Reviews & Ratings for
The Maze More at IMDbPro »

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19 out of 20 people found the following review useful:
Fine Fifties Fear, 30 July 2005

Author: Eileen McHenry from Matango Island West

I remember this film of old. It's a great, chilling, atmospheric horror picture about a man who moves into a Scottish castle, only to discover that there are strange goings-on in the corridors at night. And there are even stranger events taking place out back, in Hollywood's most familiar hedge maze. Yes, this is the maze you've seen in every feature-length film that ever involved a topiary puzzle, up to and including "The Shining." But the punchline to this story is about the last thing you would guess. I certainly didn't see it coming. This is a fine example of how good and convincing a movie can be even when the premise is utterly loopy, bordering on laughable. I'd recommend it to anyone.

18 out of 19 people found the following review useful:
Creepy and fascinating, 28 March 2004

Author: ronnie from United States

A woman and her aunt go to Scotland to locate her evasive fiancé. This is a much-maligned film because of its denouement, but up to that point, it's interesting, well-acted, eerie, and with fine set design (by William Cameron Menzies, developed for 3-D projection). Veronica Hurst is captivating and genteel, sort of a chic British Marilyn Monroe, still in love with Richard Carlson, who is hiding a family secret in his forbidding castle; there are even bats in the belfry! It moves leisurely until the final extraordinary set-piece, when Hurst and her aunt (Katherine Emery, also the narrator), sneak out of the castle in the night to venture into the maze and find what they're looking for in its center. As a kid, I always remembered this sequence - there's nothing scarier (or claustrophobic) than not finding your way out of a 10-foot high maze of hedges. Naturally, the two women get separated, setting the stage for engrossing suspense with horrific music. The final result is mildly disappointing really, since Carlson's epilogue {a "Psycho" (1960) style postscript} makes some sense to all the goings-on, even provoking sympathy. Worth seeing.

12 out of 13 people found the following review useful:
If you didn't see this in 1953, you have NO idea, 25 January 2001

Author: Erewhon from Los Angeles, California

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

Is this a good movie? It's hard to say -- but in 1953, for many people, it was a remarkably effective movie, suspenseful, scary and then, amazingly, actually touching when "the old gentleman" meets his unhappy death at the end of the movie.

Yes, what lurks in the Maze turns out to be something of a surprise and, for a lot of people, a hilarious one. But the basic idea (ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny) was a very real one at the time the book was written, and does have some basis in fact. Not that it would ever result in what we see in the movie, of course.

But working on what must have been a very low budget, one of the greatest production designers -- and the person for whom the term "production designer" was invented -- creates a very eerie mood that was strangely compelling. At times, of course, the movie is very silly, but it has its moments.

11 out of 12 people found the following review useful:
Like it or not, this is a strange film., 19 May 2001
Author: jim riecken (youroldpaljim)

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

The basic premise of this film with its spooky old castle and an aristocratic family with a skeleton in the closet was a popular theme of films in 30's and 40's (THE OLD DARK HOUSE, AMONG THE LIVING,and THE UNKNOWN are a few examples.) The basic plot was probably considered old fashioned or at best "quaint" by the 1950's when this film was made. I agree with those who suspect that because Maurice Sandoz novel on which this film was based contained a bizarre science fiction twist, this film was made. Instead of an insane twin or assumed dead relative hiding from the law for some unspeakable crime, we have a phylogenetic freak! I think to like this film one must have a taste for offbeat fantasy. If viewed in the right frame of mind and one is willing to suspend their dis-belief, this can be a very enjoyable film. That being said, this film has many faults. The most obvious being that of the often intrusive narration by the "Aunt." Richard Carlson tries hard, but his performance is not up to snuff. Then there is the "frog." In most scenes it is shown only in the shadows and in brief glimpses its okay, but at the end when it goes (no pun intended) hopping mad and jumps out the window it looks silly. While this sequence I'm told by those who have seen this film on the big screen in 3D is rather startling, shown flat or on T.V. is laughable. The "frog" looks like a bad rubbery prop. However even with todays high tech special effects, I don't think a giant frog could be made to look scary now matter how hard anyone tried. While "the maze" of the title is interesting and give indications of Menzies design genius, most of the castle consists standing sets left over sets from previous films. A SIDE NOTE: The science fictional premise of this film is based on the theory of phylogeny. That is that the human embryo goes through stages just like in evolution; a fish, then an amphibian, then a reptile, then a mammal. Sir Roger, the man with body of frog and the mind of a man, stopped developing at the amphibian stage. However according to the theory, the embryo resembles a neotenic salamander and not a frog. May I also add that this theory taught as written in stone in all biology textbooks, has been mostly discredited in recent years.

