travelers who seek refuge from the rain inside the Femm Mansion – about as curious a collection of misfits that has even been captured on film – for the duration of what appears to be the darkest and stormiest of nights ever. While the picture veers heavily toward Horror of the bygone era, its plot never quite commits strong enough to make it worthy of the reputation I’ve seen attached to it. Though that’s a tad disheartening, I’d still encourage those who’ve never seen it that it’s worth the time … especially if you’re a fan of Karloff. His work here is impressive, even more so given the fact that he’s in surprisingly few scenes.
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters. If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for the final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
From the film’s IMBD.com page:
“Seeking shelter from a storm, five travelers are in for a bizarre and terrifying night when they stumble upon the Femm family estate.”
Though the heart wants what the heart wants, such covetousness is largely driven by desire and not, say, factual experience. We don’t know what it’s like to live a life of luxury, but that ignorance never lessens the burgeoning appeal. Once we have it and we’ve shackled with all of the trials and tribulations that typically goes hand-in-hand with money management, government grift, and family and friends coming out of the woodwork to share in our wealth, then we come to understand what is meant by the phrase: “Money doesn’t necessarily solve all your problems.” Typically, the accrual of wealth usually brings with it a whole new spectrum of difficulties; and, while we still might wish to see what those lifestyles of the rich and famous are truly like, there’s always a downside to every advantage. You might just have to work harder to find it.
For me, the same could be said about living a life obsessed with film. Over the years of watching them, reading about them, and reviewing them online and beyond, I’ve heard so many great things about so many productions that I stopped years ago adding any new titles to my Bucket List. I’ll simply have to see what I can get to, and everything else will simply have to wait until my next go-round assuming I qualify for reincarnation. The only flicks I still hold out hope to witness at this point are those that I can make time for and I’ve heard plenty about – meaning it’s basically a required experience – and that brings me to today’s vision: 1932’s The Old Dark House.
Directed by James Whale, this Classic/Drama was adapted from J.B. Preistley’s 1928 novel (“Benighted”) by Benn W. Levy and R.C. Sherriff. It stars Boris Karloff, Melvyn Douglas, Charles Laughton, Gloria Stuart, and Lilian Bond in key roles. The story essentially revolves some weary travelers who seek refuge from the rain inside the Femm Mansion – about as curious a collection of misfits that has even been captured on film – for the duration of what appears to be the darkest and stormiest of nights ever. While the picture veers heavily toward Horror of the bygone era, its plot never quite commits strong enough to make it worthy of the reputation I’ve seen attached to it. Though that’s a tad disheartening, I’d still encourage those who’ve never seen it that it’s worth the time … especially if you’re a fan of Karloff. His work here is impressive, even more so given the fact that he’s in surprisingly few scenes.
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters. If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for the final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
From the film’s IMBD.com page:
“Seeking shelter from a storm, five travelers are in for a bizarre and terrifying night when they stumble upon the Femm family estate.”
Those of you who like those ‘dark and stormy night’ stories? Well, then you have a treat in store for you because – by all accounts – The Old Dark House is arguably the original ‘dark and stormy night.’ Yes, it’s set entirely in a single night – though daylight breaks in the last few scenes – and its curious inhabitants spend the better part of those overnight hours either in conversation or kinda/sorta running for their lives, though the sense of tension is a bit overplayed in the way that films from the 1930’s and 1940’s had a habit of doing. The talented bunch – all at Whale’s direction – make the most of the affair, even if the story revolves more on its manufactured circumstances than it does any singular performance.
Basically, Philip Waverton (played by Raymond Massey), Margaret Waverton (Gloria Stuart), and their tagalong pal Penderel (Melvyn Douglas) find themselves in an increasingly frightening thunderstorm, one that keeps washing out the road they’re traveling on. Before long, they seek refuge at a rather dark estate owned by Sir Roderick Femm (Elspeth Dudgeon) and his heirs, Horace (Ernest Thesiger), Saul (Brember Wills), and Rebecca (Eva Moore), along with their heavily scarred manservant Morgan (Boris Karloff). Sir William Porterhouse (Charles Laughton) and Gladys (Lilian Bond) join the group later as another group caught out in the downpour. Before the night is over, the house’s secrets will be revealed – whether anyone wanted to know them or not – and new allegiances will be forged … but not without the threat of violence making some band together for fear of their mortal lives.
