The Black Room (1935)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Roy William Neill

Writers:

Henry Myers (writer)
Arthur Strawn (screenplay)

Release Date:

15 July 1935 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Horror

Tagline:

Embraced by the Devil! Monster . . . his kiss the password to oblivion!

Plot:

Ignoring an ancient prophecy, evil brother Gregor seeks to maintain his feudal power on his his Tyrolean estate by murdering and impersonating his benevolent younger twin.

Plot Keywords:

Prophecy | Castle | Twins | Impersonation | Servant

Cast

Boris Karloff	...	Baron Gregor de Berghman / Anton de Berghman
Marian Marsh	...	Thea Hassel
Robert Allen	...	Lt. Albert Lussan
Thurston Hall	...	Col. Paul Hassel
Katherine DeMille	...	Mashka
John Buckler	...	Beran - the gypsy
Henry Kolker	...	Baron de Berghman
Colin Tapley	...	Paul Hassel as a young lieutenant
Torben Meyer	...	Peter, the majordomo

Also Known As:

The Black Room Mystery (UK)

Runtime:

70 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Certification:

USA:Unrated

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Present extant version, as presented on Turner Classic Movies, bears title and end credits redesigned for the 1955 wide screen re-release.

Goofs:

Continuity: At the climax, the hero's large, short-haired dog dashes down to the village. It is obviously male. After alerting the villagers and foiling the villain, "he" runs back up to the castle, only "he" is obviously female on the trip back.

Quotes:

Mashka: Don't you want to kiss me?
Baron Gregor de Bergmann: [Cutting a juicy pear with his knife and eating it as he talks] A pear is the best fruit!
Mashka: Every time you see her, you want to be rid of me.
Baron Gregor de Bergmann: [Seemingly ignoring her] Lots of juice in a pear!
Baron Gregor de Bergmann: Well, you'll find out I'll not be got rid of so easily! Do you hear what I say?
Baron Gregor de Bergmann: Adam should've chosen a pear.
Mashka: You've got it all planned, haven't you? You're gonna marry her. You're gonna make her your wife, your baroness!
Baron Gregor de Bergmann: I like the feel of a pear! And when you're through with it...
[He carelessly tosses it across the room]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Spooks Run Wild (1941)

Excellent, intelligent horror treat

The basic plot:There is a pair of twin brothers, one good, the other lecherous and dishonest. Due to a family legend , the bad brother murders the good brother in the black room ,impersonating the good brother, but he get's his comeuppance.....

The praise: In many ways this horror classic is really a clever, thrilling Grimm-like fairy tale with strong horror elements. The entire thing has the ornate , gothic look of a fairy tale anyway.Great sets, costumes, and lighting. Very moody and atmospheric , it also is suspensful and tightly structured , allowing the movie to pump in lots of decor and great acting.By Karloff , that is . This is a true gem for him, allowing him to play both brothers. He does this excellently , bringing in subtle shades of good and evil in two great performances that are different yet the same. He also plays the role with a kind of poetry , as well as deliciously expressive face expressions married with potent speech for some wicked lines. A must-see.