The Bat

 

 (imdb)

THE BAT-1959-Mystery writer Cornelia von Gorder (Anges Moorehead) stays in a house called “The Oaks” where evasive murderer “The Bat” committed homicide several months before. Cornelia's maid Lizzy (Lenita Lane) talks about vampire bats. Meanwhile, a bank VP, uncovers a million-dollar bank theft. The prime suspect seems to be Victor Bailey (Mike Steele), an innocent clerk. Then in the Northwest, bank president John Fleming (Harvey Stephens) and his doctor, Malcohm Welles (Vincent Price) are on vacation. John reveals that he took the million and now wants the doc to help him fake his own death. When a forest fire breaks out, the doc shoots and kills John. 

Back at The Oaks, Lizzy talks about The Bat ripping out women's throats and sees a clawed hand at the door. It's apparent a sinister figure is prowling around so the two women barricade themselves in a bedroom and call the police. The figure gets in but is scared away by the cops. Later local police Lt. Anderson (Gavin Gordon) spies Welles experimenting with bats. Cornelia deduces that the embezzled money is hidden somewhere in the house and tries to figure out where. John's nephew Mark (John Bryant) gets involved trying to find the floor plans. A secretary named Judy (former female “Our Gang” member Darla Hood) turns up with testimony that could clear Victor. When it seems like Mark is the culprit, he's found dead in a secret room. The weird lieutenant tries to pin the murder on Warner, the butler (John Sutton), then Judy is killed. The Bat and Welles fight in his lab and the doctor is killed. In the secret room (where Cornelia nearly suffocates) they find a safe. Warner saves the day and the Bat's identity is revealed (it's easy to figure out; there's hardly anyone left). 

This was the third remake of the story which is based on a 1920 stage play based on a 1908 book. Director/co-writer Crane Wilbur (screenwriter of HOUSE OF WAX (1953)) doesn't do much to update the plot so it's rather dated but still entertaining in its way.

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Dark Bogart

 

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DARK PASSAGE-1947-Escape convict Vincent Parry (Humphrey Bogart) is helped by painter Irene Janson (Lauren Bacall). It's all a mystery to him. She says she thinks he got a raw deal at his trial. Parry plans to have plastic surgery. He discovers that a woman (Anges Moorehead) who testified against him knows Irene and also a guy named Bob (Bruce Bennett). There are a few twists and turns and a nightmare sequence, but the strange part is the Parry character. The first part is shown from a POV shot, then he's seen with bandages. Finally, Bogart is seen and everything is revealed. Wonder how many name stars would have accepted this kind of role? 

Different type of film noir from co-writer- director Delmar Daves who made the equally mysterious THE RED HOUSE with Edward G. Robinson the same year. Co-writer David Goodis wrote the novel the film is based on. Years later when the ABC series “The Fugitive” debuted, Goodis sued the production company saying the TV show was based on his novel “Dark Passage”. The suit dragged on long after Goodis' death in 1967 and was finally settled in 1972. French new wave director Francois Truffaut based his film SHOOT THE PIANO PLAYER on the Goodis novel “Down There”.

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