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The Frozen Ghost More at IMDbPro »
| Index | 10 reviews in total |
7 out of 8 people found the following review useful:
It's OK, 5 January 2005
Author:
Wayne Malin (wwaayynnee51@hotmail.com) from United States
Another "Inner Sanctum" mystery with Lon Chaney Jr. giving another
so-so performance.
Here he plats a mentalist who (he thinks) accidentally kills a man with
his mind. It seems the man died of natural causes but he can't shake
the feeling. He breaks up with his girlfriend (Evelyn Ankers) and goes
to Madame Monet's Wax Museum to relax (!!!). There he thinks he
accidentally kills Madame Monet (Tala Birell) with his mind. But the
body disappears. What's going on?
It's just OK. It's very well-directed (especially during the opening
hypnotic show & the shots of Chaney's feet) and has some pretty good
acting by Ankers, Birell and Milburn Stone (as his manager). Also it's
nicely atmospheric. But it meanders, there's plenty of padding (even at
an hour) and tons of plot holes. Also the final resolution is pretty
silly but it DOES fit.
OK undemanding fare.
4 out of 4 people found the following review useful:
Don't think, just enjoy, 7 December 2006
Author:
m2mallory from California
"The Frozen Ghost" might just be the quintessential wacky 1940s B-movie mystery, packed with enough plot to fill any six films, and uncertain of which of those six films it really wants to be. While it may not be the most serious of the "Inner Sanctum" series of low-low-budget thrillers made by Unversal between 1943 and 1945, it is likely the most entertaining. Part murder mystery, part wax museum horror film, part romance, "The Frozen Ghost" gallops along at a nonsensical pace and features a rich group of actors, all of whom are peculiarly cast. Leading the pack is Lon Chaney, who tried to escape the heavy Wolf Man and Mummy makeup with this series, and who does a pretty good job as a stage hypnotist tormented by the thought that he might have killed someone during his act. This might be Chaney's best stab at a leading man role, though it is undermined by the fact that every single female character in the film, from age 16 to 40, falls madly in love with him at sight, much in the way Roger Moore's version of James Bond was a walking aphrodisiac. While Chaney was a passable leading man, ascribing this rampant sex appeal to him is as fantastical as brain transplants. Douglas Dumbrille, a smooth British actor given to silky villains, plays the tough American detective, and Martin Kosleck, usually cast as a cold as ice Nazi, here appears as a road-company Peter Lorre lunatic. And Milburn Stone -- "Doc" on "Gunsmoke" -- shows up as Chaney's harried agent. But don't even worry about the caprices of the casting or plotting. Just sit back, try to keep up with it, and enjoy the kind of anything-goes film-making that doesn't exist anymore.
6 out of 8 people found the following review useful:
The Frozen Ghost (1945) **, 23 September 2006
Author:
JoeKarlosi from U.S.A.
This was the fourth film in Universal's "Inner Sanctum" series and the
first one not to be directed by Reginald LeBorg, which could be only
one of the reasons that THE FROZEN GHOST, aside from having a terrific
title, scores way down low as the least satisfying of these six modest
melodramas. This feature's got a competent cast and a few scattered
good ideas, but they're only half-baked and just don't rise in the
oven.
Lon Chaney plays Alex Gregor, a stage hypnotist who reads people's
minds along with the aid of his female assistant and romantic interest,
Maura (Evelyn Ankers again). During one of their live clairvoyant acts,
"Gregor the Great" (ha!) tries to hypnotize a man from the audience and
the subject collapses, stone cold dead. Now Alex thinks he killed the
man with his mind and the inner turmoil he feels makes him ripe for a
breakdown. There's no better way to relax from your troubles than a
nice stay at a friend's wax museum, so Gregor takes up an offer to do
just that for awhile. Once he arrives amongst the mannequins, he finds
he still retains the power to kill with his eyes, as strange goings-on
ensue.
