Isle Of The Dead (1945)

Although I have watched a number of the Val Lewton-produced films of the 1940s by now, I decided to review this one not so long after I Walked With A Zombie because it feels, in many ways, as if it covers familiar ground. It's overflowing with the usual atmosphere, of course, but at the heart of it is an examination of characters who disagree over the power of faith, with one particular individual seemingly happy to do make themselves look bad if it benefits the greater good.

Boris Karloff is General Nikolas Pherides, a man who visits the "Isle Of The Dead" to pay respects to his dead wife. He is accompanied by a reporter (Oliver Davis, played by Marc Cramer). Discovering the grave site has been disturbed, Pherides and Davis eventually wander through different parts of the island, ending up at the household of Dr. Aubrecht (Jason Robards Sr.), who also has the company of his housemaid (Madame Kyra, played by Helen Thimig), a visitor named St. Aubyn (Alan Napier), his poorly wife (Mary St. Aubyn, played by Katherine Emery), and their young companion, Thea (Ellen Drew). There are one or two others also packed into this one household, but these names make up the main group. Unfortunately, all end up quarantined when one of the guests dies from what a doctor diagnoses as the plague. Can everyone hold out, stay safe, and wait for quarantine to be over? Or will they remain in danger until they get rid of the vorvolaka (a malevolent demon in human form) in their midst? Most people don't believe in the vorvolaka, but Madame Kyra does, and she intimates to Pherides that she suspects Thea.

Written mainly by the talented Ardel Wray, Isle Of The Dead is a character study, an examination of the hold that folklore can have over some people, and essentially a battle between faith and science. The scenario allows neither side an obvious path to victory, but that does nothing to dim the belief of anyone hoping against all hope that they will be helped by the system they support.

Director Mark Robson has everything he needs to help make this a cracking little yarn. The script is solid, and has one or two genuinely creepy moments amidst the plague drama, the production design and set dressing is superb (allowing the locations to feel 100% real throughout), and there’s an absolutely fantastic performance from Karloff at the heart of it, a man who can steel himself to do what others would find unpalatable, to say the least.

Although there is ample screentime for both Cramer and Drew, the younger members of the group who end up trapped and in danger, and you also have some scene-stealing from Thimig and Emery, the two women causing tension in very different ways, this is a film that belongs to Karloff. When he is onscreen he is magnificent, but he also casts a lengthy shadow that slows you to feel his presence for many moments that don’t have him front and centre.

Clocking in at about 70 minutes, this is another lean chiller that does everything it wants to do, setting things up quickly and then allowing for a really interesting middle section before the resolution starts to play out. Although not mentioned half as often as some other great titles from this time, Isle Of The Dead deserves a hefty serving of praise and recognition. It’s a fantastic little film, and I hope others find it, or (for those who found it way before I did and are currently rolling their eyes at my standard tardiness) I hope people keep recommending it alongside the more commonly-mentioned titles in this category.

8/10

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I Walked With A Zombie (1943)

Arguably the best thing about being a fan of cinema, and having over a century of cinema to work through, is the fact that there will always be some major classics to look forward to. Okay, I am sure there are some people out there who have seen everything they want to (and everything they feel they should watch, even if it is just checking off one of those “1000 Films To Watch Before You Die” lists). I am not one of those people. I still have a lot of films to get to that have glowing reputations I have been aware of for decades. I Walked With A Zombie is one of those films.

Frances Dee is Betsy Connell, a woman who takes a job as a nursemaid on the Caribbean island of Saint Sebastian. She ends up working for the Holland family. There is Paul Holland (Tom Conway), married to the patient, Jessica Holland (Christine Gordon), a woman who has been left in a “zombiefied” state after an accident some time ago. Wesley Rand (James Ellison) is Paul’s half-brother, simmering with regret and resentment. And the matriarch of the household is Mrs. Rand (Edith Barrett), a doctor who seems to have put a lot more faith in the local voodoo beliefs and practices than her science.

