The Old Dark House

Unrated

9/30/20171h 10m

Premiere Release (US)

~ Beware the night! ~

Overview:

In a remote region of Wales, five travelers beset by a relentless storm find shelter in an old mansion.

Director:

James Whale

Status:

Released

Language:

English

Buget:

$0.00

Revenue:

$0.00

Key words:

wales
based on novel or book
family secrets
social satire
black and white
old dark house
madness
pre-code
isolated house
stormy night
creepy house
mute servant
social prejudice

Cast

Boris Karloff

~ as ~

Morgan

Melvyn Douglas

~ as ~

Penderel

Charles Laughton

~ as ~

Sir William Porterhouse

Lilian Bond

~ as ~

Gladys

Ernest Thesiger

~ as ~

Horace Femm

Eva Moore

~ as ~

Rebecca Femm

Raymond Massey

~ as ~

Philip Waverton

Gloria Stuart

~ as ~

Margaret Waverton

Elspeth Dudgeon

~ as ~

Sir Roderick Femm

Brember Wills

~ as ~

Saul Femm

View full cast & crew

Reviews (2)

John Chard
Written 6 year(s) ago
8
Beware The Night.

As a violent storm rages, five travellers in a remote part of Wales take refuge at a creepy looking mansion that's home to the "odd" Femm family...

Weird, exciting and positively funny haunted house film with a top cast that's directed by one of Horror's greatest directors, James Whale. Based loosely around J.B. Priestley's novel "Benighted", the piece is further boosted by excellent camera work from Arthur Edeson and a screenplay that positively zips with memorable moments. Upon release in America the film was poorly received, yet unsurprisingly given it's British dryness, it was well liked in Britain. Even spawning an imitation in the form of The Ghoul, with both Boris Karloff and the irrepressible Ernest Thesiger again starring.

The Old Dark House got a reissue in the late 30s after the Horror genre had been reinvigorated by the likes of King Kong, but sadly it fell off the radar once the rights had reverted to Priestley. The film then appeared to be lost for many many years until Curtis Harrington (director of such TV Horror fare like Killer Bees) found a print in the archives in 1968, and thankfully got the funding to have the film restored and preserved. Thus now, and as far from perfect as the print is, the piece can be enjoyed by anyone with a bent for such a unique blend of Horror & Comedy.

You have to be prepared for its kooky nature to truly enjoy the experience, but all being well The Old Dark House will continue to garner new fans with each passing year. The supreme director and marvellous cast deserve that at least. 8/10
CinemaSerf
Written 3 year(s) ago
7
James Whale really did put together an excellent cast for this comic horror film. On a foul night; five stranded travellers seek shelter in a creepy old Welsh manor house - occupied by the even creepier "Femm" family and their almost anthropoid servant "Morgan" (Boris Karloff). As the evening progresses, lots of drink is taken and we meet the servant's pyromaniac brother and mayhem ensues. There are super performances from Melvyn Douglas, Ernest Thesiger and Raymond Massey with Eva Moore as the horrid "Rebecca" and a fantastically over-the-top Charles Laughton as "Sir William Porterhouse". The sets are a bit on the basic side and the lighting could have done with some more wattage, but it is all eerily directed with a plenty of wit and charm - well worth a watch.