Arnold (1973) User Reviews

Bizarre is putting it mildly.

[gridoon · 7/10 · 2 January 2003]

Arnold may be the most active corpse in the history of movies (we're not talking about zombies here). There he is, lying in his casket throughout the movie, and yet his presence dominates the world of the living, and his sardonic smile makes him look pretty darn alive. This highly original horror comedy has a morbid sense of humor and will keep you guessing all the way, but ultimately has one twist too many, becoming excessively illogical by the end. It's still recommended, perhaps as a double feature with "Terror In The Wax Museum", another 1973 film by the same director, with many of the same stars, with even the same "they never set foot outside the studio" feeling. (**1/2)

Oh my lord! It's hypnotically campy!

[melskunk · 5/10 · 23 January 2001]

I've noticed there aren't a lot of comments on this film, and for good reason. It's been burried in the annals of time, from that dark age where films where made before Direct to Video that were obviously prime candidates.

I managed to see the piece with my fiance last weekend on television as part of a run of 'bad movies'. We intended to go out to a show that night, but ended up caught up in the funny weirdness of the story, the sets, the acting, the whole mess, and couldn't leave. Each time we planned to get up to go, we remained seated, glued to the set, in awe of the bizzare feature. It was like some sort of perverse Estragon and Vladimir situation.

And if that isn't a recommendation, I don't know what is.

It's certainly no classic. It's a pretty lousy movie. The cheerful early seventies theme that opens the feature ("How happy we'll be, together you and me... Arrrrnold, Arrrnold!") is played over the background of a funeral in an obviously small soundstage with styrafoam tombstones and the obligatory raven and fog, which is of course hillarious.

But it's a fun watch. No one in it thinks they're in a classic, and the whole situation gets quite laughable frequently. It's got enough aspects of a whodunit to be vaugly interesting.

Best points are probably the police constable commenting 'Now, is this place a cemetary because it's always foggy here, or is it always foggy here because it's a cemetary?' and the tapedeck in the coffin. Oyvey!

The only word for it is 'hypnotic'. You'll keep watching. You won't believe what you're seeing, yet you'll have to watch more.

In the words of the bobby "If I hadn't a seen it I wouldn'ta believed it!"

Till death do us unite in holy matrimony?!?

[Coventry · 7/10 · 9 June 2017]

The least you can say about "Arnold" is that it features an incredibly inventive and completely original plot! When I first read the synopsis, I actually didn't understand what was meant! "Upon his death, Arnold marries his long-time mistress Karen…" What? Wait a minute, the titular character Arnold is dead from the beginning of the film but he nevertheless gets married? No worries, though, as the downright phenomenal opening sequences pretty much clarify everything immediately! And I use the word "phenomenal" because the film opens with atmospheric images of a fog-enshrouded and morbidly ancient cemetery where a black cat challenges a vicious raven to a fight! Moments later a depressing funeral procession enters the church, immediately followed by a cheerful white-dressed bride surrounded by her joyous maids! By then you will also have figured out that "Arnold" is, in fact, also a parody next to being an old- fashioned gruesome horror film. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think there exist many other ways for a film to start more promising or peculiar!

It turns out that Arnold's shrew of a wife never agreed to a divorce while he was alive, so he arranged to wed his mistress after he died! Arnold was a very wealthy but also eccentric man, and thus he astounds his ex-wife and greedy family members one last time by declaring in his will that his new wife Karen inherits his entire fortune and giant estate! There's one little condition, though… They have to remain married and Arnold needs to remain with her in his open coffin until death do them part (again). Oh, by the way, did I mention that the deceased reads the testament to his family himself? He actually as a tape deck build into his coffin (!) and while the recordings are playing he lays there with a giant evil grin on his dead face! Obviously the testament causes further jealousy and hatred in the family, and even the brand new bride quickly turns out to be treacherous and in favor to put Arnold underneath the ground as fast as possible. But new tapes continue to arrive and illustrate how Arnold is always several steps ahead of his evil family. Although dead, he seemingly sees through their diabolical plans to get their hands on the fortune and prevents them by setting up freakish and painful death traps.

