The Monster and the Girl (1941) – Review

What would you do if your sister was forced into prostitution and then you were framed for murder? This question is the heart of Paramount’s The Monster and the Girl, which you have to admit is a pretty good premise, but instead of being a simple revenge flick we get a savage gorilla and a brain transplant. Who says mad science never pays off?

Directed by Stuart Heisler and written by Stuart Anthony, The Monster and the Girl follows the story of a young woman who tries to save her wrongfully convicted brother from a death sentence only for things to take a decidedly bizarre turn for the worse. The plot is fairly simple, smalltown girl Susan (Ellen Drew) is tricked into a life of prostitution and when her brother Scot Webster (Philip Terry), a nice guy and church organist tries to track down the man responsible and he is framed and convicted of murder for his troubles.  As I said, a pretty simple plot, lucky for us his quest for justice doesn’t end in the electric chair, instead, he unwittingly becomes involved with Dr. Parry (George Zucco) a scientist experimenting with the transplantation of human brains into animal bodies. Needless to say, things get even more complicated from here on out.

“This is the last time we get a brain off of Craigslist.”

What is unusual about The Monster and the Girl is that the villain isn’t Dr. Perry, because while George Zucco’s Dr. Pary fits the “mad scientist” template he is a rather benevolent character and more misguided than he is mad, instead, the primary villain of this film is Big City gangster W. S. Bruhl (Paul Lukas) who is running some kind of white slavery ring. Susan is seduced by Larry Reed (Robert Paige), who is one of Bruhl’s flunkies, and after a quick courtship they are married. Unfortunately for Susan, the marriage is a sham and the priest was also one of Bruhl’s gang and she is then forced into prostitution with the rather odious threat – “Either you come up with the $95 in hotel fees or go to jail, or you could simply work for us” – and if this criminal scheme seems overly complicated then you’ve hit on one of the film’s charms.  It’s not just the idea of a man’s brain in the body of an ape we have to swallow but the most convoluted white slavery ring in history as well.  That all our villains meet their fate at the hands of a vengeful killer ape is almost poetic and makes this a great flick.

“It’s hard out here for a pimp.”

Stray Observations:

• In the 1936 film The Walking Dead, a wrongfully convicted man is executed and his body is given over for scientific experiments but the body is revived and the man seeks out the men who sent him to the chair. Maybe prisons should just stop handing bodies over to mad scientists, just a thought.
• People should really stop picking up murder weapons when they find a dead body as it results in no end of trouble for their lawyers.
• With this film we get your standard small-town girl wanting to escape and experience big-city life, which rarely ends well in these stories but even rarer when it to involves a gorilla.
• I’m no doctor but just how viable would a brain be after 2000 and 2,500 volts from an electric chair have passed through it? Not to mention Scot’s brain not having oxygen between the electric chair and the brain transplant.
• That the dog recognizes his old master even when in its inhabiting the body of a gorilla is a surprisingly sweet and touching aspect that one doesn’t expect to see in this genre.
• The first victim of the gorilla is the District Attorney, who is the one who prosecuted Scot, but other than a suspicious glance between him and Bruhl during the trial we get no evidence that he’s corrupt and worthy of a vengeful death.
• When it comes to mad science I’d be hard-pressed to find better examples than that of George Zucco and Lionel Atwill who both exemplify the genre in many wonderful performances.

“I’m sure that brain was here a moment ago.”

The Monster and the Girl is a classic horror film that wonderfully combined elements of science fiction, crime, and tragedy to tell a bizarre but fun tale. The pacing of the film is also well-maintained, ensuring that the audience remains invested in the characters’ fates, and if this little horror gem has any faults is that at a swift 65-minute running time we don’t get to the gorilla running lose and knocking off members of Bruh’s gang until the well past the halfway mark.  While The Monster and the Girl may not be as well-known as other films of the era, it deserves recognition for its ambition and its successful blending of multiple genres as it delves into themes of justice, revenge, and the consequences of tampering with nature, adding depth to the story and elevating it beyond a typical horror film. The black-and-white cinematography adds to the film’s eerie ambience, transporting us to a world of shadows and uncertainty, it cleverly uses lighting and shadow play to enhance the tension and suspense, particularly in the scenes involving the monster.

“I just returned from having some fun over at the Rue Morgue.”

The performances in The Monster and the Girl are solid, with Ellen Drew delivering a compelling portrayal of a determined and courageous woman and truly terrible circumstances and she brings a sense of vulnerability to her character, making her journey all the more poignant.  But my favourite performance in this film comes from that of ape-suit actor Charles Gemora who manages to convey a remarkable amount of pathos within his short amount of screen-time and the few moments between him and Skipper the Dog are heartbreakingly sad. Not to mention the fun stuff of him somehow navigating the big city to pull off multiple revenge murders with no one spotting a big-ass gorilla lumbering around.  Basically, this is a fun film that succeeds in delivering a surprisingly thought-provoking story that goes beyond the typical monster movie tropes of the time. It explores themes of empathy, redemption and the power of compassion. Although it may not have achieved the same level of recognition as some of its contemporaries, it remains an intriguing and memorable entry in the classic horror genre.

We need more crime thrillers involving killer gorillas.

In conclusion, The Monster and the Girl is a fascinating and atmospheric film that blends horror, science fiction, and crime elements. With its strong performances, striking visuals, and thought-provoking themes, it offers a unique perspective on the monster movie genre. While it may have its pacing issues, the emotional depth and compelling story make it a worthwhile watch for fans of classic cinema and horror enthusiasts alike.