Another atmospheric film directed by Jacques Tourneur, and another one helped along immensely by producer Val Lewton, I Walk With A Zombie is a number of different things, from a discussion about the situation conflict between science and faith to a dark and stormy gothic romance, from an exploration of slavery to an exploration of deceit and guilt. What I would point out here, however, is that it doesn’t stand out as a horror film. I am happy enough to consider it within the genre, being non-rigid and fluid with genres is important, but I feel the need to mention this here, for fear of other late-comers who may be looking for a more straightforward zombie tale.

Although the title was lifted directly from a magazine article headline, writers Curt Siodmak and Ardel Wray feel as if they were given great freedom to plot their way around the titular event. Also taking great inspiration from Jane Eyre, the storyline allows everything to build to a crescendo without feeling rush (which is a pleasant surprise, considering that the runtime comes in at just under 70 minutes).

Dee is very good in her role, acting as a wonderfully calm mediator between many of the other characters. Conway and Ellison are both suitably perturbed in various ways, both pained by the central situation in different ways. Then you have Gordon, who makes one hell of an impact in the second half of the film, despite the fact that her character has no will of her own. Barrett is perfectly fine, Theresa Harris is a likable presence as the housemaid, Alma, and Sir Lancelot steals a scene or two with his singing of a song that seems to hint at the backstory of the Rand family.

It is always nice to finally get to a classic movie and find how well-deserved that reputation is. Thankfully, it happens quite often while working back through the rich history of cinema that is available to us. I Walked With A Zombie has everything you would hope. There’s great use of resources to make it look as good as can be, some wonderful music by Roy Webb, memorable characters being placed in jeopardy, and a finale as moving as it is tense.

8/10

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The Leopard Man (1943)

Another excellent film from Jacque Tourneur, once again teamed up with producer Val Lewton (this would be their third success in the span of just two years), The Leopard Man is a whole mess of different movie genres jumbled into one, and it's a fascinating subversion of everything you might expect from the title.

Let's start with that title anyway. There IS a leopard. It's used by a man who wants to create some publicity. Unfortunately, the leopard is frightened and runs away, which leads to people searching for the creature. The more time goes by without the leopard being found, the more deaths occur. Most people assume that the deaths are caused by the wild animal, but some start to think about other possibilities.

Dennis O'Keefe plays Jerry Manning, the promoter who could arguably be referred to as the titular character, but there's also the owner of the leopard (Charlie, played by Abner Biberman), as well as anyone who may be opportunistically using the situation to act on some murderous impulses. Kiki (Jean Brooks) is a nightclub performer, but she may also become a victim of the "leopard", as could Teresa (Margaret Landry), Consuela (Tuulikki Paananen), Clo-Clo (Margo), and a fortune teller named Maria (Isabel Jewell). There are also some other male characters, but they all feel much more like suspects than potential mauled bodies.

Tourneur shows his usual talent for beautifully framing most of the main scenes, and once again shows how much more effective it can be to not show the audience what might be lurking in shadows, or even just outwith the edges of the screen. The script by Ardel Wray (adapting the material from “Black Alibi”, by Cornell Woolrich, from page to screen) is very good, although slightly disparate and episodic in nature throughout the first half. The main ideas are developed nicely though, and there are some great dialogue exchanges between characters. Nothing here ranks alongside the best work from the film-makers involved, but it has a consistent level of quality throughout.

O’Keefe and Brooks are decent nominal leads, easy enough to tag along with and root for, but the fun here comes from the wonderful variety of supporting players, whether they are in one scene or most of the movie. Biberman and Jewell were my personal favourites, but everyone manages to make a surprisingly strong impression, no matter how much screentime they have.

Although seemingly very easy to dismiss, especially while the plot seems very straightforward in the opening scenes, this turns into a real little gem of a film. I wouldn’t hold it up as a classic, not even a minor one, but it’s easy to enjoy, easy to appreciate, and easy to squeeze into your viewing schedule (with a runtime of approximately 66 minutes).

7/10

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