Bluebeard

 

 (imdb-)

BLUEBEARD- 1944-Paris is gripped by the murders of several young women. The killer has been dubbed Bluebeard by police. Gaston Morel (John Carradine), the puppeteer puts on puppet operas in the park. He takes a liking to Lucille (Jean Parker), a dress designer. After he kills his jealous assistant Renee (Sonia Sorel), it's obvious he's Bluebeard, dump-ing victims in the Seine after painting their portraits. He hires Lucille to make dresses for a new puppet show he wants to create. A police in-spector (Nils Asther) deduces that a recently purchased painting is one of the murdered women. Lucille's sister Francine (Teala Loring) helps the police set a trap to catch Morel. Things don't go as planned. Morel kills Francine, then his lackey (Ludwig Stossel) who he thinks betrayed him. When Lucille suspects Morel is the murderer, instead of going to the inspector, she visits Morel who relates a flashback and his relationship with Jeanette (Anne Sterling) which inspires him to paint an award-winning painting. However, when he visits her place, he finds her a “low, coarse, loathsome creature”. So, he killed her and now must kill every woman he paints. 

Moody thriller with a great performance by Carradine and excellent direction by Edgar Ulmer despite the low PRC budget. Also with Iris Adrian, Harry Cording and Bess Flowers. In the same year, co-star Parker was in DEAD MAN'S EYES with Lon Chaney and ONE BODY TOO MANY with Bela Lugosi!

According to an interview John Carradine gave to Dick Cavett around 1981, the actor said director Edgar Ulmer let him direct a scene.

To read about the story this film is based on:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluebeard

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Superstition, Perhaps. Baloney, Perhaps Not

(alarmy)

 

THE BLACK CAT-1934-Peter Allison (David Manners) and his wife Joan (Jacqueline Wells aka Julie Bishop) on their way to Vichgrad, must share their honeymoon rail car with Dr. Vitus Werdeghast (Bela Lugosi) who's on a mission of vengeance after having spent 15 years in a POW camp. When the talkative driver (Herman Bing) smashes up their cab, the newlyweds are forced to seek shelter in the art deco home of the sinister Hjalmar Poelzig (Boris Karloff), the very man Werdeghast (who has a fear of cats) has come to see. Joan is injured in the crash. Poelzig is a traitor who has built his domain on a killing field. Besides that, he stole Werdeghast's' wife and daughter. Un-fortunately, both are now dead. Poelzig even has her preserved dead body. 

But Karin, the daughter is now actually Poelzig's lover/wife/prisoner. Still, he seems to lust for Joan. When the couple wants to leave, they are prevented by Werdeghast's servant (Harry Cording). Later, Joan meets Karin and Poelzig punishes her. Poelzig is a devil worshiper who plans to have a black mass with Joan as the special guest sacrifice. Werdeghast rescues Joan and tells him his daughter is still alive. With the help of his servant Werdeghast overcomes Poelzig and skins him alive. But when he tries to help Joan, dummy Peter mortally shoots him. Husband and wife escape as Werdeghast blows up the castle. 

This sometimes-disturbing pre-code, Universal horror film shows director Edgar Ulmer at his finest. He seems to be pushing the envelope with some of the situations that are only implied. This is also one of Karloff's best villainous roles with Lugosi giving a good performance, but his demise is kind of a letdown (couldn't he or Karloff had lived at the end of at least one of their movies?!). 

John Carradine has a small role as a satanic organist. Some of the other uncredited cult members include King Baggott, Symona Boniface (from 3 Stooges shorts), Michael Mark and Andy Devine.

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Ulmer To The End

 

 

 (imdb)

BEYOND THE TIME BARRIER-1960-Major Allison (Robert Clarke from THE HIDEOUS SUN DEMON) is sent into space. He doesn't seem to be gone too long but when he returns the base is in shambles and deserted. He's taken prisoner by some people in "The Citadel". They think he's a spy and put him in a chamber with some bald-headed mutants. However, the leader of The Citadel, The Supreme (Vladimir Sokoloff) has a mute granddaughter Trirene (Darlene Tompkins) who takes a liking to Allison and saves him. (She has ESP too) He also meets 3 imprisoned scientists Kruse (Stephen Bekassy), Boardman (John Van Dreelan) and Russian Markova (Arianne Arden). From them he learns about a plague from outer space and that the year is 2024! There's one scene in front of a blackboard where it sounds like someone farts. After Markova lets the mutants out and there are a few double crosses Allison returns to 1960 to warn everyone of the plague but he's changed a bit. 

