216) The Raven (1935)

"I will not be tortured! I tear torture out of myself by torturing you!"

Director

Lew Landers

Cast

Boris Karloff - Edmond Bateman
Béla Lugosi - Dr. Richard Vollin
Irene Ware - Jean Thatcher
Lester Matthews - Dr. Jerry Halden

Samuel S. Hinds - Judge Thatcher
Spencer Charters - Col. Bertram Grant
Inez Courtney - Mary Burns

Though I'm nearly done watching my way through Roger Corman's Edgar Allan Poe movies, beginning with "The House of Usher" and eventually finishing with "The Tomb of Ligeia," I wanted to shift my gaze for a moment to an earlier movie based on Poe's poem, "The Raven." Die-hard fans of my blog will recall my comments on Corman's movie, "The Raven" from 1963. Well, this is an earlier movie based on the same poem.

The movie begins as a young dancer named Jean Thatcher (Irene Ware) is injured in a car accident. Her fiancé, Dr. Jerry Halden (Lester Matthews) desperately tries to convince Dr. Richard Vollin (Béla Lugosi) to operate on Jean's cranial nerve roots which were damaged in that accident. Vollin is a retired neurosurgeon who, frankly, has no concern or care when it comes to the suffering and needs of others. In fact, he's a blatant sadistic madman but he certainly keeps that tidbit of personal information to himself. On top of all that, he doesn't want to come out of retirement just to help Jean. 

Jean's father, Judge Thatcher (Samuel S. Hinds) appeals to Vollin's narcissism to convince him help his daughter, and Vollin agrees.

A month goes by. Jean is pretty much recovered by then. But Vollin has some major infatuation with her. 

While she's at his house, he advances on her, but she refuses and tells him she needs to get going.

Vollin is a fan of Edgar Allan Poe. So, as a personal thank you for his help, upon her stage return Jean performs some kind of performative solo dance routine as "The Raven" is recited.

Her dad thinks Jean is starting to fall in love with Vollin. He asks Vollin not to give off any false impressions that would give his daughter the idea he's interested. Little does he know that Vollin actually has it bad for Jean. 

Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff in "The Raven."

When Judge Thatcher catches wind of Vollin's feelings, he demands that he back off so his daughter can marry Jerry. 

While all this is going on, a bank robber named Edmond Bateman (Boris Karloff) pays Vollin a visit. He asks him to construct a new face for him as he's hiding from the law after murdering some prison guards while escaping San Quentin. 

As payment, Vollin asks Bateman to carry out a chore for him that involves murder!

Bateman is apprehensive about this as he doesn't want to be a violent criminal anymore. He blames his life of misdeeds on the constant ridicule he's endured all his life. 

Vollin agrees to work on his face. However, he actually disfigures his face even more forcing Bateman to bend to Vollin's will. Only Vollin can repair the intentional damage done.

Anyhow, Jerry convinces Jean to spend a weekend at Vollin's estate despite her dad's wishes to win some favor with the prestigious doctor. Some other guests are also supposed to spend the weekend there. 

Bateman acts as Vollin's valet, and freaks out all the guests with his hideous face. Little do they know of Vollin's sinister plans for them, and that Bateman is reluctantly in on it. Of course, the mistreatment they give him makes him more willing to help Vollin carry out his evil intentions of intentional cruelty for the mere pleasure of it. 

While the guests, which includes Jean's father, don't treat Bateman very well, Jean apologizes to him for being so disturbed by his hideous appearance. This act of kindness softens Bateman quite a bit. 

Judge Thatcher doesn't trust Vollin and wants to leave. He's only there to keep an eye on him while his daughter is around. But Jean and Jerry don't take his concerns seriously. 

During the late-night hours, Vollin takes Judge Thatcher against his will down to a dungeon where he keeps a secret collection of torture devices. 

He straps Thatcher to a table in order to reenact Poe's "The Pit and the Pendulum." 

Bateman knocks out Jerry before Vollin takes Thatcher so he can't help him. 

When he awakens and goes down into the dungeon with Jean to find her father, Vollin has plans for them, too. And they walk right into his trap.

"The Raven" is the third film in a trilogy of Edgar Allan Poe-based movies from Universal. It follows 

"Murders in the Rue Morgue" (1932) starring Bela Lugosi, and "The Black Cat" (1934) starring Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff. 

"The Raven" director, Lew Landers, directed some other horror flicks after 1935 including "The Boogie Man Will Get You" (1942) which stars Boris Karloff and Peter Lorre, both of whom star in Corman's "The Raven." He also directed "Return of the Vampire" (1943) which stars Bela Lugosi. Otherwise, he has a mix of genres in his filmography - sci-fi, westerns, mysteries, adventure flicks. Landers has also done some early T.V directing including two episodes of the "Adventures of Superman." He has quite a resume. He made quite a shock fest with "The Raven." 

This movie is not so much based on "The Raven" by Poe. Rather, it's suggested by Poe's poem. Clearly! Rather than make a movie adaptation of Poe's poem, it's used as a bridge for the villain to get closer to the protagonist. It's certainly better than Corman's trippy version. 

Universal's version is a dark and grim movie that doesn't overstay its welcome. In fact, for a horror film, it's a satisfying story despite straying far from Poe's work. Bela Lugosi fits as an insane and twisted doctor. For a horror movie from the 1930s - a time where caution was practiced much more when it came to decency - this movie doesn't pull any horrific punches. Granted it carries some cliches such as being set in a big dark house on a dark and stormy night. But the premise involving surgery adds to the uneasiness the movie brings overall.  

"The Raven" is a classic for horror fans thanks to the underrated performance from Lugosi and Karloff, who clearly channels his inner-Frankenstein's monster which he performed only four years prior. I think if it wasn't for Lugosi and Karloff, the film would fare as well. All in all, it's entertaining.