That brief description sounds more interesting than it turns out,
because this is a wasted opportunity to utilize a wax museum backdrop
for the one and only time in a Universal horror film. Nothing really
happens for the hour's running length of this thoroughly average
snoozer. Chaney goes through his basic motions once again, and with
Harold Young now directing there isn't as much suspense or intrigue as
the previous installments managed to cook up under LeBorg. Milburn
Stone is pretty good as Gregor's business manager, and pretty Elena
Verdugo (the gypsy girl from HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN) is on hand as the
darling niece of the museum owner. But once again, it's Martin Kosleck
who gets a raw deal as an effectively menacing, knife-wielding stalker.
It's just another case where poor Kosleck, perhaps the best thing in
the whole picture, gets buried inside yet another of Universal's more
mediocre movies.
4 out of 6 people found the following review useful:
THE FROZEN GHOST (Harold Young, 1945) **1/2, 10 November 2006
Author:
MARIO GAUCI (marrod@melita.com) from Naxxar, Malta
In spite of its meaningless title, this is one of the better "Inner
Sanctums" - though still not exactly a good film. Lon Chaney Jr. is at
his most Larry Talbot-like here as a hypnotist constantly bemoaning his
fate (thinking he may have killed a drunken and skeptical member of the
audience by sheer will-power!). In fact, the opening hypnotism sequence
features some unusually odd angles - which is then ruined by the
stereotypical (and unfunny) intrusion of Arthur Hoyt as the drunk!!
The plot then contrives to incorporate the well-worn wax museum theme,
which results in the establishment of an adequate atmosphere throughout
the film (not to mention utilizing its furnace for the effective
climax). Besides, it's aided immensely by the presence of Martin
Kosleck as the unhinged museum 'curator' (with a secret medical past)
and Douglass Dumbrille as the wily investigating detective with a
fondness for quoting Shakespeare (there's a section of wax figures
devoted to characters from the Bard's work). Once again, the star finds
himself in a tug-of-war between three females - Evelyn Ankers (playing
the good girl this time, as Chaney's assistant/fiancée), Tala Birell
(as the jealous and ageing museum owner) and Elena Verdugo (as Birell's
ingénue niece, also desired by Kosleck).
7 out of 12 people found the following review useful:
Good Saturday morning fare., 16 March 1999
Author:
a.v. boy from New York City
Another uneven and lackadaisical performance by Lon Chaney Jr., accompanied by a cast of scenery-chewing melodrama players, somehow does not completely spoil this little mystery story from the "Inner Sanctum" series. Silly stuff, perfect for a Saturday morning in bed. Good, dopey fun in keeping with the tradition of '40s "B" pictures.
1 out of 1 people found the following review useful:
The Frozen Ghost, 24 July 2011
Author:
Scarecrow-88 from United States
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
Lon Chaney stars as a famous hypnotist, Gregor the Great, crippled
emotionally after a belligerent, alcoholic volunteer drops dead while
in the middle of his act, performing for an audience, believing he is
responsible despite a coroner's report clearing him of any sort of
murder. Alex Gregor felt hate for the volunteer due to the idiot's bad
behavior, even mentioning that he could kill him, and this is what
torments the hypnotist. He is so tormented, Alex quits his gig and
decides to help Valerie Monet (Tala Birell) with her wax museum
business, using the former celebrity to help bring in customers. Maura
Daniel (Evelyn Ankers) was to marry Gregor (she is his assistant, often
put under hypnosis and foretells what certain people in the audience
are thinking) before the embarrassing death, which led Alex to call of
their engagement and leave the profession. Of course, she still loves
Gregor and wants to rekindle their broken relationship. Valerie Monet
and her niece, Nina (Elena Verdugo; the gypsy in "House of
Frankenstein"), both fall for Gregor (haha, these Inner Sanctum
mysteries always have all the ladies completely enamored with Chaney's
characters) leading to multiple complications. Martin Kosleck (the mad
sculptor in "House of Horrors" co-starring Rando Hatton) is a former
plastic surgeon, driven from the practice due to a patient's
"miscalculation", now Madame Monet's wax sculpture artist, Dr. Rudi
Polden, one of those creepy, *eccentric* weirdos who talks to his
figures as if they were alive. Rudi is infatuated with Nina and has a
severe dislike for Gregor because he "bosses him around". In actuality,
Rudi is jealous because Nina carries a torch for Gregor (who considers
her a child). There's plenty of jealousy to go around, though, as
Valerie competes for Gregor even if he doesn't have the same feelings
for her as he does for Maura. Milburn Stone is Gregor's business agent,
George Keene, who seems interested in helping his client get over this
obsession with causing death through hypnotic suggestion. When Valerie
disappears after an argument with Gregor results in him using his
hypnotism, out of anger, to "predispose" her, Alex is worried that he
has killed again, blacking out for a period before finding himself near
a pier. Douglass Dumbrille rounds out the cast as a pesky inspector who
considers everyone a suspect in Val's disappearance, soon eyeing Gregor
when Nina also vanishes (after making a startling discovery when one of
Rudi's wax sculptures is a bit *too* lifelike.).
