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IMDbPro

The Devil Commands

  • 19411941
  • ApprovedApproved
  • 1h 5m
IMDb RATING
6.1/10
1.2K
YOUR RATING
Boris Karloff in The Devil Commands (1941)
Trailer 1
Play trailer1:24
1 Video
14 Photos
HorrorSci-Fi

Scientist becomes obsessed with the idea of communicating with his dead wife.Scientist becomes obsessed with the idea of communicating with his dead wife.Scientist becomes obsessed with the idea of communicating with his dead wife.

IMDb RATING
6.1/10
1.2K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Edward Dmytryk
  • Writers
    • Robert Hardy Andrews(screenplay)
    • Milton Gunzburg(screenplay)
    • William Sloane(novel "The Edge of Running Water")
  • Stars
    • Boris Karloff
    • Anne Revere
    • Amanda Duff
  • Director
    • Edward Dmytryk
  • Writers
    • Robert Hardy Andrews(screenplay)
    • Milton Gunzburg(screenplay)
    • William Sloane(novel "The Edge of Running Water")
  • Stars
    • Boris Karloff
    • Anne Revere
    • Amanda Duff
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 40User reviews
    • 38Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Karloff at Columbia
    Trailer 1:24
    Watch Karloff at Columbia

    Photos14

    Boris Karloff and Amanda Duff in The Devil Commands (1941)
    Boris Karloff and Amanda Duff in The Devil Commands (1941)
    Boris Karloff and Amanda Duff in The Devil Commands (1941)
    Cy Schindell in The Devil Commands (1941)
    Boris Karloff, Dorothy Adams, Lester Allen, Wheaton Chambers, Anne Revere, Cy Schindell, and Shirley Warde in The Devil Commands (1941)
    Boris Karloff and Anne Revere in The Devil Commands (1941)
    Boris Karloff, Cy Schindell, and Shirley Warde in The Devil Commands (1941)
    Boris Karloff, Wheaton Chambers, and Erwin Kalser in The Devil Commands (1941)
    Boris Karloff, Lester Allen, Wheaton Chambers, Richard Fiske, Erwin Kalser, Eddie Kane, and Shirley Warde in The Devil Commands (1941)
    Boris Karloff, Richard Fiske, and Shirley Warde in The Devil Commands (1941)
    Boris Karloff and Anne Revere in The Devil Commands (1941)
    Boris Karloff in The Devil Commands (1941)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Boris Karloff
    Boris Karloff
    • Dr. Julian Blair
    Anne Revere
    Anne Revere
    • Mrs. Blanche Walters
    Amanda Duff
    Amanda Duff
    • Anne Blair
    Richard Fiske
    Richard Fiske
    • Dr. Richard Sayles
    Cy Schindell
    Cy Schindell
    • Karl
    • (as Ralph Penney)
    Dorothy Adams
    Dorothy Adams
    • Mrs. Marcy
    Walter Baldwin
    Walter Baldwin
    • Seth Marcy
    Kenneth MacDonald
    Kenneth MacDonald
    • Sheriff Ed Willis
    Shirley Warde
    • Helen Blair
    Ernie Adams
    Ernie Adams
    • Elam
    • (uncredited)
    Lester Allen
    Lester Allen
    • Dr. Van Den
    • (uncredited)
    Wheaton Chambers
    • Dr. Sanders
    • (uncredited)
    Earl Crawford
    • Johnson
    • (uncredited)
    Harrison Greene
    • Mr. Booth, Bakery Proprietor
    • (uncredited)
    Erwin Kalser
    • Professor Kent
    • (uncredited)
    Eddie Kane
    Eddie Kane
    • Professor Walt
    • (uncredited)
    George McKay
    • Station Agent
    • (uncredited)
    Al Rhein
    • Truck Driver
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Edward Dmytryk
    • Writers
      • Robert Hardy Andrews(screenplay)
      • Milton Gunzburg(screenplay)
      • William Sloane(novel "The Edge of Running Water") (uncredited)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Cy Schindell plays the role of Julian's hulking manservant Karl. He often used the name Al Seymour, but here is billed under the name Ralph Penney, for the only time in his career.
    • Goofs
      Dr. Julian tells Mrs. Walters she had 10,000 volts pass through her body. Volts do not flow or pass, amps do.
    • Quotes

      Dr. Julian Blair: Anne dear, your mother is not dead, not really. She's come back to me!

    • Connections
      Featured in Hollywood and the Stars: Monsters We've Known and Loved (1964)

    User reviews40

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    7/10
    Karloff as an extremely MAD scientist
    I saw this movie over 35 years ago, as a child, late at night.It left a big impression on me and scared me to death. I recently saw it again and my earlier impressions were justified. Karloff tries to contact the soul of his dead wife using an apparatus comprised of metal helmets through which he directs psychic electricity. The whirling vortex of soul energy is a high point in the film. Karloff gets more and more creepily deranged as the movie goes on. Presumably the devil makes him do it. This film is really a well done minor gem. Fans of the mad scientist/laboratory genre will find much to enjoy. This film is a must for Karloff afficianados. It is unfortunately very difficult to find as it hasn't been on T.V.for years and no commercial video tapes exist. See it if you can!
    helpful•21
    2
    • dzondzon
    • Jul 12, 1999

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 3, 1941 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Más allá de la tumba
    • Production company
      • Columbia Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 5 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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