The Case of the Missing Brides (1942)
"The Corpse Vanishes" (original title)

A scientist, aided by an old hag & her two sons - a malicious dwarf and a brutish moron, kills virgin brides, steals their bodies, & extracts gland fluid to keep his ancient wife alive and young.

Director:

Wallace Fox

Writers:

Sam Robins (original story), Gerald Schnitzer (original story),

Stars:

Bela Lugosi, Luana Walters, Tristram Coffin

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Bela Lugosi	...	Dr. George Lorenz
Luana Walters	...	Patricia Hunter
Tristram Coffin	...	Dr. Foster (as Tris Coffin)
Elizabeth Russell	...	Countess Lorenz
Minerva Urecal	...	Fagah
Angelo Rossitto	...	Toby (as Angelo)
Joan Barclay	...	Alice Wentworth
Kenneth Harlan	...	Editor Keenan
Gwen Kenyon	...	Peggy Woods
Vince Barnett	...	Sandy
Frank Moran	...	Angel
George Eldredge	...	Mike (as George Eldridge)

Storyline

Dr. Lorenz, a mad scientist, wants to keep his elderly wife young. He does this by kidnapping young females and extracting fluid from them. He then injects this fluid into his wife. What a diabolical guy!

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Plot Keywords:

mad scientist | orchid | bride | dwarf | coffin | 

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Taglines:

KIDNAPPED BRIDES Are The Victims Of His Terror! Prepare to shudder when you see the strange practices of this doctor who sacrificed beautiful women for the sake of a mad love! (original poster)

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Genres:

Horror | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 May 1942 (USA)

Also Known As:

A hulla eltűnik

Company Credits

Production Co:

Banner Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

64 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Filmed 13 March - 1 April, 1942, the fourth of Bela Lugosi's nine Monogram features.

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Goofs

When getting ready for bed, Pat unbuttons her jacket, but in the next shot the jacket is buttoned again and stays buttoned for the rest of the scene - because she changed her mind about going to bed.

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Quotes

Dr. Foster: These young girls, whether dead or alive, are being used by Lorenz in some manner as human guinea pigs to sustain his wife in a youthful state.
Keenan: Oh, that's preposterous.
Patricia Hunter: It's nothing of the kind. Scientists are finding out every day that glands and hormones have a lot to do with life and health.
Dr. Foster: The glands in our bodies help to determine the condition of our teeth, the texture of our hair.

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Connections

Featured in Blood and Donuts (2000)

User Reviews

Talk About Your Ambulance Chasers

I have enjoyed the films of Angelo Rossitto, particularly "Fairy Tales". But when Rossitto and Bela Lugosi join forces (both here and in "Scared to Death") there is an element that really sets a tone for a good eery horror film.

This film is about brides who are seemingly killed and then kidnapped so their lifeblood can keep a mad scientist's wife young. A nosy reporter, who seems to take some sick delight in getting photographs of dying brides, trails the mad scientist to his mansion and may become his next victim.

As usual, Lugosi does not disappoint. He is great as a mad scientist with his European look and accent. The supporting cast is also well chosen. While I am not familiar with them (besides Rossitto), this is not a strike against them but actually a positive sentiment. Without being known faces to me, they more successfully blended into the characters they were supposed to represent.

While not the strongest of Lugosi's films by any means, any fan would be missing out if they failed to check this one out. There is an undercurrent of black humor that keeps the film rolling and is definitely missing (unfortunately) in the films of today.