A wax museum, a diabolical sculptor, a double-cross in the works for
poor Gregor, hypnotism, disappearances, suspended animation, and a
hero's tormented psyche questioning his unique ability as if it were a
dangerous weapon he cannot control, "The Frozen Ghost" has a lot going
on. I think by this point, the "Inner Sanctum Mysteries" series was
starting to show its age, the fourth film has some pretty bland writing
and practically little imagination, not to mention, Chaney's role isn't
as interesting as, say, Kosleck's. Chaney is a weary, tortured
soul—sound familiar? That's all it is, honestly, I wish the series had
mixed things up (like they did in "Weird Woman" when Evelyn Ankers was
given a juicy villainous part), and given Chaney a chance to play the
corrupt character instead of always being saddled with the Lawrence
Talbot victim. It isn't that Chaney cannot portray a heel, just watch
"The Alligator People".
Anyway, there's one surprising moment out of left field, when the story
reveals a plot to have Gregor committed, the mastermind perhaps not who
you would expect. Evelyn Ankers, after probably her best part at
Universal Studios with "Weird Woman", resorts back to beautiful love
interest to Chaney, a supporting part that doesn't require much from
her other than the "stand by your man" aspect her characters are often
provided. Kosleck has a keen ability at portraying the kinds of
characters who can make your skin crawl; his love for Nina unrequited,
only fueling his psychopathic behavior. The screenplay certainly throws
in everything but the kitchen sink so there might be something for fans
of Universal horror to enjoy.
2 out of 3 people found the following review useful:
Mystery In the Wax Museum!, 10 October 2006
Author:
(bsmith5552@rogers.com) from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
"The Frozen Ghost" was the fourth of six low budget "Inner Sanctum"
mysteries based on the popular radio series of the day, produced by
Universal between 1943 and 1945 and starring Lon Chaney Jr.
The film opens with mentalist Alex Gregor, aka Gregor the Great
(Chaney) and his assistant Maura Daniel (Evelyn Ankers) guessing the
secrets of a radio audience. A skeptic (Arthur Hohl) goes on stage to
prove that Gregor is a fake. When Gregor tries to hypnotize the man, he
falls over dead. Alex blames himself for the man's death and becomes
depressed even though police Inspector Brant (Douglas Dumbrille) proves
the man died of natural causes.
Still depressed, Alex breaks his engagement with Maura. Alex' manager,
George Keene (Milburn Stone) conspires with Valerie Monet (Tala Birell)
to have Alex stay at her place to get some rest. Valerie's home also
houses a wax museum which she runs with her partner Rudi Polden (Martin
Kosleck) who turns out to be a disgraced plastic surgeon. When
Valerie's niece Nina (Elena Verdugo) becomes enamored of Alex, Rudi
becomes jealous. Meanwhile Maura confronts Valerie over Alex'
affections,
When Valerie suddenly disappears, Alex again is convinced that he is
responsible. Inspecter Brant is called in by Nina to investigate. Brant
begins to suspect Alex. Then Nina also disappears. Who is responsible
for these disappearances and possible murders? Is Alex really a
murderer, as he believes? What is the sinister Rudi's involvement in
all of this?