This interesting if drawn out little space drama was directed by the great Edgar Ulmer very late in his career. As usual he manages to do a few neat things with the limits put on the movie. He made it back-to-back in Texas with another Sci-Fi cheapy THE AMAZING TRANSPARENT MAN. His wife Shirley was the story editor and their daughter Arianne plays the female cosmonaut. Star Robert Clarke was originally supposed to direct but hired Ulmer. The two had worked together a few years before on THE MAN FROM PLANET X. Screenwriter Arthur Pierce later wrote the bizarre THE HUMAN DUPLICATORS. Female lead Darlene Tompkins co-starred with Elvis in BLUE HAWAII a year later.

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The Beat

 

MURDER IS MY BEAT-1955-Cop Ray Patrick (Paul Langton; later in IT! THE TERROR FROM BEYOND SPACE) searches for nightclub singer Eden Lane (Barbara Payton), a suspect in the murder of Frank Dean. He tracks her to a snowbound cabin. He arrests her and after she's convicted he accompanies her to the state pen and she convinces Ray she saw Dean alive on a platform. He helps her escape and investigates but all his leads go cold. He also falls in love with her. Later Eden disappears. This part is actually a flashback told by Ray to his boss (Robert Shayne). Ray convinces his boss to help him. 

There's an interesting conclusion in this little film noir masterpiece by the one and only Edgar Ulmer. 

The film also features un-billed roles by Harry Harvey, William Fawcett and Hank Patterson. 

MURDER was written and produced by Aubrey Wisberg who also did the screenplays for THE NEANDERTHAL MAN (with Robert Shayne) and THE MAN FROM PLANET X. This was the last feature role for the notorious Barbara Payton who was once involved in a violent relationship with actor Tom Neal who ten years earlier had starred in Ulmer's classic DETOUR. A public fight between Neal and actor Franchot Tone in which Payton received a black eye helped sink her sagging career. She drank herself to death and died at age 39 in 1967.

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Ulmer in The West

 

THE NAKED DAWN-1955-A violent, philosophical Mexican bandit Santiago (Arthur Kennedy) corrupts Miguel (Eugene Iglesias), a simple farmer and his unhappy wife (Betta St. John; years later in HORROR HOTEL). This is not your typical south of the border western but it might make you think. A technicolor oddity pretty much overlooked and directed by the great Edgar Ulmer. Kennedy was nominated for an Academy Award the same year for his supporting role in Mark Robson's TRIAL. (He won a Golden Globe). 

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Another Sibling!

DAUGHTER OF DR. JEKYLL-1957-After an eerie intro about Robert Louis Stevenson's famous story where Mr. Hyde is called a "human werewolf" and he cackles "Are you sure?", Janet Smith (Gloria Talbott) comes to the house of her guardian Dr. Loomas (Arthur Shields) with her fiance George Hastings (John Agar) to celebrate her 21st birthday and their engagement. Things seem ok at first and Dr. Loomas even informs the couple that Janet has inherited a huge estate. But the big news is she is the daughter of the infamous Dr. Jekyll who became Mr. Hyde and was eventually killed by a mob. Janet refuses to marry Bill but he disagrees. Meanwhile a stupid servant Jacob (John Dierkes) hangs around eavesdropping. Of course Loomas is up to no good and he kind of hypnotizes Janet. At night she has a weird dream and then finds evidence she might have been out roaming. 

After Maggie the maid (Mollie McCard) is found dead Jacob spreads rumors that Janet could be a werewolf. She has another nightmare and wakes up with blood on her hands. "This ridiculous! We're living in the 20th century!” Of course it's Loomas who's the Hyde-wolf and he's hypnotized Janet into thinking she's the killer. George has encounter with Loomas and gets clouted but wakes in time to prevent Janet from committing suicide. After George and Loomas-Hyde have another tussle, Jacob puts a stake through his heart. But the final scene is a repeat with Hyde saying "Are you sure?". 

This run of the mill typical late '50's low budget horror film was directed by the great Edgar Ulmer who's output for interesting films was reaching it's end. He made only 6 more movies. The story has a few good scenes but basically it's not much. Screenwriter Jack Pollexfen was nearly at the end of his career too.

Star Talbott made THE CYCLOPS for Bert I. Gordon the same year. 

https://moviemeltdown.blogspot.com/2020/11/they-dont-call-him-mr-big-for-nothing.html

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He also had a son!:

https://moviemeltdown.blogspot.com/2020/11/inferior-quasi-sequel.html

Ulmer

 

ISLAND OF FORGOTTEN SINS-1943-On a tropical island Marge (Gale Sondergaard) runs the brothel of the title. Her boyfriend Mike Clancy (John Carradine) has a fight with his friend/rival Jack (Frank Fenton) that practically wrecks the club. Then Mike has a plan to hunt for a cargo of sunken gold with Jack's help. Unfortunately for Marge, Olga (Betty Amann), one of her girls shoots and kills a customer. Marge and three of her girls join the guys to get away from the law. They go to an island where Capt. Grogan (Sidney Toler) and his piano playing sidekick Johnny Pacific (Rick Vallin) live with island girl Luana (Veda Ann Borg). They plot to steal the gold after Mike and Jack recover it. Double crosses follow and tropical storm messes up everything. 

