James Whale’s lost film, The Old Dark House, the opening film on the third day of Dead By Dawn is an often forgotten movie, but it remains one of Whale’s lesser known masterpieces. This quietly unsettling horror gem stars Boris Karloff in an old house that holds a lot of secrets.
When a brutal storm strands Philip Waverton (Raymond Massey), his wife Margaret (Gloria Stewart), and their friend Roger Penderel (Melvyn Douglas) in a remote part of Wales, they seek refuge in an old house. But the occupants are not entirely welcoming and when the fearsome butler Morgan (Boris Karloff) gets drunk, he unleashes a previously unseen a dangerous menace in the house that threatens to kill them all.
Although not the most famous example of Whale’s work, The Old Dark House is deceptively eerie, as it holds all the classic pieces of an old-fashioned ghost story, such as a sudden and unstoppable storm, a scary old house, and the inclusion of an eccentric old home owner. However, this is no ghost story, and while the setting of the film is deliberately unsettling, the focus of the piece is on the characters themselves and their reaction to the circumstances they find themselves in. Thanks to Whale’s direction, the film retains a sense of malevolence throughout, which only adds to the film’s almost spine-chilling atmosphere. The most unnerving thing about this movie is the attention to detail, such as the interactions the characters have with one another and their reliance on social graces. While times have undoubtedly changed, this often overlooked part of Universal’s horror catalogue offers the viewer an all-too brief glimpse into the old style of movie making. Theatrical in both its style and execution, this piece is an everlasting homage to both Whale and Karloff, which is a testament to the two men’s working relationship and great talent. Though not as scary as it probably once was, this is a piece of cinema that should be in every horror fan’s collection.