The Strange Door (1951)

I'm surprised at having never heard of this film because it's certainly part of the genre I enjoy. To see Charles Laughton and Boris Karloff as the stars, I thought it was worth a look. Of course, it is full of formulaic stuff, with the madman Laughton carrying decades of anger after being jilted, exacting his revenge at the daughter of his adversary. He lives in a hideous mansion, full of torture devices and secrets. He is surrounded by toadies whom he mistreats, but who are beholding to him. A young man is shanghaied because he is a scoundrel. Laughton wants him to become the groom to the young woman's bride. Karloff, for some reason, is able to lurk around the castle, peeking through doors and protecting a prisoner. Of course, love will out and that throws a monkey wrench into things. There is also the classic flaw of the villain just going a bit too far in his efforts to gain vengeance. Still, there is lots of suspense and a satisfactory plot line.

Age has its benefits, as I am learning from having read other reviews here of this film. I was always a Karloff fan, but I only found Charles Laughton at the age of 11, when we got our first TV set in 1950. Not only were some of his older English films on display there, but being centered in New York City at the time as a star of the historic stage reading of DON JUAN IN HELL, he himself was all over TV, introducing AMAHL AND THE NIGHT VISITORS, doing dramatic readings, guest shots, interviews, even occasionally taking part in game shows - Charlie was nothing if not democratic. Anyway, after discovering him in this manner, the very first film I then recall him making was THE STRANGE DOOR (oh, there had been THE BIG CLOCK and THE PARADINE CASE fairly recently, but they were just a bit too early to have been a part of my youthful movie-going experience - every day, seven days a week!). What I vividly recall is that when this film was being made, the various movie columns endemic at that time made much of the teaming of Laughton and Karloff. In fact, we were promised that there would be some kind of fight scene between those two iconic actors that would be the best such event filmed since the one in William Farnum's THE SPOILERS all the way back around 1914 or so. When the film came out, it wasn't that well reviewed, and certainly without any reference to the actors' 'epic' struggle. When it finally got to my neighborhood and I went to see it at the RKO Greenpoint, it was quite disappointing, although even then I was performance-oriented and loved Laughton's wildly excessive acting job (Karloff's more restrained one, too). The promised epic fight scene never came to be; rather, the two actors simply grappled with each other for about ten seconds or so, no punches thrown, drop kicks, eyes gouged, etc. So, as with the next year's Karloff vehicle, THE BLACK CASTLE, I was sorely disappointed and had not seen either of those films since. Watching both last night, for the first time in 65 and 64 years respectively, I found my original evaluation to be pretty accurate, and that I still really did LOVE Laughton's over-the-top performance as the villain of the piece (which alone gives it my rating of 7). Laughton could wonderfully ham up even a self-effacing TV Bible reading in 1951 without the least embarrassment or apology. Is it any wonder that he walks away with this choice acting opportunity? (Another reviewer's comparison of Laughton to Tod Slaughter is very much on the mark; what a wonderful Sweeney Todd he might have made!). Current viewers may have forgotten that in 1951, leading lady Sally Forrest was enjoying a more successful movie career than anyone else in this film (in socially-relevant Ida Lupino productions, as leading lady at M-G-M to both Mickey Rooney in THE STRIP and Keefe Brasselle in BANNERLINE - all of these in the same year as THE STRANGE DOOR), but she had been brought to Hollywood as a dancer and, in the end, never quite worked out in heavier drama, especially in a costume film like this one for which she seems rather unsuited. Really, she was the perfect girl next door! When the great UNIVERSAL HORRORS book was published, they chose to end coverage of the studio's efforts in that genre with ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN, but both THE STRANGE DOOR and THE BLACK CASTLE might well have been included as they really do seem to have been the tail end of the second Universal horror cycle, especially since both make much use of the famous European castle, village and street sets from the studio's earlier classics, and these may also be the last Universal films to make use of the old Salter and Previn music scores that so enlivened their earlier efforts. Flawed, but enjoyable throughout.

Cruel and cunning madman Sire Alain de Maletroit (a wonderfully robust and wicked portrayal by Charles Laughton) plots revenge against his younger brother Edmund. Alain forces brash and dashing rascal Denis de Beaulieu (a fine and likable performance by Richard Wyler) to marry his sweet niece Blanche (the fetching and appealing Sally Forrest). Alain's meek browbeaten servant Voltan (the always marvelous Boris Karloff in sturdy form) tries to help Denis and Blanche escape from Voltan's vile clutches. Skillfully directed with real style and energy by Joseph Pevney, with a constant brisk pace, a clever and compelling script by Jerry Sackheim, sharp, witty dialogue, crisp black and white cinematography Irving Glassberg, a few thrilling and well staged action scenes, a spirited score, a tight 81 minute running time, and an extremely tense and harrowing climax, this lively romp overall sizes up as an immensely entertaining picture. Moreover, it's a definite treat to see legendary cinematic giants Laughton and Karloff on screen together (Laughton's deliciously decadent presence in particular certainly keeps the movie humming throughout). There are also sound supporting contributions from William Cottrell as the cynical Corbeau, Paul Cavanaugh as the miserable, imprisoned Edmund, and Michael Pate as Alain's faithful, smoothly slimy butler Talon. A neat little film.

Devlish aristocrat develops scheme to destroy his niece by forcing her into marrying womanizing scoundrel, while holding her father prisoner in a dungeon cell, not knowing that his oft-abused servant is working to set them all free.Charles Laughton is a riot as the lecherous Sire Alain de Maletroit, gnawing without restraint on the scenery, applying relish to the dialogue..his dinner table scene, where he's tearing into his meal along with his underlings, had me in ribbons. Maletroit's château is one of those wonderful Universal sets with secret passageways, torture chambers, hidden rooms, and large areas only a massive castle could contain for banquet guests. While accepting that beautiful fair maiden Blanche(Sally Forrest)and rogue Denis de Beaulieu(Richard Wyler)would fall in love with each other is a bit of a stretch(..and this romance does deter from spending more time with Laughton and Karloff), and the fact that it's hard to fathom Maletroit trusting Voltan(Karloff) to move about unimpeded, I still found The Strange Door incredibly entertaining. The juicy sanguinary dialogue is cheerfully delivered by Laughton who understood how over-the-top the material was, playing it very tongue-in-cheek. While embarrassed critics would commonly complain of Laughton's ham, I say, "Prepare the feast!" Yep, Laughton, in his performance, might deliver the ham, but I'm at the table licking my chops with a fork and knife. Karloff, while in an unflattering role as a mistreated servant, he does get to be the hero at the end, in a suspenseful climax, badly wounded after an altercation with Laughton, attempting to deliver the key to the cell trapping Blanche, Denis, and her father as the walls are closing in to crush them. The 50's wasn't exactly that good to Karloff, but he did what he could with the roles given him. I consider The Strange Door the kind of chiller perfect for a late rainy night, a definite midnight movie deserving of a cult following, if you approach it in the right frame of mind, that is. The villains are so positively evil, you can't help but grin at their benevolent antics.