Extremely low budget adventure brought up a notch or two by genius director Edgar Ulmer who worked with Carradine a year later on BLUEBEARD. 

By the way, this film has singing in it!

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WW2

 

PRISONER OF JAPAN-1942-During WW 2 David Bowman (Alan Baxter), alcoholic conscientious objector and astronomer living on a South Sea island eventually rises up to rebel against the (phony) Japanese agent (Ernest Dorian) who's keeping him a prisoner. He gets help from Toni Chase (Gertrude Michael) who's on the same island for some reason. It has a sad ending. 

Patriotic war time low budget take from PRC directed by Arthur Ripley from a story by Edgar Ulmer (some sources say he directed parts of it too). This was Ripley's first full length feature after making many short films.

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They Got The Clap!

DAMAGED LIVES-1933-The great Edgar Ulmer made this cautionary exploitation drama a year before his horror masterpiece THE BLACK CAT. 

Donald Bradley, a young businessman (Lyman Williams) gets a venereal disease from a one night stand with a woman he meets at a party. He gets married to his fiancee, Joan (Diane Sinclair) and passes it on to her. 

He visits the famous doctor Leonard (Murray Kinnell) who gives him a tour of patients who have long term disabilities from the effects of untreated VD. Madness, blindness, body sores are some of the results. Their family doctor (Jason Robards Sr.) tries to cheer them up but then he won't even let his young son kiss Joan. After she tries to commit suicide and take hubby with her they realize everything will be ok (the medical treatment cure them will take two years) and they live happily ever after. It's based on a French play. 

You can read more about the author of the play here:

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eug%C3%A8ne_Brieux

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Two Strange Films

STRANGE ILLUSION-1945-A teenager (Jimmy Lydon, the former star of the HENRY ALDRICH movie series; not Johnny Rotten’s brother) suspects his mom’s new beau (Warren William in his last role) may have been responsible for his father’s death. He pretends he needs psychiatric help so he can expose the guilty men. He gets help from the family doctor (Regis Toomey) and has a strange, prophetic dream.

Director Edgar G. Ulmer (from Austria-Hungry; now The Czech Republic) made the classic (and controversial) Universal Karloff-Lugosi team-up THE BLACK CAT in 1934 but worked mainly for basement budget companies like PRC turning out some film noir classics like DETOUR (made the year before), BLUEBEARD and THE MAN FROM PLANET X.

Supposedly Ulmer had an affair with a Universal studio boss’ wife (who he later married) which put him on the shit list with all major studios! If anyone could make “ a silk purse out of a sow’s ear” it was Ulmer!



THE STRANGE WOMAN-1946-Strange indeed! Hedy Lamaar stars as the title character who uses her feminine wilds to get whatever she wants. She marries storekeeper Gene Lockhart for his money then woos his son (Louis Hayward). She drives him to kill his old man then dumps him for his best friend (George Sanders), who dumps his own fiancée (Hilary Brooke). Eventually her evil deeds catch up with her in the dumb finale. This farfetched movie only works if you feel Lamaar was “the most beautiful actress ever”. Otherwise...

The rest of the cast includes Ian Keith and future TV Batman butler Alan Napier. Director Ulmer tries hard to do his best with what he’s got but it’s one of his weakest. Lamaar (from Vienna) had made a big splash with her semi-nude scenes in the German made EXTASE in 1932. She had a short successful career in Hollywood and even developed a guiding system for torpedoes during WW2! She retired in the late ‘50’s and was only heard from sporadically after that, several times for her arrests on shoplifting charges. She died in 2000 at 87.




Personally Edgar Ulmer was one of the greatest directors ever!

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Go Directly To Jail

GIRLS IN CHAINS-1943-Arline Judge (with a weird too big hair-do) is the sister in law of gangster Johnny Moon (Allen Byron) who has a hard time keeping a job because of this connection. She winds up being a psychologist at a girls reform school. A policeman (Roger Clark) investigates the corruption at the school and tries to nail Moon.

This movie is badly made despite being helmed by the great Edgar Ulmer who usually managed to inject surprising scenes into his low budget output (he made DETOUR in ‘45). I think he must have edited it on his lunch hour from another film! There’s a real surprising lapse of continuity involving Sid Melton (as Moon’s henchman). Emmett Lynn portrays a timid guy who becomes a drunk and helps out in the end. Barbara Pepper (later Mrs. Ziffel on TV's GREEN ACRES) plays an inmate.

Star Judge spend most of her career in low budget films and was more well known for having been married 8 times! Her last film appearance was in the horror quickie THE CRAWLING HAND. She died in 1974.

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