Now, I don’t want to spoil things about whether or not blood gets spilled because – with a flick like House – a great deal of the joy in experiencing it is seeing it fresh and firsthand. Each and every member of the Femm household is a bit of a character (to say the least); and we learn just enough about them to loosely grasp why it is they are they way they are but nothing more. Some might argue that the script suggests other layers to some of these relationships, but I’m not one to overthink such themes, leaving that kind of esoteric fluff to those who think they know better than I. (Could the siblings have partaken of taboo feelings for one another? Might even a few of the men shared some heterosexual longings? This was pre-Code Hollywood, after all, so make of that what you will.) The whole shebang works just fine given those traits plainly established, so I’ll ignore the usual did-they-or-didn’t-they speculation because is irrelevant to the plot.
Frankly, I think it’s highly inaccurate to refer to The Old Dark House exclusively as a Horror movie. Mind you: a great deal of what has been written about the flick suggests it deserves to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Universal Pictures output of the early 1930’s especially when it comes to Horror, and you won’t find me arguing otherwise. Director Whale truly put the studio on the map with outings like Frankenstein (1931), The Invisible Man (1933), and Bride Of Frankenstein (1935), and it’s very easy to see House existing in that same cinematic universe much in the same way Walt Disney and Marvel’s slate of Superhero/Thrillers exist in the same construct though there may be little or no crossover characters or circumstances. While the film arguably has some recognizable bits and pieces commonly associated with the genre – i.e. a Gothic mansion, mildly crazed if not borderline psychotic characters, and Hollywood heavyweight Boris Karloff doing what only he could do so well – the story bobs and weaves too much between oddball comedy and the worst trappings of dated melodrama possible. In fact, House only borrows lightly from perhaps the Slasher subset of Horror – and, even then, only in the last reel – leaving me a bit underwhelmed so far as thrills and spills go. Imagine – if you will – Dracula opened his own bread-and-breakfast for the sole purpose of entertaining wayward travelers and never partook of his usual bloody behaviors, and that’s kinda/sorta the dynamic audiences get with House. It’s close yet a distant second.
Basically, Philip Waverton (played by Raymond Massey), Margaret Waverton (Gloria Stuart), and their tagalong pal Penderel (Melvyn Douglas) find themselves in an increasingly frightening thunderstorm, one that keeps washing out the road they’re traveling on. Before long, they seek refuge at a rather dark estate owned by Sir Roderick Femm (Elspeth Dudgeon) and his heirs, Horace (Ernest Thesiger), Saul (Brember Wills), and Rebecca (Eva Moore), along with their heavily scarred manservant Morgan (Boris Karloff). Sir William Porterhouse (Charles Laughton) and Gladys (Lilian Bond) join the group later as another group caught out in the downpour. Before the night is over, the house’s secrets will be revealed – whether anyone wanted to know them or not – and new allegiances will be forged … but not without the threat of violence making some band together for fear of their mortal lives.
Now, I don’t want to spoil things about whether or not blood gets spilled because – with a flick like House – a great deal of the joy in experiencing it is seeing it fresh and firsthand. Each and every member of the Femm household is a bit of a character (to say the least); and we learn just enough about them to loosely grasp why it is they are they way they are but nothing more. Some might argue that the script suggests other layers to some of these relationships, but I’m not one to overthink such themes, leaving that kind of esoteric fluff to those who think they know better than I. (Could the siblings have partaken of taboo feelings for one another? Might even a few of the men shared some heterosexual longings? This was pre-Code Hollywood, after all, so make of that what you will.) The whole shebang works just fine given those traits plainly established, so I’ll ignore the usual did-they-or-didn’t-they speculation because is irrelevant to the plot.
Frankly, I think it’s highly inaccurate to refer to The Old Dark House exclusively as a Horror movie. Mind you: a great deal of what has been written about the flick suggests it deserves to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Universal Pictures output of the early 1930’s especially when it comes to Horror, and you won’t find me arguing otherwise. Director Whale truly put the studio on the map with outings like Frankenstein (1931), The Invisible Man (1933), and Bride Of Frankenstein (1935), and it’s very easy to see House existing in that same cinematic universe much in the same way Walt Disney and Marvel’s slate of Superhero/Thrillers exist in the same construct though there may be little or no crossover characters or circumstances. While the film arguably has some recognizable bits and pieces commonly associated with the genre – i.e. a Gothic mansion, mildly crazed if not borderline psychotic characters, and Hollywood heavyweight Boris Karloff doing what only he could do so well – the story bobs and weaves too much between oddball comedy and the worst trappings of dated melodrama possible. In fact, House only borrows lightly from perhaps the Slasher subset of Horror – and, even then, only in the last reel – leaving me a bit underwhelmed so far as thrills and spills go. Imagine – if you will – Dracula opened his own bread-and-breakfast for the sole purpose of entertaining wayward travelers and never partook of his usual bloody behaviors, and that’s kinda/sorta the dynamic audiences get with House. It’s close yet a distant second.
