Invisible Ghost (1941)

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.

A series of gruesome murders are being varied out and the police are completely puzzled who the murderer is A very simple premise but one that is painfully told in a bizarre manner. In this type of movie the audience should be subjected to an element of suspense and mystery if only to involve some basic interest in the narrative but from the outset the audience are shown who the murderer is even if their motive is unclear Along with the lack of mystery nothing else about the story works well either. The dialogue is constantly expositional where characters refer to things they'd already know about. Okay it's a B movie simply to be shown after the cliffhanger serial and before the main feature but even so the audience should demand a bit more from the film makers

Well, the title doesn't make any sense. Aren't all ghosts invisible? Either way, there are no ghosts in this movie, transparent or otherwise. The film is about Charles Kessler (Bela Lugosi) who unknowingly commits a series of murders after his wife seemingly dies in a car accident. This is a fine effort for a cheap Sam Katzman production. Most of the performances are good, and Clarence Muse steals the show as Mr. Kessler's butler, Evans, who gets a decent amount of screen time, lines, and isn't too stereotypical. Muse doesn't portray Evans as the typical "Oh Lawdy" scared black servant that was popular in old dark house horror movies at the time. Something in his facial expressions and delivery gives him a sarcastic and humorous edge. Unfortunately, this isn't one of Lugosi's best performances. He is so expressionless throughout, it's hard to tell when he is or isn't in a trance. However, he still has that certain something that always makes him fun to watch.The story also leaves something to be desired. Unless I missed something, I don't think it ever explains why he killed anyone. I must say though, it does have some artful cinematography and lighting. The scenes where Kessler sees his "dead" wife through the window are expertly shot. Overall, I have to say this is fun rainy day entertainment. If you have a tolerance for low budget 40s horror movies, you just might have a good time watching this one. Also, watch for the scene in which Lugosi has his butler serve him and an empty place for his wife at the dinner table. Definitely the eeriest scene in the film.

***SPOILERS*** Bela Lugosi sleepwalks in this role as a mind controlled Zombie as the unfortunate Mr. Kessler who's weak mind is controlled by his wife , Betty Compson, who disappeared from sight three years ago. Were never told of the circumstances of Mrs. Kessler's disappearance and strange actions and it's hinted that her husband had something to do with them. Which made her through mind control have him commit a number of murders in the movie that he had no idea, in him being hypnotized, that he committed.It's after the the new maid Cecile, Terry Walker, is found murdered that Kessler's daughter Virginia, Polly Ann Young, boyfriend Ralph Dickson, John McGuire, is arrested in her murder in that he had a spat with her over him leaving Cecile for Virginia the day before. We in fact see that it was indeed Kerssler, while under hypnosis, who did Cecile in but had no knowledge of his actions. Poor Ralph is arrested convicted and executed in record time, about two minutes, for what was a murder that he didn't commit. With Ralph's twin brother, also played by John McGuire, showing up from far off South America he's now determined to clear his brother's name as well as restart his romantic involvement with Virginia.***SPOILERS*** It's the police lead by the cigar chomping Let.Wiliams, George Pembroke,who seems to have am unlit Churchill-size cigar permanently attached to his mouth who messes up every clue they come across in the murders, three by the time the movie is over, committed by the zombiefied Kessler. It's finally when Mrs. Kessler, who was thought to be dead, shows up unsuspectingly raiding the refrigerator that the truth comes out. It's then that the clueless Kessler, while under hypnosis, suddenly freaks out and attempts to strangle Let. Williams that exposes him as the real murderer. Nowhere as good as Logosi's previous Monogram Picture hit "The Devil Bat" the best of the nine films he made for the studio but still it had the same soundtrack in it.