The Black Castle (1952) dir. Nathan H. Juran, Universal Pictures
And so we end Chaney's tenure with Universal Pictures. He would continue on with films, and we'll take a look at some of them tomorrow.
Sir Ronald Burton (Richard Greene) has a problem. Two of his friends, plus fellow agents, have vanished. They were both seen within the small hamlet ruled over by the one eyed Count von Bruno (Stephan McNally). Taking the name Richard Beckett, Sir Burton manages to snag an invite to an exclusive hunt the count holds once a year.
Seems the count used to have some large holdings deep in Africa. The natives revolted and the count barely escaped, albeit with a loss of depth perception. The count is convinced that an English spy was the one behind the natives' actions and he'll torture every Englishmen that gets within reach until he finds the culprit.
No plan survives an encounter with the enemy and Sir Burton hits a big snag when he meets the countess Elga (Rita Corday). They're both smitten with each other, and Elga sees in Burton a man who could save her from her husband's temper. The count's personal doctor Dr. Meissen (Boris Karloff), meanwhile, is a snarky fellow who sees Burton as a possible source of amusement. There's also the brutish Gargon (Lon Chaney), a hulking mute who stalks the corridors with grim thoughts and a grimmer knife.
McNally and Karloff steal the show. The count is a thoroughly evil and delightfully so, while Karloff is clearly having a ball snarking with everyone in sight. Chaney's stuck in a thankless role but he still puts enough menace in him to make him stand out.
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