A velha casa sombria (1932)

Seeking shelter from a storm, five travelers are in for a bizarre and terrifying night when they stumble upon the Femm family estate.

Director:

James Whale

Writers:

J.B. Priestley (from the novel by) (as J.B. Priestly), Benn W. Levy (screen play)

Stars:

Boris Karloff, Melvyn Douglas, Charles Laughton

1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Boris Karloff	...	Morgan
Melvyn Douglas	...	Penderel
Charles Laughton	...	Sir William Porterhouse
Lilian Bond	...	Gladys (as Lillian Bond)
Ernest Thesiger	...	Horace Femm
Eva Moore	...	Rebecca Femm
Raymond Massey	...	Philip Waverton
Gloria Stuart	...	Margaret Waverton
Elspeth Dudgeon	...	Sir Roderick Femm (as John Dudgeon)
Brember Wills	...	Saul Femm

Storyline

Seeking shelter from a pounding rainstorm in a remote region of Wales, several travellers are admitted to a gloomy, foreboding mansion belonging to the extremely strange Femm family. Trying to make the best of it, the guests must deal with their sepulchral host, Horace Femm and his obsessive, malevolent sister Rebecca. Things get worse as the brutish manservant Morgan gets drunk, runs amuck and releases the long pent-up brother Saul, a psychotic pyromaniac who gleefully tries to destroy the residence by setting it on fire.

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Plot Keywords:

storm | butler | guest | night | fear | 

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Taglines:

More thrilling than "Dracula." More mysterious than "Frankenstein." The spookiest of them all. You'll tremble and thrill and laugh at your own excitement. (Print ad- Woodville Republican, ((Woodville, Miss.)) 14 January 1933)

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Genres:

Comedy | Horror | Thriller

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Did You Know?

Trivia

A movie poster for The Old Dark House sold at Christie's in New York in December 1991 for $48,400, making it at the time the most valuable poster ever sold.

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Goofs

One of Gloria Stuart's elaborate earrings is missing about mid-film, it reappears for 2 close up shots and disappears again in medium and long shots.

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Quotes

Rebecca Femm: Horace what are you doing? We aren't all heathens!
Horace Femm: [Mockingly] Oh I had forgotten my sisters strange tribal habits. The beef will seem less tough when she has invoked a blessing upon it.
Rebecca Femm: Horace Femm, if i cant hear i can see. You're blaspheming.
Horace Femm: On the contrary, my dear Rebecca, I was merely telling your wondering guests that you were about to thank your Gods for their bounty.
Rebecca Femm: That'll do... I know your mocking, lying tongue.
Horace Femm: ...To thank them for the Health and Prosperity and Happiness granted to this...
[...]

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Crazy Credits

After the introductory credits there is a 'producer's note' (on some prints it appears before the studio logo) : 'Karloff, the mad butler in this production, is the same Karloff who created the part of the mechanical monster in "Frankenstein". We explain this to settle all disputes in advance, even though such disputes are a tribute to his great versatility.'

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Connections

Spoofed in Festival Rocky de Terror (1975)

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Soundtracks

The Roast Beef of Old England
(uncredited)
Lyrics by Henry Fielding
Music by Richard Leveridge
Performed by Charles Laughton

User Reviews

"Have a Potato.....Have a Potato"

Truly one of Universal greatest unsung horror films, The Old Dark House is a unique blend of gothic setting, quirky characterizations, wicked black and dry humour, a great ensemble cast, and the workings of the mind of James Whale. Whale made the film the year after Frankenstein. He was again paired with Karloff. But unlike their first association, Karloff's star is far less brighter in this film as his performance, although good and servicable, is over-shadowed by atmosphere, Whale's direction, witty dialogue, and a cast of scene stealers such as Melvyn Douglas, Charles Laughton, Eva Moore, and Ernest Thesiger. Others in the notable cast include lovely Gloria Stuart, Lillian Bond, and Raymond Massey. Thesiger and Moore, as the brother and sister imposed upon by travellers in the stormy night, are fantastic as they interact and play out their eccentricities to perfection. Thesiger has the choice lines in the film as the effeminate Horace Femm, a cowardly man that cowers to his deaf sister. He is a joy to watch and each of his lines oozes with oil. Moore is also very good as she bellows repeatedly, "N beds! No beds! They can have no beds!" The story is based on a novel by J. B. Priestly. The plot is somewhat antiquated now, but Whale's direction puts a lot of life into it. And let's not forget Karloff, however small his part, still turns in a great menacing performance as a lecherous, drunken servant named Morgan ogling Gloria Stuart from the moment he sees her. The Old Dark House is a great film, and it should be more highly touted by Universal!

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 October 1932 (USA)

Also Known As:

A velha casa sombria

Filming Locations:

Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Box Office

Gross USA:

$25,678

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$34,649

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

72 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System Noiseless Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1