Bride of the Gorilla (1951)

User Rating:

4.1/10   

Director:

Curt Siodmak

Writer:

Curt Siodmak (writer)

Release Date:

October 1951 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

Her clothes torn away, screaming in terror!

Plot:

The owner of a plantation in the jungle marries a beautiful woman. Shortly afterward, he is plagued by a strange voodoo curse which transforms him into a gorilla.

Plot Keywords:

Jungle | Gorilla | Curse | Transformation | Voodoo

Cast

Barbara Payton	...	Mrs. Dina Van Gelder
Lon Chaney Jr.	...	Police Commissioner Taro (as Lon Chaney)
Raymond Burr	...	Barney Chavez
Tom Conway	...	Dr. Viet
Paul Cavanagh	...	Klaas Van Gelder
Gisela Werbisek	...	Al-long
Carol Varga	...	Larina
Paul Maxey	...	Van Heusen
Woody Strode	...	Nedo, Policeman
Martin Garralaga	...	Native
Felippa Rock	...	Stella Van Heusen
Moyna MacGill	...	Mme. Van Heusen
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Steve Calvert	...	Gorilla

Also Known As:

The Face in the Water (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

70 min | USA:66 min (DVD)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

USA:Unrated (2005 DVD release) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | USA:Approved (PCA #15472)

Filming Locations:

Samuel Goldwyn/Warner Hollywood Studios - 1041 N. Formosa Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Jack Broder Productions Inc.

Trivia:

Edward G. Robinson Jr. was originally cast in the movie but was fired by the producers following his arrest for writing a bad check for $138 to a Laguna Beach garage.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Dina goes searching for Barney in the jungle for the first time, we see a quick shot of a leopard climbing up into a tree. Although this scene is supposed to be outdoors (the jungle), both the leopard and the leaves around him are casting shadows on the "sky" behind them. The sky is obviously a wall or backdrop.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Police Commissioner Taro: [narration] This is Jungle - lush, green, alive with incredible growth - as young as day, as old as time. I, Taro, Police Commissioner of Itman County, which borders the Amazonas River, know it as well as any man will ever know it. Isn't it beautiful? But I have also learned that beauty can be venomous...

Movie Connections:

Featured in "In the Cellar: Goin' Ape (#2.6)" (2009)

At Least There Was Perry Mason to Fall Back On

Yes, this is really a talky movie. It takes forever. People are constantly signing papers, doing day to day things. Contrary to some of the previous writers, I do feel a little bad for the Raymond Burr character. He isn't very lovable, but he does take the young woman away from a pointless marriage to a Bible thumping man who offers her nothing. Now, how did they get together. He, of course, hits the man and then a snake bites him, but a nasty old woman uses her knowledge of jungle potions to poison to exact revenge. Burr then begins a longing for the jungle and transforms into an ape man. His new wife continues to support him, despite the fact that he is cruel and possessed. There is one scene where they profess their love for one another and you know that the ultimate consequence is on its way. It's always fun to see Lon Chaney, the Wolf Man, as a sheriff. In a way, he was afflicted with much the same problem as Burr's character at a previous time. One of the sad things is that he really doesn't understand what has happened to him. He is basically transformed and has no options. We can only feel pity for him and his bride. With a little tweaking, a little more budget (the jungle scenes are atrocious), this could have been a lot better film.