Night Monster (1942) – Review

If you are invited by a bitter invalid to an old dark house, one that is located near a foggy swamp, don’t go as it’s not going to end well for anybody.  But without such examples of Darwinism in action we wouldn’t get such fun classic horror films like Universal’s Night Monster.

The plot of 1942’s Night Monster is, to say the least, rather bizarre as it involves three doctors and one of the most convoluted revenge plots ever.  The film opens with Dr. King (Lionel Atwill), Dr. Timmons (Frank Reicher) and Dr. Phipps (Francis Pierlot) being invited up Ingston Towers by former patient of theirs, Curt Ingston (Ralph Morgan) who is now a cripple and wheelchair bound. This meeting to illustrate to them a new “medical wonder” that he has learned of from Agor Singh (Nils Asther), a Hindu yogi who has developed the ability to dematerialize matter from one place and then reconstitute in another with nothing but the power of his mind. Ingston claims that this ability could allow people who have lost the use of their limbs to have these useless appendages “broken down” and rebuilt healthy and new. The forthcoming exhibition of materialization consists of Agar Singh bringing forth an Egyptian skeleton that is holding a box containing a cursed blood ruby.

As party tricks go, this is a good one.

As this is ostensibly a murder mystery, with a liberal dose of horror, we have a body count that climbs rather high for such a short film.  The murderous festivities start with a maid (Janet Shaw) who tried to quit and reveal the secrets of Ingston Towers, and then one by one the three doctors are brutally strangled to death. Helping to solve this mystery is psychiatrist Dr. Lynn Harper (Irene Hervey) who was summoned secretly by Ingston’s sister Margaret (Fay Helm) to prove to all that she is not insane and thus secure freedom from the control of her brother and his insanely controlling housekeeper Sarah Judd (Doris Lloyd). And what would a murder be without a visiting mystery writer?  In the case of this film, we have Dick Baldwin (Don Porter) as our stalwart hero and while he is stalwart he’s also rather bland. These two will provide the plot with its required protagonists and the less said about them the better. Of course, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the creepy butler Rolf (Bela Lugosi) or the Ingston’s chauffeur Laurie (Leif Erickson) who does double duty as a sexual predator.

Quite the line-up of suspects.

One of the film’s strongest aspects is its well-crafted mystery and while Night Monster isn’t your typical murder mystery – at no point is Miss Marple going to have any drawing room reveals – as these killings has a supernatural element.  It is these series of mysterious deaths occurring in and around the mansion that enables the plot to create an intricate web of secrets and the suspenseful builds up enough over the film’s 73-minute running time to keep viewers engaged and guessing until the very end. It should be noted, that while this film utilized the Universal backlot that doesn’t stop it from easily establishing an eerie and foreboding atmosphere. The dark, shadow-filled corridors, creaking doors and howling wind contributed to the overall sense of dread that permeates the film. And the black-and-white cinematography by Charles Van Enger adds to the film’s charm, allowing the audience to fully immerse themselves in its haunting atmosphere.

“Could someone please turn off the fog machine?”

Stray Observations:

• Margaret Ingston exclaims, “Blood… the whole house reeks of it. The air is charged with death and hatred and something that’s unclean!” which sounds overly dramatic but in all fairness, that’s your average home in a Universal Horror Movie.
• While credited as an original story and screenplay by Clarence Upson Young, in many respects Night Monster is a remake of Doctor X as it has many of the same plot elements and even the same climax, and both featured Lionel Atwill.
• The scene of a foggy forest behind the opening credits is the same as that used in the opening of The Wolf Man (1941).
• The miniature used for the burning mansion at the film’s climax is identical to the miniature of the burning castle shown at the climax of The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942).

Getting home insurance in a Universal Horror Film must be tough.

The cast delivers solid performances with Universal favourite Bela Lugosi in a role that is a nice departure from his more famous vampiric part, playing a mysterious butler who looks and acts so guilty he could have easily been named Red Herring. His performance is understated yet captivating and it adds an air of intrigue to the film. Then we have Doris Lloyd as the ever-loyal housekeeper who I’m guessing went to the same charm school as Mrs. Danvers from Hitchcock’s Rebecca. On the other hand, Lionel Atwill was rather wasted in the role of one of the doctors set up to die in this “Old Dark House” murder mystery as he is knocked off with barely a few minutes of screen time.  It is a bit disingenuous that they gave Lugosi and Atwill top billing, promoting the film as a “Great horror team-up” when they were both playing minor roles.

“I hope I’m not murdered off-screen. I really hate that.”

Directed by Ford Beebe, Night Monster stands out for its effective storytelling, weaving together elements of classic horror, mystery and psychological suspense. It adeptly utilizes misdirection so as to keep the viewers engaged as one attempts to unravel the truth behind the terrifying events unfolding on screen. As the plot unfolds, the characters’ secrets are revealed, leading to a satisfying climax that provides a surprising twist that certainly didn’t see coming. The film’s atmospheric setting plays a crucial role in building a sense of foreboding and unease with the mansion’s dark corridors, secret passages, and eerie landscapes contributing to a palpable sense of isolation and impending doom. The clever use of lighting and shadow created a visually captivating experience, heightening the tension and the mystery surrounding the night’s events.

If only our ostensible leads were as captivating as the cinematography.

Night Monster is also notable for its inclusion of elements of psychological horror, supernatural phenomena, and scientific intrigue with a dash of Hindu spiritualism, which not common of films of this era, and it’s this blending of elements that created an engaging narrative that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats. While the special effects may appear dated by modern standards, they still manage to capture the imagination and contribute to the film’s overall charm. Even if you look past the “monsters” feet looking as if they were borrowed from Lon Chaney Jr’s The Wolf Man, one aspect that may disappoint contemporary audiences is the limited development of certain characters, our two protagonists are fairly bland and uninteresting, certainly when compared to all the crazy people living in that old dark house. Additionally, the film’s reliance on certain horror tropes may be predictable for seasoned horror enthusiasts.

Casting Bela Lugosi is the cinema equivalent of shorthand.

In conclusion, Night Monster might not be as well-known as some of the other horror movies of its time but it still deserves recognition for its atmospheric setting, intriguing plot. The subpar performances by the leads hurts the film a little and is most likely a key reason why this entry never gained the same level of fame as other films from the era, such as it’s predecessor Doctor X, but fans of classic horror movies and those interested in exploring the genre’s roots will find this entry an enjoyable and haunting watch.