Furthermore, House is one of the chattiest vintage frights I’ve come across in some time.
The lion’s share of the screen time is spent in conversations between these various and asunder couplings, some of which might have modern viewers rolling their eyes over the incredulity. That’s not a complaint for me because I do enjoy a good talker, and – on that front – I enjoyed spending time with characters who had something to say. (Sorry, folks, but real love – the kind that effective marriages are built on – isn’t achieved at first sight nor after a single meal and a snuggle in a parked car.) In particular, Thesiger, Moore, and Wills put on incredibly creepy performances that give an otherwise somber palate the vivid life you never thought possible. Dudgeon’s turn as the elder Femm is good, although it feels a bit too clean based entirely on the winding branches sprung from family tree. Thankfully, the last third of the motion picture gives way to the ultimate reason why House is considered a Horror – Morgan shows what a screen menace could look like physically whilst Saul might give Hannibal Lecter a run for his money – and finally a good time is had by all … well, at least the audience, that is.
The Old Dark House (1932) was produced by Universal Pictures. DVD distribution (for this particular release) has been coordinated by the fine folks at the Cohen Film Collection. As for the technical specifications? While I’m no trained video expert, I thought that the provided sights-and-sounds were exceptional for this restored print. Lastly, if you’re looking for special features? The disc boasts not one but two commentary tracks – one from Whale biographer James Curtis and another from actress Stuart – along with a few nicely produced extras. It’s a solid effort.
Recommended.
As I’ve tried to be clear, The Old Dark House (1932) is and isn’t what it’s all cracked up to be. Supported by an incredible reputation amongst film elite, I went in to these 70+ minutes expecting a lot more than what was delivered; and I think that’s because it had been elevated to something no flick could be in my own mind. Granted, there’s a good deal to explore and pontificate over – if that’s your thing – but as a standalone experience? Well … it’s not quite a Horror, it’s not quite a Comedy, and it’s not quite a Melodrama. The fact that it so effectively avoids being pigeonholed into any specific category does suggest it’s worth the time; and still I found it to fall short of the legend so many had previously painted it to be.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at the Cohen Media Group provided me with a complimentary Blu-ray of The Old Dark House (1932) by request for the expressed purpose of completing this review. Their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.
-- EZ
The lion’s share of the screen time is spent in conversations between these various and asunder couplings, some of which might have modern viewers rolling their eyes over the incredulity. That’s not a complaint for me because I do enjoy a good talker, and – on that front – I enjoyed spending time with characters who had something to say. (Sorry, folks, but real love – the kind that effective marriages are built on – isn’t achieved at first sight nor after a single meal and a snuggle in a parked car.) In particular, Thesiger, Moore, and Wills put on incredibly creepy performances that give an otherwise somber palate the vivid life you never thought possible. Dudgeon’s turn as the elder Femm is good, although it feels a bit too clean based entirely on the winding branches sprung from family tree. Thankfully, the last third of the motion picture gives way to the ultimate reason why House is considered a Horror – Morgan shows what a screen menace could look like physically whilst Saul might give Hannibal Lecter a run for his money – and finally a good time is had by all … well, at least the audience, that is.
The Old Dark House (1932) was produced by Universal Pictures. DVD distribution (for this particular release) has been coordinated by the fine folks at the Cohen Film Collection. As for the technical specifications? While I’m no trained video expert, I thought that the provided sights-and-sounds were exceptional for this restored print. Lastly, if you’re looking for special features? The disc boasts not one but two commentary tracks – one from Whale biographer James Curtis and another from actress Stuart – along with a few nicely produced extras. It’s a solid effort.
Recommended.
As I’ve tried to be clear, The Old Dark House (1932) is and isn’t what it’s all cracked up to be. Supported by an incredible reputation amongst film elite, I went in to these 70+ minutes expecting a lot more than what was delivered; and I think that’s because it had been elevated to something no flick could be in my own mind. Granted, there’s a good deal to explore and pontificate over – if that’s your thing – but as a standalone experience? Well … it’s not quite a Horror, it’s not quite a Comedy, and it’s not quite a Melodrama. The fact that it so effectively avoids being pigeonholed into any specific category does suggest it’s worth the time; and still I found it to fall short of the legend so many had previously painted it to be.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at the Cohen Media Group provided me with a complimentary Blu-ray of The Old Dark House (1932) by request for the expressed purpose of completing this review. Their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.
-- EZ
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