12 out of 15 people found the following review useful:
Campy Horror with Great 3-D, 25 September 2003

Author: rhino00711 from Springfield, Missouri

I recently saw this film at a 3-D film festival in Hollywood. It was in polarized 3-D (Gray glasses not red & blue) It was so much fun to watch this film with an audience, the print was excellent and the 3-D perfect. The performances were over the top and that added to the fun, the surprise ending (that we aren't supposed to share with fellow movie go'ers, at least according to the movie trailer and poster) had people howling with laughter. By today's standards this is probably more comedy than horror but with the added dimension of 3-D (complete with cobwebs and bats coming out of the screen) this film was an entertaining romp into 50's horror.

4 out of 5 people found the following review useful:
You're a green one, Mister MacTeam., 3 May 2008

Author: capkronos (capkronos00@hotmail.com) from Ohio, USA

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

Gerald (Richard Carlson) and Kitty (Veronica Hurst) have just finished celebrating their engagement announcement in France with family and friends, when he receives a letter asking him to visit an ancestral castle located in Scotland. Gerald's uncle reportedly has fallen ill and has requested Gerald, the sole heir, be present. Gerald goes off to Scotland, leaving his future bride behind. A few weeks pass and he doesn't come back. Concerned, Kitty sends out telegrams but doesn't hear back from her fiancé. Four more weeks pass and Kitty finally receives a weird response from Gerald, calling off the engagement and telling her to move on with her life. Not ready to give up on her relationship and looking for answers, Kitty hops on a plane and decides to pay Gerald a visit. Accompanying her on the trip is her level-headed aunt Edith (Katherine Emery, best known for her starring role in the classic chiller ISLE OF THE DEAD). When Kitty and Edith arrive at the MacTeam estate they immediately suspect something strange is afoot. For starters Gerald seems to have aged twenty-years in a matter of weeks. Secondly, this once nice and charming guy has turned into a complete jerk who repeatedly demands they leave the castle and never come back. When Edith comes down with a mild cold, Kitty uses it as an excuse to stay there to try to get to the bottom of things.

Why is Gerald being so cold and cruel to the woman he was just about to marry? Why is Gerald so opposed to having company? Why do the house rules state that guests must be locked inside their bedrooms at night? Why are guests forbidden to enter certain areas of the estate, such as Gerald's bedroom and a large hedge maze out back? And what's making those strange dragging noises every night? These are just some of the questions THE MAZE poses. The movie actually does a fine job building up mystery and intrigue. You genuinely become interested in what's going on and patiently await the resolution to explain the weird events that are taking place. And then IT happens... I definitely don't want to ruin the finale of this film because you're better off not knowing, but it takes one of the most unbelievable and jaw-droppingly strange turns I've seen in any movie. It's wonderfully ludicrous in a way, but it also takes a pretty solid little b/w mystery and sends it straight into Z-Grade schlock territory. And yet, this ending seems so out of place, you're not likely to forget it once you see it.

Despite the ending (or maybe even partially because of the ending), I really enjoyed this odd bird. It's extremely talky and slow moving for the duration of the run time, but it managed to keep my interest throughout. Director William Cameron Menzies (who made the much more famous INVADERS FROM MARS the same year) is best known as a two-time Oscar-winning art director and his set designs here are also really interesting. There's almost a silent movie feel at times, with model work for some of the exteriors, some painted backdrops and sparsely decorated interiors with very high ceilings. As with any good castle set there are also secret passageways and long staircases. This one also throws in a few rubber-bats-on-strings for good measure.

A few of the actors are a little stiff and awkward, but I liked most of the cast. Hurst is one of those obscure and mostly unknown actresses who unfortunately never seemed to catch on despite being both beautiful and talented. Emery, who also gets to play narrator in framing shots at the beginning and end of the film, is decent enough as the overly mannered and cautious aunt. My favorite however was Michael Pate as the silver-haired sinister servant who does this hilariously upright zombie walk every time he ascends the stairs. Also on board in smaller roles are Hillary Brooke (who played the title role in the Sherlock Holmes mystery THE WOMAN IN GREEN) and Lilian Bond (Whale's THE OLD DARK HOUSE). Of course Carlson also starred in IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE, CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON and some other horror flicks, so you've got yourself a pretty decent cast for genre fans right there. I say check it out!

2 out of 2 people found the following review useful:
Leaves me wondering...., 22 November 2010

Author: innocuous from Raleigh, NC, USA

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

"The Maze" is a lot of fun and a great example of a certain type of B-movie. It has remained firmly stuck in my mind for two reasons:

First, the ending is just totally bizarre and out of left-field. Some of the other reviewers have mentioned it, but I don't really think that they have conveyed just out strange it is. I never saw it coming. It's also hilarious, though the movie plays the situation with a straight face.