I really enjoyed "Arnold" a great deal in spite of some major defaults! Many other reviewers already righteously compared the film with "The Abominable Dr. Phibes". Even though that film benefited from much better direction and a smiling corpse could never replace the almighty Vincent Price, there are indeed a lot of similarities. "Arnold" is basically a throwback/homage to the good old days of dark mansions full of booby-traps, secret peeping holes in paintings and despicable family members fighting over an inheritance. There isn't a lot of tension, some parts are dull & slow-paced and the denouement is very predictable, but still the murders are gruesome and inventive (burning acid stirred into facial cream, shrinking suits, collapsing shower walls…) and – as said already – the set pieces are magnificent. Some of the parody aspects entirely miss their effect, while others are really funny! Personally, I loved the Constable Hooke character (Bernard Fox) and how he persists on reporting the macabre deaths as terribly unfortunate accidents. He also speaks a downright fantastic – in my humble opinion, at least – piece of monologue: "I wonder … Is it always foggy here because it's a cemetery, or did they build a cemetery here because it's always foggy?" Oh, and final note for the avid horror nerds, that's Elsa "Bride of Frankenstein" Lanchester in the role of naive, cat- caressing sister!

Now we REALLY know why they call it a "WAKE!"

[cchase · 14 November 2000]

Bing Crosby Productions (BCP for short) was kind of the Aaron Spelling studio of theatrical B-pics, (if that's not too redundant a comparison) when this was initially released. For an association with one of America's foremost crooners, the company turned out a pretty grisly roster of flicks, (apropos, I guess, in light of the Crosby family history that surfaced later.) Film buffs may recall WILLARD, its inescapable sequel BEN, TERROR IN THE WAX MUSEUM, "W," and of course ARNOLD, among BCP's more visible offerings.

Of the bunch, ARNOLD was definitely the most ghoulish fun. A who's who of well-preserved Hollyweird relics and die-hard character actors, it predated the slasher film onslaught that would overrun theaters later with its premise of not so much "whodunnit," but who would get it next and how.

Stella Stevens played a blushing, buxom bride about to make a most unusual deal with her much older hubby to be; an arrangement that is literally a lift from TALES OF THE CRYPT. The foxy former flight attendant has agreed to wed her betrothed...AFTER his death, in order to inherit his considerable millions. What's more, she's pledged to stay by his side and remain faithful only to him.

The combination funeral/wedding has got to be seen to be believed, complete with the weirdest serenade ever warbled by show tune chanteuse Shani Wallis. To complete the bizarro scene, Arnold even guides the proceedings through tape recordings, played in a machine installed in his coffin!

The whole thing takes on the air of a ninety minute game of "Clue" played in reverse, as greedy, grasping relatives and hangers-on are dispatched in the most gory and inventive ways possible for a dead guy to come up with. Amongst the suspects/victims are THE Elsa Lanchester, Roddy McDowall, Patric Knowles, Farley Granger, the witchy Ms. Wallis, who gets to sample some of the hottest "cold cream" on the market, Jamie Farr (yeah, Klinger from M*A*S*H himself,) and Victor Buono, in a hysterical cameo as the 'lucky' minister who gets to officiate at the nuptials.

Serving as the hysterically inept and definitely non-PC Greek chorus is Bernard Fox of HOGAN'S HEROES fame, (most recently seen in the Brendan Fraser MUMMY remake), as the bumbling inspector in charge of investigating the murders, while giving a running commentary on the action.

Most moviegoers found this a little too dark and gruesome to be a farcical romp, (little did they know that SCREAM was on the way about thirty years down the road), but it looks like a good time was had by all, and though it's somewhat dated, this '70's sendup is still worth a look, especially since all its stars are allowed to do what they did best. ARNOLD proves to be the liveliest dead guy who ever threw a family "bash," and one thing's for sure...you won't soon forget him!

Summer Camp Horror -- or Camp Horror for Summer

[JonB-2 · 6/10 · 19 June 1999]

"Arnold" is a fun but minor example of the genre of "Mass Murderer impossibly out-psyches all of his victims" films. For better examples, see either of Vincent Price's "Dr. Phibes" movies, or VP's "Theatre of Blood," probably the best crazed killer on the loose but with a theme movie ever made.

But... "Arnold" is sheer fun in the sense of watching a corpse kill off all his heirs solely because he knows them so well. Sure, the methods of killing are ridiculous -- acidic cold cream, a killer suit, a squishing shower, a well placed guillotine -- but the supporting cast is marvellous, the suspense is there, and the "bad guy" wins. Bonus points: Elsa Lancaster, and the dead guy looks a hell of a lot like Jack Cassidy, although he's not.

