Dracula’s Daughter *** (1936, Otto Kruger, Gloria Holden, Marguerite Churchill, Edward Van Sloan) – Classic Movie Review 2,767

Gloria Holden stars as the vampire Countess Marya Zaleska in the 1936 American horror film Dracula’s Daughter, Universal Pictures’ sequel to the 1931 Dracula.

Director Lambert Hillyer’s 1936 horror movie Dracula’s Daughter (remotely based on Bram Stoker’s 1914 short story Dracula’s Guest) is a low-budget, effective sequel to the 1931 Dracula that picks up (alas without Bela Lugosi) where it leaves off.

The script and direction are uneven, but the movie keeps on the rails from the eerie opening in a forest where countess Contessa Marya Zaleska (Gloria Holden) sends her father Count Dracula to the funeral flames, through the central section where she yearns to be free of vampire lusts and falls for psychiatrist Jeffrey Garth (Otto Kruger), who unmasks her identity, to the rush of action at the finale.

A touch of clandestine lesbianism helps to spice it up nicely, while Edward Van Sloan (the only cast member to return from the original) re-creates his fine rendition of Professor Von Helsing [sic], who is accused by the police of killing Dracula, as seen at the end of the first film.

The story is by John L Balderston, co-author of the 1925 play on which both the 1931 Dracula and 1979 Dracula films are based and writer on the 1931 Dracula and Frankenstein. The screenplay is by Garrett Fort, with Oliver Jeffries, actually David O Selznick, credited for suggestion.

Selznick bought the rights to the story for MGM, but, probably realising he could not legally make the film because of Universal’s copyright on the original film and the name Dracula, sold the rights to the studio for $12,500, which included the rights to Balderston’s scenario that he had commissioned.

Also in the cast are Irving Pichel, Nan Grey, Hedda Hopper, Halliwell Hobbes, Gilbert Emery, Claud Allister, E E Clive, Billy Bevan, Gordon Hart, Douglas Wood, Joseph E Tozer, Eily Maylon, Fred Walton, Christian Rub, Wilhelm von Brincken, Edgar Norton, Guy Kingsford, David, Dunbar, Paul Weigel, George Sorel, Douglas Gordon, Eric Wilton, Agnes Anderson, William Schramm, Owen Gorin, Elsa Janssen, Bert Sprotte, John Blood, Clive Morgan, Hedwig Reicher and John Power.

Countess Zaleska seduces Lili (Nan Grey). Universal highlighted Zaleska’s attraction to women in some of its original advertising for the film, using the tag line ‘Save the women of London from Dracula’s Daughter!’ This links the film to Carmilla, Joseph Sheridan le Fanu’s 1872 Gothic novella, the first published British work of fiction to deal with lesbian relationships.

Dracula’s Guest is an excised chapter from Bram Stoker’s original novel, published as a short story in 1914, after Stoker’s death in 1912.

Universal studio head Carl Laemmle Jr wanted James Whale to direct Dracula’s Daughter, but instead Whale was waiting for Irene Dunne to begin work on his 1936 film Show Boat. Laemmle replaced Whale with A Edward Sutherland, who soon left the studio, so Hillyer came aboard.

Makeup artist Jack Pierce and special effects supervisor John P Fulton worked closely, especially on Holden’s make-up.

Art director Albert S D’Agostino re-dressed Charles D Hall’s 1931 Dracula castle set and created new sets, including a London bridge, the moor where Dracula’s body is burned, and Countess Zaleska’s apartment.

Dracula’s Daughter is directed by Lambert Hillyer, runs 70 minutes, is made and released by Universal Pictures, is written by Garrett Fort (screenplay), John Balderston (story) and Oliver Jeffries [David O Selznick] (suggestion), based on Bram Stoker’s 1914 short story Dracula’s Guest, is shot in black and white by George Robinson, is produced by E M Asher, is scored by Heinz Roemheld, and is designed by Albert D’Agostino, with special effects by John P Fulton.

Release date: May 11, 1936.

The cast

The cast are Otto Kruger as Dr Jeffrey Garth, Gloria Holden as Countess Marya Zaleska, Dracula’s daughter, Marguerite Churchill as Janet Blake, Irving Pichel as Sandor, Halliwell Hobbes as Hawkins, Billy Bevan as Constable Albert, Nan Grey as Lili, Hedda Hopper as Lady Esme Hammond, Claud Allister as Sir Aubrey Bedford, Gilbert Emery as Sir Basil Humphrey of Scotland Yard, Edward Van Sloan as Professor Von Helsing, Edgar Norton as butler Hobbs, E. E. Clive as Sergeant Wilkes, Christian Rub as Coachman, Vernon Steele as Squires, Fred Walton as Dr Beemish.

© Derek Winnert 2015 Classic Movie Review 2,767

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Countess Zaleska seduces Lili (Nan Grey).