In 1912, during the First Balkan War, the cruel, heartless and superstitious Greek General Nikolas Pherides (Boris Karloff) rows a boat to a small island with the American Boston Star journalist Oliver Davis (Marc Cramer) to visit his wife's grave. They find it destroyed and the body missing and they overhear a woman singing. Soon they learn that the archaeologist Albrecht (Jason Robards Sr.) lives in the island with his servant Madame Kyra (Helene Thimig) and is welcoming his friends St. Aubyn (Alan Napier), his wife Mrs. Mary St. Aubyn (Katherine Emery) and their servant Thea (Ellen Drew); and Andrew Robbins (Skelton Knaggs).
Albrecht invites General Pherides and Oliver to spend the night with them but during the night, Andrew dies. General Pherides summons Dr. Drossos (Ernst Dorian) that informs that Andrew died of pestilence and advises that they have to stay quarantined in the spot for the plague until the warm and dry Sirocco wind blows in the island. Otherwise it might happen an outbreak in the continent. The superstitious Kyra convinces General Pherides that Thea is the evil demon Vorvolaka and Mrs. St. Aubyn and Oliver need to protect her against the ignorance.
"Isle of the Dead" is a dramatic horror movie about superstition and death. The claustrophobic story is very well developed, with a beautiful black and white cinematography, excellent camera work and great performance of Boris Karloff and Ellen Drew. The climax with the reappearance of the deranged Mrs. St. Aubyn is creepy and ambiguous. My vote is seven.
Title (Brazil): "A Ilha dos Mortos" ("The Isle of the Dead")