I'd recommend this film as the second rental on a double feature; something to provide gory nasty thrills, but not quite as gross as whatever first choice nastiness you rented that evening.

Fun Black Comedy/Horror Film with Creative Kills

[Reviews_of_the_Dead · 7/10 · 24 August 2023]

This film is one that I learned about through the Horror Show Guide encyclopedia I'm working through. It is interesting to revisit this as I didn't realize how stacked the cast was. I thought this was fine during my first watch and now giving it a second go for my Traverse through the Threes.

Synopsis: upon his death, Arnold (Norman Stuart) marries his lover, Karen (Stella Stevens), despite his widow and leaves deathtraps accompanied by audiotapes along with his preserved and articulate corpse for those who cared only for his money.

We start this in a cemetery. There is a raven that is bothering a cat, but just avoiding being killed. We then meet the caretaker of this cemetery, Jonesy (Ben Wright). He is joined by the constable, who is kind of bumbling and named Hooke (Bernard Fox). They watch as a casket is carried to a church. You'd assume for a funeral service, but it's a wedding. A party of women go past into the church as well. Constable Hooke is confused and goes to tell them that they have mixed up something. He watches on.

Inside we see that this is not the case. There is a wedding between Lord Arnold Dwellyn and the much younger Karen. We see that everyone attending is shocked by the ceremony. They are his younger brother Robert (Roddy McDowall), his sister Hester (Elsa Lanchester), his widow of Lady Jocelyn (Shani Wallis), his cousin and lawyer Douglas Whitehead (Patrick Knowles). He also brought along a younger man who is learning, Evan Lyons (Farley Granger). A servant is also there, Dybbi (Jamie Farr) and the minister is played by Victor Buono.

We then shift to the will reading. It is here we learn more about the parties involved. Arnold and Jocelyn's marriage was quite loveless. She didn't do much to help him when her husband became terminally ill. Karen was his mistress and agreed to marry him upon his death. Robert is a mooch. Hester is eccentric. Not shocking as well is that Arnold was a vindictive man. He is nice to those that showed him respect, allowing Hester to live in his house for as long as she would like. He leaves Robert nothing, since he does nothing. He leaves his widow one share in his corporation. He leaves the rest to Karen, as long as she stays loyal to their marriage. His will reading has all been done by tape, including responses he knows that people will have, so it is like they are speaking to each other.

This isn't the only thing he foresaw. More tapes come and Arnold has plans for those in attendance. We see that someone is watching through the eye of a painting. Jocelyn has been seeing Evan and she is punished. Robert also has been secretly seeing Karen. He puts on a suit from Arnold's collection and meets a terrible fate. This makes you question if Arnold is alive or dead. Also, how far has he planned to punish his greedy family members.

That is where I'll leave my recap and introduction to the characters. Where I'll start is saying that I came in not knowing anything about this film and was pleasantly surprised. I saw a comment stating that this is kind of like The Abominable Dr. Phibes and I can see that. It seems also like a Saw-type plot, made thirty years before they came about. I am a fan of the fact that Arnold is ahead of the game and knows what these people will do. He knows they're greedy and he's giving them the chance to do the right thing. When they don't, they're punished. There is someone helping him though, we see that early on looking from the eye of the painting. That seems more plausible than some revenge films.

What makes this work though is the acting. We have the likes of McDowall, Lanchester, Granger, Fox and Knowles leading the way. They were all at the top of the game at different times. Each one takes on such different characters here that feel like a dysfunctional family. Stevens is someone I didn't know a lot about, but I liked her. She is a modern woman who knows that she can use her sexuality to manipulate Arnold, Robert, Douglas and even Evan. It doesn't work out well for her, but she is trying. I should also say that Wallis was solid. We get cameos by John McGiver and Farr who work as well. I do have to bring up, it is a bit racist for the latter. He is taking on an Indian character so he's in brown face. That doesn't ruin it but makes it problematic today instead of hiring an actor of that descent. I also think the brand of comedy works. It is a black comedy and our players understand the assignment. Credit here for sure for a solid cast across the board.

