THE OLD DARK HOUSE (1932)
Updated: Nov 6, 2022
A Chilling Horror Classic
Grade: A
The Old Dark House came out at a time when its studio, Universal Pictures, was becoming famous for its monster movies. The previous year had seen the release of two such pictures, Dracula and Frankenstein, both of which were major box office smashes. The Old Dark House was helmed by Frankenstein director James Whale and, while not as initially successful as his earlier film, it still has an unsettling atmosphere and scare factor that rivals even the most famous monster movies of the time. Especially since, in this particular Universal horror picture, the monsters are human beings.
Based on a novel by J.B. Priestly, The Old Dark House follows an outline that would become a classic horror staple: a group of people becomes lost and/or stranded in the middle of nowhere and look for help and/or refuge in a place where strange things are brewing. The group here consists of Philip and Margaret Waverton (Raymond Massey and Gloria Stuart) and their friend Roger Penderel (Melvyn Douglas), who are driving at the film’s outset through a violent thunderstorm in the Welsh mountains. The amusing opening shows Philip and Margaret bickering in the front while a literally laid-back Penderel is singing in the back. Soon they come across the titular dwelling and are greeted by its occupants, Horace Femm (Ernest Thesiger), his deaf sister Rebecca (Eva Moore), and the mute, brutish butler Morgan (Boris Karloff). Not long after, another couple emerges from the storm, the rotund Sir William Porterhouse (Charles Laughton) and chorus girl Gladys DuCane (Lilian Bond).
It gradually becomes clear to the visitors, especially to Margaret, that something isn’t quite right about this place. The siblings are bitter towards each other, and Rebecca is particularly hostile to Gladys. Morgan is unpleasant to look at, and he is rather aggressive. And while retrieving a lantern after the power goes out, Philip notices a plate of mostly-eaten food next to a locked door on an upper landing. Before long, everyone’s lives are in danger, and the visitors must fight both Morgan and a third sibling-the insane Saul Femm (Brember Willis)-to survive.
The film is an early example of the slow-burn thriller. Once the travelers are inside the house, the creepy occupants establish the disturbing nature of the story. It builds and builds from there, punctuated with brief, shocking moments, before exploding into violence in the climax. Whale effectively utilizes the production, sound design and especially the actors to create this sense of dread. A dark and stormy night is a classic setting for scary stories, and the set designers do an impressive job of making it seem both real and frightening. The thunderclaps are loud and sudden, creating a jolt in the suspenseful moments, and the wind can always be heard howling and whistling as the fireplaces illuminate the stone walls of the house. And in an early scene where Rebecca is talking to Margaret, the camera shows Rebecca's face being distorted in several parts of the bedroom mirror, adding to her character’s upsetting personality.
What really makes The Old Dark House scary and effective are the actors. The travelers play off each other very well, especially Douglas and Bond, whose characters fall in love rather fast. But the occupants are disturbing, and their performers make them convincing to the point that they get under the skin. Horace is absolutely ghoulish in appearance and is mortally scared of dying, as well as what lies on the top floor of the house. Rebecca is very antagonistic, loudly judging everyone around her-especially her brother and Margaret-for their perceived sins. When their brother Saul is revealed, he almost convinces the travelers-and us-that he is not actually mad, as his family claimed him to be, but quickly reveals himself as such. When talking to Roger about fire, he gradually acts more and more maniacal, comparing himself to King Saul and his attempts to kill David, before finally making his move.
And then there is Morgan. Karloff is, of course, most famous for playing Frankenstein’s Monster, and here the actor is once again a lumbering brute decked out in makeup. But Morgan is even scarier; the Monster is a misunderstood figure, thrust into a world that hates him who finds a few moments of happiness that are fleeting. Morgan, on the other hand, is just plain mean, visibly lusting after Margaret and letting Saul out of his room so he can burn down the house. The scene where it takes three men to subdue Morgan and lock him in the kitchen is intense even by today’s standards, thanks in large part to Karloff’s frightening and hulking presence.
In the ninety years since The Old Dark House’s release, a lot has changed when it comes to what is acceptable to show in the movies, as well as what it takes to scare audiences. But one method that has proven effective time and again is the buildup of suspense, whether that be through the story or the characters. Director Whale knew this when he made it, and it is for this reason that the movie is still unsettling today. Some horror movies made in the 1930s are far less scary when viewed today, but the characters and atmosphere in The Old Dark House help it to stand the test of time.
Director: James Whale Screenplay: Benn W. Levy, R.C. Sherriff (Based on the novel "Benighted" by J.B. Priestly)
Producer: Carl Laemmle, Jr.
Cast: Boris Karloff (Morgan), Melvyn Douglas (Roger Penderel), Raymond Massey (Philip Waverton), Gloria Stuart (Margaret Waverton), Charles Laughton (Sir William Porterhouse), Lilian Bond (Gladys DuCane/Perkins), Ernest Thesiger (Horace Femm), Eva Moore (Rebecca Femm), Brember Willis (Saul Femm), Elspeth Dudgeon (Sir Roderick Femm)
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