The Old Dark House

James Whale followed up his iconic 1931 horror classic Frankenstein with the strange, sly, and sardonic 1932 film The Old Dark House—based on the 1927 novel Benighted by J.B. Priestley—which is part haunted house terror tale and part spoof executed with baroque style. Boris Karloff is given top billing in the supporting role of Morgan, a scarred mute butler with a penchant for drink and a vicious mean streak, but the film is really an ensemble piece. Melvyn Douglas is Penderel, the wisecracking romantic lead who along with traveling companions Philip (Raymond Massey) and Margaret (Gloria Stuart) takes refuge from a storm in the creepy old mansion lorded over by the gloriously flamboyant Horace (Ernest Thesiger) and his dotty, fanatical sister Rebecca (Eva Moore). They are joined by two other stranded passengers—William (Charles Laughton), whose Lancashire working-class accent and blunt manners set him apart from the social graces of his companions, and chorus girl Gladys (Lilian Bond). The five guests endure a stormy night of madness and mayhem as the batty old family reveals its mad secrets. Whale combines marvelous stylistic flourishes and witty drawing room dialogue, creating a film that is both macabre and sardonic. Newly restored for a theatrical re-release, extras include two audio commentaries (one by star Stuart, the other by historian and Whale expert James Curtis), a new interview with Sara Karloff (daughter of Boris), and an archival interview with filmmaker Curtis Harrington. Recommended. (S. Axmaker)