Another thing that works is filmmaking. The deaths are interesting. We get a face cream to kill one. A suit that gets tighter which makes me think of a medieval torture device. There is creativity here and going practical helps bring character. I was impressed there. The setting is also a plus. We are getting a bit of the 'old dark house' with secret passages. Making it seem like Arnold is alive helps here. The cemetery is also always foggy. What is funny there is that characters' commenting on it. I'd say that cinematography is well done to hide things. This comes in with a PG rating so that is impressive there. What doesn't necessarily work is the soundtrack. We get these odd musical interludes that are sung by Wallis. They are cheesy, I will give them that. This is a well-made movie despite that little blip.

There isn't anything else that I want to delve into here so in conclusion, this is a fun horror film with black comedy elements. The premises aren't new, with both Dr. Phibes films already being out. I like what they do with it here. What makes this work is the cast. We have the likes of McDowall, Lanchester and Granger here. The rest of the cast are good in support. This is a well-made movie with the deaths being a bright spot along with the cinematography. The only drawback being the songs being made for the movie. That doesn't ruin this though. I'd recommend this one if you're fans of cinema of this era as I had fun here.

My Rating: 7 out of 10.

The trailer gave away the goods...and in a much snappier fashion

[moonspinner55 · 2/10 · 30 July 2016]

The trailer for "Arnold" was far more successful than the actual movie; delineating sort of a "Ten Little Indians" scenario, it quickly highlighted a passel of imaginative deaths, such as two kissing lovers crushed to death in a shower stall. Unfortunately, this tacky turkey with name-players hasn't the snap (or brevity) of its own coming attraction. The recipients of a deceased millionaire's will perish, one by one, in colorful ways, with Roddy McDowall's comeuppance--squeezed to death in a purple velvet suit--being the most ridiculous. Produced on a TV-movie budget, stars Stella Stevens, Farley Granger, Jamie Farr, Victor Buono and McDowall each look properly embarrassed. The only cast member who gets to shine a bit is Elsa Lanchester, hamming it up as dead Arnold's sister. * from ****

Campy comedy, light on scares

[edeighton · 7/10 · 27 October 2023]

Arnold 1973 A black comedy/horror about Arnold, a wealthy man who arranges for his mistress to go through a wedding ceremony with his corpse after his death. The ravishing Karen (Stella Stevens) is the mistress who inherits all of Arnold's money and gets to live in his mansion on the condition that she never leaves the side of his coffin and takes it everywhere she goes. His other greedy relatives aren't happy with this arrangement, but they all end up being killed off in elaborate death traps, which makes Karen feel that Arnold may try and kill her next. Jameson Brewer, the writer for this movie, also wrote scripts for my favorite childhood cartoon, Battle of the Planets ("G-force"). I loved the campy nature of this not very scary but funny movie. The opening show tune "Arnold" song by Shani Wallis, who played Lady Jocelyn Dwellyn, Arnold's wife in the movie, is so catchy that I am still humming it.

The bumbling Constable Hooke and his lecherous father, the Governor were delightful comic relief as was the comely Wanda Bailey, who played a busty barmaid. I love that the Constable continues to report each new death as some kind of accident despite that possibility becoming more and more far-fetched.

The Bride of Frankenstein herself, Elsa Lanchester, plays the cat-carrying daffy sister of the titular corpse, Arnold.

What a cool concept. Arnold speaks to his victims from beyond the grave by means of tape cassettes played from his coffin. He predicts his every victim's course of conduct and then allows each victim to kill themselves by traps that are only sprung by each victim's greedy behavior and only if they intend to oppose Arnold's testamentary will.

I selected this movie because of Brian Bly's interest in collecting rare VHS horror movies. This one is a very rare tape to collect because it was only released on VHS once, in 1985, and through a smaller distributor. This was a Bing Crosby Production (BCP) film. For such a star-studded movie, it is hardly known by children of the 1980's.

A "PG" comedy?

[MadMatt7 · 3/10 · 25 May 2004]

**some spoilers**

My parents took me to see this movie when I was 6 and it seriously freaked me out for many years to come - especially the shower squishing scene. At that age, I certainly didn't recall anything funny about the film. After a 30 year hiatus, I watched it again last week and, though I did laugh out loud in a few spots, I would hardly call it a comedy. Granted, the whole wedding sequence was hilarious - especially the performance by Victor Buono (the minister). But the rest of the movie was just a game of which selfish, unlikable, poorly developed character would get killed off next and in what gruesome fashion they'd meet their end - basically just an exercise in sadism. This pattern reminded me a lot of "Final Destination 2", though at least that film had something resembling a likable character here and there. (even if only 2-dimensional) Maybe there's a generation gap at work here, or maybe I just don't like English humor as much as I thought I did. Either way, "Heathers" and "Dr. Strangelove" will always be the apex of dark comedies in my book to which all others are compared - and "Arnold" falls way short.