Chaney as always is better than his material. He conveys real fear and
guilt as a man who believes himself a murderer. Ankers has little to do
and we don't get to hear her trademark blood curdling scream in this
one. Dumbrille, usually cast as a villain, gets a change of pace as the
police inspector. Stone is good as Gregor's trusted (or is he?) friend
and manager.
Milburn Stone is best remembered as "Doc" on TV's "Gunsmoke" (1955-75).
"B" movie fans will spot Dennis Moore as the radio announcer and Eddie
Acuff as a reporter.
A better mystery than some would have you believe.
1 out of 3 people found the following review useful:
Possibly the weakest of the Inner Sanctum films, but it's still fun to watch, 12 September 2008
Author:
planktonrules from Bradenton, Florida
From 1943 through 1945, Universal Studios made a string of six movies
that starred Lon Chaney, Jr. that were all termed "The Inner Sanctum".
Many of the actors were seen in several of the films, though Chaney
managed to play the lead in all of them. The stories were B-films--with
small budgets and running at just over 60 minutes each. In many ways,
they were similar to the later "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" TV series.
In addition, Columbia Pictures apparently thought there was money in
the concept and brought out The Whistler series just a year after the
first Inner Sanctum film. Like the other series, the same actor was
supposed to star in the films and they all had different stories about
murder and mayhem. Of the two series, I think the Inner Sanctum ones
were just a bit better and part of this was because Chaney was
excellent in the films.
Chaney plays a stage mentalist who apparently accidentally killed an
audience member using his psychic powers. Since Chaney is such a nice
guy, he can't live with himself and gives up the stage. Oddly, he is
offered a job working in a wax museum and things seem okay, until yet
another person dies--seemingly from Chaney's power.
THE FROZEN GHOST is a fun movie to watch, though I'll also admit that
the plot was a bit silly and there were a lot of plot holes. At times,
characters behave irrationally due to poor writing and plot is
incredibly convoluted and tough to believe. However, for lovers of the
genre, it's still well worth a look.
0 out of 3 people found the following review useful:
I Should Have Found Something Else to Do, 25 August 2010
Author:
dougdoepke from Claremont, USA
After a promising start with Calling Dr. Death (1943), Universal's
Inner Sanctum series hits near bottom with this turkey. Mentalist
Gregor (Chaney) uses his hypnotic powers to read minds, which makes for
a good stage act until he goes bonkers over a subject's accidental
death. From then on events pile up in no particular order or reason.
The only requirement appears that whatever the four writers come up
with, it has to happen inside the cheesy wax museum where notorious
villains of the past slouch around like department store manikins. I
guess they're supposed to be scary. But that's hard to tell since
director Young appears to have no discernible purpose in what he puts
on-screen. The final product plays like it's assembled from 5-dollar
odds and ends inside a single tacky set.
And that's too bad, because it's a waste of an outstanding supporting
cast-- Dumbrille and Kosleck, Ankers and Birell. One thing about this
series—it sure has its share of classy dames. However, part of the
series' problem is a miscast Chaney. His hulking frame is not exactly
the dress-up, lover-boy type. Yet his role in the series has him
playing intellectual, irresistible types from one entry to the next. No
doubt the studio was hoping to promote the films with his Wolf Man
reputation. Also, note that he's not appearing with any body make-up as
he does in so many of his other horror features. I wouldn't be
surprised he had that written into his contract, maybe in hopes of
elevating his career out of the horror genre. As a result, the scariest
thing he does here is stare into the camera for bleary-eyed close-ups.
Thus, about the only reason to scope out this disappointing 60-minutes
is to catch Chaney in a Clark Gable moustache.
0 out of 3 people found the following review useful:
Frozen, 29 February 2008
Author:
Michael_Elliott from Louisville, KY
Frozen Ghost, The (1945)
** 1/2 (out of 4)
Fourth in the Inner Sanctum series has Lon Chaney, Jr. playing a
mentalist who blames himself for the death of a man. Trying to escape
his past, he hides away in a wax museum but soon more deaths turn up.
Evelyn Ankers co-stars but I found this one here to be somewhat boring
due to the weak supporting cast. The story doesn't really bring any
real excitement either.
You can now see all six Inner Sanctum films via Universal's set, which
features all the movies digitally remastered.
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