THE BAT, while entertaining and funny because of some hokey dialog, was clearly showing its age as a horror/mystery film by the time this remake was made in 1959. Based on the stage play from the Rinehart novel, it's much less effective than the earlier version called THE BAT WHISPERS with Chester Morris as the detective. That at least had innovative touches in the photography and was much more satisfactory in the chills department.
This one seems artificial and stagebound with dialog that is hopelessly artificial and strained. AGNES MOOREHEAD does about as well as can be expected under the trying circumstances and VINCENT PRICE is effective as the chief suspect, a man we know is anxious to get his hands on the enormous amount of money taken from a bank vault and hidden in the creepy old house. JOHN SUTTON is the chauffeur turned butler, a man with a past who is skillful at anything he turns his hand to. GAVIN GORDON is the detective who assures the ladies of the house that because he has given police protection to the mansion, they can safely go to bed at night as long as they lock their doors.
This last point is just one of the problems with the script. Why would anyone feel safe behind the locked door of a bedroom when the house is full of secret panels and passages? And why, after "The Bat" has been known to enter the house illegally, would anyone feel safe with a hole cut in the glass of the main door? Anyone can start nitpicking all the problems with the script, but nevertheless the film itself is entertaining as an "old dark house mystery" that's fun to solve, especially since the identity of The Bat isn't revealed until the final scene.
Worth watching, but don't expect too much. Some of the performances border on amateurish and none of the performers are helped by a weak script and routine direction by Crane Wilbur.
This one seems artificial and stagebound with dialog that is hopelessly artificial and strained. AGNES MOOREHEAD does about as well as can be expected under the trying circumstances and VINCENT PRICE is effective as the chief suspect, a man we know is anxious to get his hands on the enormous amount of money taken from a bank vault and hidden in the creepy old house. JOHN SUTTON is the chauffeur turned butler, a man with a past who is skillful at anything he turns his hand to. GAVIN GORDON is the detective who assures the ladies of the house that because he has given police protection to the mansion, they can safely go to bed at night as long as they lock their doors.
This last point is just one of the problems with the script. Why would anyone feel safe behind the locked door of a bedroom when the house is full of secret panels and passages? And why, after "The Bat" has been known to enter the house illegally, would anyone feel safe with a hole cut in the glass of the main door? Anyone can start nitpicking all the problems with the script, but nevertheless the film itself is entertaining as an "old dark house mystery" that's fun to solve, especially since the identity of The Bat isn't revealed until the final scene.
Worth watching, but don't expect too much. Some of the performances border on amateurish and none of the performers are helped by a weak script and routine direction by Crane Wilbur.