Star studded black comedy not for all tastes

[kevinolzak · 7/10 · 29 August 2023]

1973's "Arnold" served as the second in a double bill from two brothers far busier in television, producer Andrew J. Fenady and lesser known director Georg, shooting roughly four months after completing "Terror in the Wax Museum." Bing Crosby Productions and distributor Cinerama had enjoyed previous success with "Willard" and its sequel "Ben," but never actually paired these films together, Cinerama actually collapsing less than a year after the belated release of "Arnold." "Terror" can easily claim to be a straight up murder mystery with horror elements, while its companion piece, boasting many of the same cast members (Elsa Lanchester, Patric Knowles, Shani Wallis, Ben Wright, and Steven Marlo), is definitely a tricky affair, a morbid black comedy that ultimately proved more difficult to market. It opens in somber fashion as a funeral procession delivers the corpse of wealthy Lord Arnold Dwellyn (Norman Stuart) under the watchful gaze of Constable Hooke (Bernard Fox) and grave digger Jonesy (Ben Wright), only to stare in amazement at the arrival of beautiful Karen (Stella Stevens), clad in a wedding gown for the incongruous nuptials. The understandably flustered Minister (Victor Buono) stammers through the wedding ceremony, after which the participants gather together for a reading of the will, unusual in that the deceased has left specific instructions behind on recorded cassette tapes that can be played in his specially designed coffin. As his extramarital lover, Karen is to be Arnold's chosen heir, to the detriment of brother Robert (Roddy McDowall) and sister Hester (Elsa Lanchester), the not so grieving widow Lady Dwellyn (Shani Wallis) meeting her demise before night's end from a deadly application of cold cream doused with acid. Worthless playboy Robert has always coveted everything that his sibling possessed, including the curvaceous Karen, and is soon crushed by Arnold's constricting new suit. Next to perish is solicitor Douglas Whitehead (Patric Knowles), whose fatal attempt to score 'fringe benefits' from the distraught Karen is soon followed by the decapitation of suspicious behaving manservant Dybbi (Jamie Farr). The culprit becomes easier to spot once the cast gets whittled down, but McDowall's absence at the midway point leaves a gaping hole that can't be filled by performers without his flair for macabre humor (a role similar to his greedy killer in the "Night Gallery" pilot). Constable Hooke's running commentary on the nature of each death, and finding only 'bits and pieces' of the last three victims, offers most of the amusement on hand, leading to the best punch line as he sadly announces losing his lascivious father (John McGiver) and his busty fiancee (Wanda Bailey) at the same time ("they died?" "eloped!"). There's a natural suspension of disbelief as the improbabilities mount before a somewhat disappointing climax, but overall what should have become a cult item may yet find its proper audience. Best remembered for such popular TV Westerns as THE REBEL, BRANDED, and HONDO, Andrew J. Fenady revealed years later that the uncredited voice of the deceased Arnold belonged to underrated Australian thespian Murray Matheson, known for character roles in shows like THRILLER ("The Poisoner"), THE TWILIGHT ZONE ("Five Characters in Search of an Exit"), and KOLCHAK: THE NIGHT STALKER ("Horror in the Heights").

Murder by Cassette.

[mark.waltz · 4/10 · 4 September 2020]

This silly thriller is another one of those late-era comedy horror films that could have easily been made by Universal in the 1940's. There are elements here that were represented much better in such favorites as the 1941 version of "The Black Cat" and "Night People", and prominently featured is Elsa Lanchester from "The Bride of Frankenstein". She doesn't appear in a high brown wig with a white streak though it, but she might as well.

All the archetypes of those types of films are here, from the well see old man married to a younger woman in this case, too, Shani Wallis, whom he divorced after dying, and Stella Stevens, whom he married at his funeral! there's an eccentric surviving sister (Lanchester) the lover of the new wife (Roddy McDowall), an amorous, perverted old barkeep (John McGiver), his shifty attorney son (Patric Knowles) and the befuddled law enforcement officer (Bernard Fox). Jamie Farr is briefly seen as a mystical character who really doesn't even say a word.

