The Return of the Vampire *** (1943, Bela Lugosi, Matt Willis, Nina Foch, Frieda Inescort, Roland Varno, Miles Mander) – Classic Movie Review 3337

‘Terrifying! Paralyzing! Horrifying!’ Ah, yes! An explosion unearths the coffin of the blood-sucking Armand Tesla (Bela Lugosi) as the German bombs cause death, destruction and chaos in World War Two Blitz-torn London. A cemetery caretaker (George McKay) unwittingly frees the monster by taking the stake out of his heart and a new vampire terror stalks the streets! Tesla assumes the identity of Dr Hugo Bruckner, a scientist escaped from a concentration camp, and plots revenge on the family who put him out of action in 1918.

Lugosi’s splendidly eerie turn lends director Lew Landers creepy and likeable if often ineffective 1943 horror movie with a story based on an idea by Kurt Neumann that has sadly now mostly lost its power to send shivers down the spine.

Columbia’s production is shoddy looking and Griffin Jay’s screenplay is flaccid and purposeless (additional dialogue by Randall Faye). The presence of the talking werewolf (Matt Willis as the Wolfman, Andreas Obry) as Lugosi’s assistant and nemesis is pointless. And the once-scary-seeming ending, with the vampire’s familiar death from the effects of sunlight and crucifix is now spoiled by the crudeness of the special effects. It is impossible today to imagine why they were once so chilling that they were cut from some release prints!

However, there are unusually strong women’s roles in a horror movie of this era for Nina Foch as Nicki Saunders, Ottola Nesmith as the governess Elsa Walter, Jeanne Bates as Miss Norcutt and especially Frieda Inescort as the titled lady asylum operator Lady Jane Ainsley, who tries to target Lugosi for destruction. Indeed, there’s a good cast all round and, for all its faults, above all the movie is still worthwhile for Lugosi.

Also in the cast are Roland Varno as John Ainsley, Miles Mander as Sir Frederick Fleet, Gilbert Emery, Leslie Denison, William Austin, Billy Bevan, Olaf Hytten and Harold De Becker.

It was popular and Columbia grossed nearly $500,000 from the film on a cost of $75,000.

© Derek Winnert 2016 Classic Movie Review 3337

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