The Devil-Doll (1936)

An escaped Devil's Island convict uses miniaturized humans to wreak vengeance on those that framed him.

Writers:

Garrett Fort (screen play), Guy Endore (screen play),

Stars:

Lionel Barrymore, Maureen O'Sullivan, Frank Lawton

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Lionel Barrymore	...	Lavond
Maureen O'Sullivan	...	Lorraine
Frank Lawton	...	Toto
Rafaela Ottiano	...	Malita
Robert Greig	...	Coulvet
Lucy Beaumont	...	Mme. Lavond
Henry B. Walthall	...	Marcel
Grace Ford	...	Lachna
Pedro de Cordoba	...	Matin
Arthur Hohl	...	Radin
Juanita Quigley	...	Marguerite
Claire Du Brey	...	Mme. Coulvet (as Claire du Brey)
Rollo Lloyd	...	Detective
E. Alyn Warren	...	Commissioner

Storyline

Paul Lavond was a respected banker in Paris when he was framed for robbery and murder by crooked associates and sent to Devil's Island. Years later, he escapes with a friend, a scientist who was working on a method to reduce humans to a height of mere inches (all for the good of humanity, of course). Lavond however is consumed with hatred for the men who betrayed him, and takes the scientist's methods back to Paris to exact painful revenge.

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Plot Keywords:

vengeance | devil's island | revenge | robbery | banker | 

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Genres:

Sci-Fi | Horror

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 July 1936 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Witch of Timbuctoo

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

78 min 78 min (Turner library print)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Madame Mandilip's special dolls are costumed as members of vicious street gangs known as the Apache (pronounced ah-PAHSH), who were involved in theft, prostitution, and the occasional murder in pre-World War I Paris. The dolls even perform the Apache dance popularized by the gangs, in which extremely close steps alternate with seemingly brutal punches, kicks, hair-pulling, spins, and throws; it was usually danced to the Valse des rayons (aka Valse chaloupée) composed by Jacques Offenbach. In the 1930s and 1940s, this dance was still performed by professional dancers and can be seen in several films and even cartoons of the period.

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Goofs

The shrunken animals do not cast shadows when they move. This is obvious with the dogs on the lab table and the horse galloping on Radin's desk.

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Quotes

Malita: This is wonderful, Lavond. Now that you are free, we can go on with our work, without being bothered by the police.
Lavond (as Madame Mandelip): No, Malita, my work is over, but I am not free. Why, if they ever found out who I was, the police would want a lot of questions answered: What happened to Radin? Who paralyzed Coulvet? No, Malita, when I proved my innocence, I condemned myself forever.

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Connections

Featured in 100 Years of Horror: Giants (1996)

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Soundtracks

"Valse des rayons"
(uncredited)
from the ballet "Le Papillon"
Music by Jacques Offenbach
Played on a music box

User Reviews

A Good Story with Special Effects Still Impressive in 2011

After seventeen years in prison, the former respected Parisian banker Paul Lavond (Lionel Barrymore) flees with his friend, the lunatic scientist Marcel (Henry B. Walthall) that is researching with his wife Malita (Rafaela Ottiano) the miniaturization of animals and human beings to improve the resources of mankind. Paul Lavond was framed for robbery by his scoundrel associates Emil Coulvet (Robert Greig), Charles Matin (Pedro de Cordoba) and Victor Radin (Arthur Hohl) that had stolen his business while his family was doomed to shame, poverty and tragedy. When Marcel reduces the retarded servant Lachna (Grace Ford), he learns that the woman is motionless and only responds to the control of his brain and has a heart attack. After the death of Marcel, Paul Lavond sees the chance to use the miniaturization process as instrument of vengeance and he travels to Paris with the insane Malita disguised of Madame Mandilip, a nice old lady and owner of a dolls store. Paul Lavond, using the identity of Madame Mandilip, befriends his resented and estranged daughter Lorraine Lavond (Maureen O'Sullivan) and plots a scheme to revenge and vindicate his family name.

"The Devil Doll" is an entertaining film by Tod Browning with a good story and special effects still impressive in 2011. The cast has great performances but Lionel Barrymore is excellent in his double role, and convincing as an old woman. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "A Boneca do Diabo" ("The Devil Doll")