The issue is not the parody of those films. That aspect of it is terrific. It just seemed so obviously done on a sound stage with the fog machines working overtime, and obvious backdrop making it look like a cheap stage play. The conclusion is a nice twist that puts everything all together, but I'll never want to ever hear Shani Wallis singing the title song ever again.

A perfect dark comedy!

[L.Dallas · 8/10 · 3 December 1998]

Arnold is everything a black comedy should be! It has the all the cynicism and wit of a Gogol novel. Another terrific performance by the incomparable Roddy McDowell...if only I could find out where to buy one of his "shrink wrap suits" to send to all of my "favourite" people.

Arnold ought to be redone

[johnsokw · 4/10 · 21 February 2023]

So often we gripe when perfectly fine movies are re-done. Arnold is an example of a flawed movie that NEEDS to be redone. Probably on a streaming channel. Not the big screen.

The story is a nice simple idea but needs much better writing, better jokes. I like its simple easy practical effects, the actors and actresses are okay. I like a movie filmed mostly in one house.

I looked up the credits of its writers and of course nothing to brag about too loudly.

I also am really put off by the bar scenes involving John McGyver ogling the busty barmaid. By itself the dirty old man going after busty lady just isn't funny. Without added goofiness or clever lines, it so bores me. I laugh at well written offensive jokes and stunts but these were infuriatingly idiotic. Or I assume they were, I fast forwarded through much of it.

Nasty!

[TonyDood · 28 April 2005]

This is a pretty black little film, and I actually really like it. It makes you wonder how they got the money to put it together and got all the celebrities to be in it. Roddy McDowell and Stella Stevens were fresh off of "Poseidon Adventure." Was this a good career move? Who cares? They were both actors who were willing to work, even if it meant doing dumb movies.

Stella Stevens plays a woman carrying out the wishes of her lover, that she marry him after he is dead. That's how the movie STARTS, and it keeps going from there! What follows is a combination of campy 70's sitcom humor, a "And Then There Were None"-style "whodunnit" mystery and some grisly, inventive death scenes.

The pace is brisk as it moves to a surprise ending that is both satisfying and pretty disturbing for a "comedy." I respect a film that is willing to pretend to be all light and funny, then end so hatefully! The theme of this film is that everyone is money-grubbing, selfish and weak. Nasty, black-hearted, TRULY WEIRD (the opening song just kills me) and I love it! And Stella Stevens is gorgeous and amazing, as always.

Phibes for kids

[BandSAboutMovies · 4/10 · 10 April 2023]

Lord Arnold Dwellyn (Norman Stuart) has just Karen (Stella Stevens), which would not be all that strange except that, well, he's dead. He's not buried, as per his will, if Karen wants to inherit all that he owns, she must never leave his mansion and leave him in state. That doesn't mean that she's taking it easy, as she's been having an affair with Arnold's brother Robert (Roddy McDowall). And umm, how did Arnold get married when he has a widow, Lady Jocelyn (Shani Wallis)? I guess it really is until death do you part, right?

There's money hidden in the walls, though, but whenever anyone gets close to it, Arnold has already planned for it, knowing how each person will react and coming up with a death trap created just for them, like some kind of Dr. Phibes without the years of medical school. Only Arnold's sister Hester (Elsa Lanchester, once a Bride) seems to benefit from all of this, but her luck can't last.

Shot at the same time as Terror in the Wax Museum with most of the same cast - Lanchester, Wallis, Steven Marlo, Patric Knowles, Shani Ben Wright and Leslie Thompson - this didn't hit right with me at first. It felt like a long black out sketch from Night Gallery. Yet the more I think about it, well, I keep thinking about this movie. I mean, what other movie finds roles for Victor Buono, Bernard Fox, Farley Granger and Jamie Farr? How many fog machines did it take to make this? And wow, it was produced by Bing Crosby Productions?

Directed by Georg Fenady, who other than this and the aforementioned Terror in the Wax Museum mainly worked in TV and written by Jameson Brewer (who did write The Incredible Mr. Limpet) and John Fenton Murray (whose credits include Sid and Marty Krofft shows and Partridge Family 2200 AD), this feels like something made in between episodes of other shows. Yet it has some weird charm that keeps bringing me back to it. Maybe it's the Shani Walls theme at the end?