Second, once the movie ended (and it actually wraps up very quickly once the "solution" is presented), I could not help but start thinking about what had been said. For one thing, the Baronet describes the original master (who is basically a 203-year-old giant frog...seriously...not somebody with a frog-like face, but a real frog) as enjoying the chance to take off his cloak and swim in the pond. The whole frog with a cloak image still sticks in my mind. Then there's the question of how the frog manages to convey his wishes to the servants and his heirs, since he apparently runs the place. And why do the heirs all die at a relatively young age? The stress of caring for their great-great-great-grandfrog? Inquiring minds like mine want to know.

In short, this film leave a lot of unanswered questions. Don't miss it.

3 out of 4 people found the following review useful:
Absolutely ludicrous conclusion threatens to ruin a somber chiller, 17 November 2007

Author: TimothyFarrell from Worcester, MA

For most of its running time, "The Maze" is a nicely made chiller if a bit average. Its well directed by William Cameron Menzies (who also made the cult classic "Invaders From Mars" and worked on "The Thief of Baghdad"), who creates a brooding and chilling Gothic atmosphere. There's no shortage of horror stories set in old castles, and while this film doesn't add anything new to the setting, it manages to use the familiar location quite well. The screenplay is often very somber, and the performance by Richard Carlson in the lead is quite accomplished. Veronica Hurst is a bit less successful and rather over-the-top, but the relationship between the characters is surprisingly developed, so its easy to overlook the shortcomings on her behalf.

The film is a somber and moody Gothic chiller up until the climax. I won't ruin it for you, but simply put its one of the most absolutely ludicrous things ever in a film and threatens to ruin the film. The film was quite involving and than it completely spins around and presents one of the most unintentionally hilarious conclusions ever. Its really a shame, because the writers obviously put some thought into it, and it had the potential to be a tragic conclusion. Oh well, "The Maze" is still a decent enough drive-in horror flick. (5/10)

4 out of 7 people found the following review useful:
Unintentionally Funny, 24 October 2009

Author: Alex da Silva from United Kingdom

Kitty (Veronica Hurst) and Edith (Katherine Emery) pay an unexpected visit to Gerald (Richard Carlson) in his castle in Scotland where he has mysteriously shut himself off from the world. His behaviour is very strange and he locks his guests in their rooms at night. Why is there a maze in the garden which is out of bounds? Kitty and Edith do some investigating and alert some friends to come and join them.....

This film is entertaining to watch because the characters are annoying. But its the kind of annoying that makes you laugh, eg, Kitty's terrible pronunciation which lasts throughout the whole film. She says things like "Ketherine" and "heppening" and it is relentless. You have to laugh! Edith, on the other hand, has an equally annoying accent. She is either Scottish and pretending to be posh, or she is affecting a terrible Scottish accent. I'm not sure which one! And then there is Gerald who is just so unpleasant to his guests that it has you laughing at his rudeness! Not to mention his servants who play it up as the "spooky" characters. Mix these characters with the film's ending and you have certainly been entertained. I'd like to see it in 3-D.

Interesting first hour, then rapidly falls apart., 31 October 2011

Author: prichards12345 from United Kingdom

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

I've docked two stars from this film for what must surely be one of the silliest endings in horror movies - and that's saying something! This is up there with the climax of Night Monster for sheer cheek, but for around an hour this is an absorbing and atmospheric Gothic drama.

Richard Carlson, always a welcome presence, plays the heir to a Scottish laird called away from his pre-nuptial holidays in the South of France by some strange emergency at his ancestral home - a rambling castle he hasn't visited in years. Promising to return to his fiancé as soon as he can, he then does a disappearing act, before writing a mysterious note telling his beau she's the next Jennifer Anniston! Naturally she doesn't take kindly to this, and with Aunt in tow (you can tell this was made in the pre-rock and roll era - the leads would be groovy teenagers if this had been made in 1958) she undertakes the trip to the castle, where the sinister servants and her one-time love are acting all mysterious....

The Maze of the title is a part of the castle grounds, and seems to hold the key to the mystery. What are those strange slopping sounds heard in the night? Why must everyone be locked up in their rooms at a certain time each evening? The answer, when it comes, proves to be hilarious. MAJOR SPOILER HERE. Er, it turns out to be a 200 year-old frog, who happens to be one Sir Roger! A deformed ancestor who has an extended life, is very shy and retiring and yet cultured. (come off it, guys he's a frog!) The minute he's discovered Sir Rodg takes a great froggy leap through a window to his doom. You might say he croaked! Cue Carlson's laugh-out loud explanation for the mysterious events...

All I can say is they must have some sizable insect life in the Scottish Highlands to keep Kermit, er, Sir Roger, well-fed. Okay, I fess up. It's a bloke in a frog suit....There's one great Lovecraftian shot of the frog fumbling about in the darkness which is genuinely creepy, though. And if you can get past The Muppet Show explanation you might like it.

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