The Black Cat

THE BLACK CAT (1934): Starring- Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi,

David Manners, Julie Bishop

Directed by- Edgar G. Ulmer

Since I'm still trying to wash out the bad taste left in the back of my throat by FEAR NO EVIL, I decided to get back to the classics, if only for a brief 66 minutes. So, I popped in a copy of THE BLACK CAT. Well, for me, that's the perfect cure for the bad-movie-blues.

While not as well known as the other Universal classics (FRANKENSTEIN, DRACULA, THE WOLF MAN, etc.), this movie is just as great, and I'd be as quick to watch it again as I would to watch some of those others.

But what a weird movie it is. Really, I'm amazed they got away with this one in 1934....

The plot concerns a young married couple, Peter (Manners) and Joan (Bishop), on their honeymoon in Hungary. As they arrive, they end up sharing a cab with with Dr. Vitus Verdegast (Lugosi) and his servant.

While driving through a violent storm (Don't you just love how there's always a storm in these movies?), they end up crashing, which kills the driver. As luck would have it, Verdegast realizes that they are very near the home of his old "friend" Hjalmar Poelzig (Karloff). They arrive at the house and are immediately allowed to stay for the night.

But all is not as it seems. The truth is that Poelzig is a high Satanic priest, and he betrayed Verdegast during WWI, resulting in the deaths of thousands, and Verdegast's long imprisonment. Because of this, Verdegast has harbored a deep hatred for Poelzig, and has come seeking revenge. What he soon learns is that while he was imprisoned, Poelzig married his wife and adopted his daughter. Verdegast also learns that his wife has since died, and Poelzig has encased her body in a glass case, "Preserving her beauty...", and has married Verdegast's daughter.

But things don't end there. Poelzig has plans for Verdegast, and for Peter and Joan.

As I said, this movie was way ahead of its time both in plot, and in style.

The set design, camera work, photography and locations are all perfect and atmospheric.

And the plot... Well, wow. It really is bizarre and dark for the 1930's, with its Satanic rituals, hints of necrophilia, pedophilia, and the particularly nasty fate that befalls Poelzig in the film's final moments. It's also interesting that, by the end of the film, most of the cast (including an entire cult!) is dead. The only thing I could find to explain the title is that Verdegast has a pathological fear of black cats.

As for the acting, all of the performances are excellent, though I never really liked David Manners that much. Well, anyway, this was one of the first films to team Karloff and Lugosi, and they're absolutely phenomenal together. I often wonder if the story about the two actors hating each other in real life is true, because they play off of each other so well. If the rumor is true, I guess that just proves what great actors they both were.

I feel that I should mention that this movie also has some incredible dialogue ("Did you hear that, Vitus? Even the phone is dead....").

So, you should definitely see this one.

My Rating: * * * 1/2 out of * * * *