Rather Morbid and Distasteful

[Uriah43 · 3/10 · 11 July 2017]

Upon his death "Lord Arnold Dewellyn" (Norman Stuart) makes arrangements to be married to a woman by the name of "Karen" (Stella Stevens) even though he leaves behind a widow named "Lady Jocelyn Dewellyn" (Shani Wallis). As it turns out, the reason he does this is because he wishes to settle some old scores with everyone who supposedly loved him but were only interested in his money. Think of it as a kind of sick joke which he continues to play upon with the reading of the will in which he mandates certain instructions intended to cause even more problems for all concerned. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that I didn't particularly care for this movie that much due in large part to the absence of humor and the morbid circumstances surrounding everything. To be sure, there is some mystery here and there and Stella Stevens was definitely quite attractive. Even so, I found the overall plot to be somewhat distasteful and for that reason I have rated it accordingly. Below average.

Extremely Underrated

[mls4182 · 10/10 · 24 March 2021]

This is a great little dark comedy with a superb cast. A must for anyone who loves dark comedy. I think a lot of people avoided it because they thought it was a cheap horror film.

Dr Phibes copy offers some new twists

[g_man07302 · 16 June 2004]

The Abominable Dr Phibes was quite successful. One of the first films to feature "creative deaths", it was soon followed by a sequel and imitations (Theater of Blood, also with Vincent Price).

Arnold follows the pattern of someone who may or may not be dead getting revenge on those who have wronged him. Here we have a corpse (is it really millionaire Arnold Dewellyn?) who lays in his coffin for the entire movie while tapes of his voice are played at various intervals. Arnold knows his greedy relatives are after his money, but he has a surprise for each of them. Who will survive???

This movie is basically a comedy, with some semi-gruesome murders (tame by today's standards) thrown in. If you like black-comedies (Murder By Death for example) you should enjoy this PG rated Bing Crosby Production (BCP). The cast is great: Stella Stevens, Roddy McDowell, Elsa Lanchester, Victor Buono, Charles Fox.

The movie did hardly any business in 1973. BCP sold the movie to be tacked on to double bills. In 1976 it was paired with Grizzly! In the mid 80's it finally came to television on the Late Show, and then a year later to video.

It is out of print now, and very hard to see (cable TV has NOT embraced it). It is a cult movie waiting to be discovered. It is certainly weird enough!

How can someone die? Let me count the ways!

[david-rogers · 10/10 · 31 January 2008]

This movie is one of the better "Ewwww...I would hate to be them" type movies. It was way before its time. Roddy McDowall is so cocky and nasty in the movie that you know his time is going to come, and when it does-- it's a real headache!

After seeing this movie at such a young age, I was afraid to dress in any sort of Halloween mask-- fearing that I would end up like poor Robert (Roddy McDowall). Way cool!

The ways everyone bites the dust is very inventive. An excellent cast with an excellent plot. Kind of like TEN LITTLE INDIANS meets SAW. I wish I could find it on DVD!

Black Comedy Nothing, this funny movie has everything

[Jennie_Lynn · 21 August 2003]

I was lucky enough to see this movie in the theatre in 1973 when it was shown. Then I saw it on television in 1986 and recorded it, which now I am really glad I can watch when I want to. But I can say this that Roddy MacDowell shines throughout this movie as does Stella Stevens. Norman Stewart as Arnold was really great, how'd he keep his eyes open all the time like that ? Jamie Farr's performance as the silent oriential servant was hilarious ! Let's say he lost his head over the serving part (ha, ha).

Elsa Lancaster was excellent as Arnold's sister, who get's all the solitude she needs at the climatic end. Bernard Fox as the bumbling policeman kept you wondering if he'd ever keep that bicycle standing up ever. I give it a 10 on the scale of rating because as a child I remember how scared I was when I left, seeing a nervous eye looking out of Arnold's picture every-so-often. Watch it if you can see it on TV again.

