Bride of the Gorilla (1951) dir. Curt Sidomak, Jack Broder Productions Inc.
Here we have the star of the Wolf Man and directed by the writer of the same. Plus gorillas so you know it's quality.
Deep in the jungle of South America, plantation owner Klaas Van Gelder (Paul Cavanagh) has married his considerably younger sweetheart Dina (Barbara Payton). This brings mostly well wishes from the workers, all of them save for plantation manager Barney (Raymond Burr). No, Barney lusts for Dina, the plantation, and everything else.
So naturally he decides to off the elderly Van Gelder, figuring Dina would be needing some comforting. Pity he failed to take into account old witch Al-Long (Giselle Werbisek), who happened to be fond of the old Van Gelder and who happened to be visiting the plantation at that exact same time as the murder.
Thus Barney is cursed to transform into a feral gorilla every night. Not sure how that helps anyone but then again the ways of the jungle witch are strange. So swears Police Commissioner Taro (Lon Chaney), who is brought in to investigate. The official inquiry ends with the death being ruled an accident, despite the misgivings of local doc Dr. Viet (Tom Conway). Dina and Barney marry although problems arise during the wedding night...
Better than it had any right to be. We don't actually see Burr transform into a giant ape on screen but it is ambiguous enough to make it clever plus Burr sizzles in every scene.
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