Release CalendarDVD & Blu-ray ReleasesTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsIn TheatersComing SoonMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysAPA Heritage MonthSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)

The Legend of Doom House

Original title: Malpertuis
  • 19711971
  • 2h 5m
IMDb RATING
6.7/10
1.4K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Malpertuis (1971)
  • Drama
  • Fantasy
  • Horror
A young sailor finds himself trapped in the labyrinthine mansion of his occultist uncle, along with a number of eccentric and mysterious relatives who all seem to be harboring a dark secret.A young sailor finds himself trapped in the labyrinthine mansion of his occultist uncle, along with a number of eccentric and mysterious relatives who all seem to be harboring a dark secret.A young sailor finds himself trapped in the labyrinthine mansion of his occultist uncle, along with a number of eccentric and mysterious relatives who all seem to be harboring a dark secret.
IMDb RATING
6.7/10
1.4K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Harry Kümel
  • Writers
    • Jean Ferry(screenplay and dialogue)
    • Jean Ray(novel "Malpertuis")
  • Stars
    • Orson Welles
    • Susan Hampshire
    • Michel Bouquet
Top credits
  • Director
    • Harry Kümel
  • Writers
    • Jean Ferry(screenplay and dialogue)
    • Jean Ray(novel "Malpertuis")
  • Stars
    • Orson Welles
    • Susan Hampshire
    • Michel Bouquet
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 14User reviews
    • 41Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 nominations

    Photos70

    Malpertuis (1971)
    Orson Welles and Susan Hampshire in Malpertuis (1971)
    Orson Welles and Susan Hampshire in Malpertuis (1971)
    Malpertuis (1971)
    Malpertuis (1971)
    Malpertuis (1971)
    Malpertuis (1971)
    Malpertuis (1971)
    Malpertuis (1971)
    Malpertuis (1971)
    Malpertuis (1971)
    Malpertuis (1971)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Orson Welles
    Orson Welles
    • Cassaviusas Cassavius
    Susan Hampshire
    Susan Hampshire
    • Nancyas Nancy…
    Michel Bouquet
    Michel Bouquet
    • Charles Didelooas Charles Dideloo
    Mathieu Carrière
    Mathieu Carrière
    • Janas Jan
    Jean-Pierre Cassel
    Jean-Pierre Cassel
    • Lampernisseas Lampernisse
    Daniel Pilon
    Daniel Pilon
    • Mathias Crookas Mathias Crook
    Walter Rilla
    Walter Rilla
    • Eisengottas Eisengott
    Dora van der Groen
    • Sylvie Didelooas Sylvie Dideloo
    Charles Janssens
    • Philaretteas Philarette
    Sylvie Vartan
    Sylvie Vartan
    • Betsas Bets
    Jet Naessens
    • Eleonoraas Eleonora
    Cara Van Wersch
    • Rosalieas Rosalie
    Jenny Van Santvoort
    • Elodieas Elodie
    Fanny Winkler
    • Mother Griboinas Mother Griboin
    Robert Lussac
    • Griboinas Griboin
    • (as Bob Storm)
    Edouard Ravais
    • Doucedameas Doucedame
    Gella Allaert
    • Gerdaas Gerda
    Hugo Dellas
    • Hansas Hans
    • Director
      • Harry Kümel
    • Writers
      • Jean Ferry(screenplay and dialogue)
      • Jean Ray(novel "Malpertuis")
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

    More like this

    Daughters of Darkness
    6.5
    Daughters of Darkness
    The Witches
    6.0
    The Witches
    The Arrival of Joachim Stiller
    7.5
    The Arrival of Joachim Stiller
    A Quiet Place in the Country
    6.5
    A Quiet Place in the Country
    Short Night of Glass Dolls
    6.6
    Short Night of Glass Dolls
    Dr Jekyll & Sister Hyde
    6.6
    Dr Jekyll & Sister Hyde
    Eline Vere
    6.2
    Eline Vere
    Monsieur Hawarden
    7.0
    Monsieur Hawarden
    Morgiana
    7.2
    Morgiana
    Vampyres
    6.1
    Vampyres
    Secret Ceremony
    6.3
    Secret Ceremony
    Eye of the Cat
    6.1
    Eye of the Cat

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Susan Hampshire's nude scenes as "Alice" and "Euryale" used a body double.
    • Alternate versions
      First screened at Cannes at 99 minutes. The Director's Cut runs 119 minutes.
    • Connections
      Featured in Forgotten Scares: An In-depth Look at Flemish Horror Cinema (2016)

    User reviews14

    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    A family of vultures waiting for their old man to die to grab his inheritance
    Not even Orson Welles succeeds in lifting this film from a level of morbidity to any quality, although it is esthetically well made and interesting with a fascinating scenery throughout. The problem is the story. It's like a turgid novel by Balzac, all the relatives waiting for the old man to die to seize on their inheritance as soon as he is dead, while all they do while he still lives is to long for his death. That's when the interesting part of the film ends, and the rest is more or less just nonsense, as if Welles was the only pillar supporting the film. The conclusion has pretensions to be ingenious but is a disaster and just leads the film to a dead end of artistic bankruptcy. This is no film I could recommend to any audience, and although it was not a mistake to watch it, I will certainly never watch it again.
    helpful•0
    0
    • clanciai
    • Jan 24, 2020

    FAQ1

    • Which Version Should I See?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • 1971 (Belgium)
    • Countries of origin
      • Belgium
      • France
      • West Germany
    • Language
      • Dutch
    • Also known as
      • Malpertuis: The Legend of Doom House
    • Filming locations
      • Bruges, West Flanders, Belgium
    • Production companies
      • Artemis Film
      • Les Productions Artistes Associés
      • SOFLDOC
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 5 minutes
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Malpertuis (1971)
    Top Gap
    By what name was Malpertuis (1971) officially released in Canada in English?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    View list
    List
    The 10 Most Anticipated Marvel and DC Movies
    See the full list
    View list
    List
    2022 TV Guide: The Best Shows Coming This Year
    See the full list

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads

    © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.