Tongue-In Cheek Horror Humor

[nina_lixx · 8/10 · 14 September 2006]

I remember seeing this movie when I was all of 10 years old with my older sister (who should have known better!) I couldn't sleep for days after. This movie is really really scary in a campy, early '70s way. Com'on, who wouldn't get scared with a dead body lying in its coffin, in the middle of the living room, while tape recordings arrive each morning detailing the gruesome events of the previous day -- and, in the corpse's own voice, no less!!??? It's like something out of Agatha Christie wherein relatives of the deceased must survive night after night in a creepy, booby-trapped house. The last one alive gets to keep all the money left behind....the location of which is to be revealed in one final tape! You just gotta have a ghoulish sense of humor to enjoy the cheeky macabre aspects of this horror flick send up. Plus, it really is funny the way these greedy, money hungry people die and, in the end, you kind of feel they all deserved it.

Pleasant Fun!

[BaronBl00d · 11 January 2000]

Arnold is a film about a recently deceased wealthy man that kills off his heirs and company from the grave. It is a dark comedy, mixing gory thrills with low-brow comedy. This mix works well overall despite a somewhat lacking script. Most of the credit should go to the cast which is superb. Stella Stevens is ever beautiful, and buxom I might add, as Arnold's newly wed wife after his death. Elsa Lanchester, yes the Bride herself, is winsome as his dottering, cat-pawing sister. Roddy McDowell is as ever charming as his penniless, conniving younger brother. Good turns also are contributed from Patric Knowles, Farley Granger, John McGiver, and Jamie Farr. The best performance is given by British character actor Bernard Fox(known for his role of Dr. Bombay on Bewitched) as a dim-witted policeman that has little tact and sense. His lines are the best and he certainly is the funniest aspect of the film. The cast dies through many grisly deaths. One person is compacted in a garbage truck, another choked to death from a suit, another interred for life in a vault, another beheaded, and a couple pressed together between two walls. Shanni Wallis sings a rather very 70ish tune by the titular name that sets the mood of the film almost immediately as do some of the stylish sets and swirling fogs of the cemetery.

cheesy fun

[john22900 · 10/10 · 10 July 2009]

I really like this movie for a number of reasons.

First it delivers the shocks and the laughs almost at the same time.

It does not pretend to be high art.

This movie is fun in a lot of ways. If you have not seen it, you know right at the start that the greedy bunch of relatives and hangers on are going to be dispatched one by one. Part of the fun is guessing who is going to be next on the list. Stella Stevens has seldom looked better than she does in this movie. She has a terrific body and that alone is worth the price of admission. But there's so much more. The cast is comprised of mostly character actors who have had some connection with the bizarre and macabre cinema before. Among the cast members are Victor Buono, Elsa Lanchester, Roddy McDowell, Jamie Farr, Farley Granger, John McGiver and Bernard Fox. Needless to say everybody in the cast gets what they so richly deserve. But the final supreme joke involving Bernard Fox and John McGiver is the topper!

Strife After Death...

[azathothpwiggins · 1 July 2021]

ARNOLD opens with the unholy matrimony of Karen (Stella Stevens) and the non-living, coffin-bound title character. Karen has "married" Arnold postmortem, per his request, in order to inherit his vast fortune.

It's revealed during the reading of the will, that Karen is the only person whom Arnold trusted. His other "friends" and relatives include his daffy sister, Hester (Elsa Lanchester); the ultra-slimy, Robert (Roddy McDowall); Evan (Farley Granger); and Evan's mysterious, faithful servant, Dybbi (Jamie Farr).

It's not long before these detestable people start perishing in twisted, terrible ways. As Constable Hooke (Bernard Fox) investigates, the question is: Is Arnold committing murder from beyond the grave?

Soaked in an atmosphere of hilarious gloom, and boasting classic devices such as secret passages, paintings with eyeholes, etc., ARNOLD is a fun horror / comedy with a truly macabre sensibility.

Expect nothing of a serious nature, and you should enjoy yourself...

Very morbidly funny

[sublime_twilight · 10/10 · 6 June 2006]

This is a great movie. Once you see, it really sticks with you. You almost never forget it. I saw it when I was 5 years old (back in 85') and I still remember it.I even remember the theme song. I found this movie on here, because I remembered the theme song.

The tape recorder in the coffin crept me out. The shower scene - gross,lol. I loved it. That theme song was just creepy. The one thing that I think that they should have done was let him have faked his death. That'd have been a great ironic twist. However, I guess the twist was that in most movies like that the person usually fakes his death. This one was different because he was actually dead.