Horror Island (1941)

A down-on-his luck businessman organizes an excursion to Sir Henry Morgan's Island for a treasure hunt only to encounter a mysterious phantom and murder.

Director:

George Waggner

Writers:

Alex Gottlieb (story), Victor McLeod,

Stars:

Dick Foran, Leo Carrillo, Peggy Moran

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Dick Foran	...	Bill Martin
Leo Carrillo	...	Tobias Clump
Peggy Moran	...	Wendy Creighton
Fuzzy Knight	...	Stuff Oliver
John Eldredge	...	Cousin George
Lewis Howard	...	Thurman Coldwater
Hobart Cavanaugh	...	Professor Jasper Quinley
Walter Catlett	...	Sergeant McGoon
Ralf Harolde	...	Rod Grady
Iris Adrian	...	Arleen Grady
Foy Van Dolsen	...	Panama Pete (The Phantom)
Emmett Vogan	...	The Stranger

Storyline

Down-on-his luck entrepreneur Bill Martin and sidekick Stuff Oliver try to stay one step in front of creditors in their seedy waterfront office when they meet "The Captain," an idiosyncratic peg-legged old sailor. The Captain is convinced that the treasure of pirate Sir Henry Morgan is hidden somewhere in a castle on an offshore island recently inherited by Martin. His proof is a treasure map, half of which has been stolen by a mysterious Phantom who lurks in the shadows waiting for an opportunity to steal the other half. Sensing a moneymaking opportunity, Bill tries to recruit customers willing to pay $50 apiece for a "treasure hunt" outing to the "haunted" island. Among those signing up are heiress Wendy Creighton and her bored, ineffectual boy friend, a dimwitted police sergeant, a professor whose expertise is old maps, a wanted murderer and his moll, and Bill's cousin George, who has recently offered $20,000 to buy the supposedly worthless island. They all get more than the few ...

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Plot Keywords:

island | phantom | map | castle | murder | 

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Genres:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 March 1941 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Ilha do Horror

Filming Locations:

Backlot, Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$93,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Part of the original SHOCK THEATER package of 52 Universal titles released to television in 1957, followed a year later with SON OF SHOCK, which added 21 more features.

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Goofs

Upon arriving at the Island Castle, the group of treasure seekers walk from the foyer to the study. A very visible crew member is in frame holding a spotlight on lead man Dick Foran. As the camera pans right, the crew member turns and walks out of frame.

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Quotes

Arleen Grady: This place gives me the heebie-jeebies! It reminds me of prison.

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Connections

Featured in 100 Years of Horror: Scream Queens (1996)

User Reviews

Good film, but uneven pacing.

This film has a LOT of potential: a haunted castle with a cloaked "phantom" running about, secret panels, hidden treasure, etc.

The only problem is that the crew seems to take FOREVER to get to the island, and once there, the "scarey business" happens much too fast. It would've been much better if they had added about 20 mins. to this film, that would've allowed them to slowly build up each "scare". As it is, things happens so fast, that you don't have time to "savor" them.

A good film, none-the-less.