JohnHowardReid
Producer: Sam Katzman. Copyright 25 April 1941 by Monogram Pictures Corp. Produced by Banner Productions. New York opening at the Rialto: 7 May 1941. U.S. release: 25 April 1941. Never theatrically released in Australia. 7 reels. 64 minutes. SYNOPSIS: An innocent man (John McGuire) is executed for the murder of his former sweetheart (Terry Walker), a housemaid employed by the father (Bela Lugosi) of his current girlfriend (Polly Ann Young).NOTES: 33rd and final film of Polly Ann Young (older sister of Sally Blane and Loretta Young), who retired from the screen after this effort. She died in 1997. COMMENT: Far-fetched but genuinely scary horror yarn, masterfully directed by Joseph H. Lewis who does wonders with an extremely limited budget. Lugosi is inclined to over-emphasize the catatonics, and Pembroke is singularly colorless as the police investigator, but Miss Young makes a suitably fair heroine and Mr McGuire is quite impressive as both Ralph and Paul. We also liked the sultry, blonde victim played by Terry Walker, silent star Betty Compson as the madwoman, and reliable Clarence Muse as the steadfast butler. A current DVD offering accurately reproduces the compelling sepia tones of the original release prints.
Scott LeBrun
Lightweight, forgettable, but agreeable feature is light on horror but easy enough to watch for just over an hour. It was the first of nine pictures that horror star Bela Lugosi and producer Sam Katzman made for Monogram Pictures, and is considered by some to be the best of the lot. Lugosi plays Charles Kessler, physician and prominent citizen in an American burg. He's still grieving in his own way for the break-up of his marriage. (His wife (Betty Compson) had run off with another man, then supposedly perished in a car crash.) Murders begin to plague the estate where Kessler, his daughter Virginia (Polly Ann Young), and assorted staff reside.Either you shake your head, laugh, and go with the silliness of the plot, or you don't. The cast is certainly worth watching, in any event. Lugosi gets to play a sort of tragic antagonist, rather than a true villain. He's charismatic as usual, and the supporting cast (also including John McGuire as lookalike brothers, Terry Walker as a conniving maid, Ernie Adams as a gardener, and George Pembroke as a police lieutenant who always has a cigar jutting out of his mouth) keeps things watchable. Best of all is Clarence Muse, a prominent black actor of the time who is actually allowed to play his butler character with some dignity. The direction is by Joseph H. Lewis, a talented B filmmaker who went on to make such well respected classics as "The Big Combo" and "My Name is Julia Ross". The screenplay by Helen and Al Martin is allowed to have some humor about itself, which is appreciated.Decent atmosphere, a good pace, and some fine visuals add up to an okay time for lovers of genre cinema from this era.Six out of 10.
binapiraeus
Not only is "Invisible Ghost" one of the most unusual crime dramas I've ever seen - it would certainly puzzle even the most experienced psychiatrist, and the average crime movie fan sooner or later starts to doubt his own sanity - but it's also one of Bela Lugosis best and unusual performances. Although it gets far too little attention today, this film goes deep into the analysis of psychology, love and hatred, and crime; and NO one could have played such a rare case of schizophrenia caused by the fact that his beloved wife ran away with another man like Bela Lugosi did.A most gentle, sweet, caring man with a deep sorrow in his heart - that's how he is when he is 'himself'. BUT at night, his wife's 'ghost' turns up in the garden below, and as soon as he sees her figure from the window, he turns into a somnambulist murderer... A very tragic film (with the hint, by the way, that the American 'Justice' DOES makes mistakes: they send an innocent man to the electric chair for one of the murders!) that weighs heavily on the audience (another example for Monogram's ability to produce films way beyond the usual 'Poverty Row' level) - but it gives Bela a GREAT opportunity to show ALL his immense repertoire of emotions; and in the end it makes us feel more sympathy for his tragical character as ever. A really high-class, serious movie that makes one think - something that by far not every product of Hollywood's 'dream factory' achieves...
Zbigniew_Krycsiwiki
I loved the high, wide-angel shots looking down a flight of stairs, overlooking the foyer, and the great set designs and lighting in the dark, old house. One cannot miss, nor forget, the shot of Lugosi menacingly staring out the window just before 14 minutes into film; and Lugosi being filmed through the burning fireplace, giving him an even more devilish look. Sometimes harsh black-and-white photography mixes quite well with the more subdued, almost washed-out look the film has during some calmer, tranquil scenes. Well done camera-work and lighting, and impressive set designs, are assets to the film as well as Lugosi's always entertaining presence, in a (sort of) out-of-type character for him. Instead of playing a quieter villain, here, his character is a kindly old man who is completely unaware of the crimes he is committing under hypnosis. I have not mentioned the plot of this film for a reason: it's quite confusing, inconclusive, and at times, downright silly: Lugosi is a sleepwalking killer, who has murdered women in a similar fashion in his dark, old house, after the sudden loss of his beloved wife.Yes, well, I said it was confusing and inconclusive. It's worth a look for Lugosi fans, but film is far from his best, and non-Lugosi fans will be quickly bored with it.
AD
