I Walked with a Zombie (1943)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Jacques Tourneur

Writers:

Inez Wallace (story)
Curt Siodmak (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

30 April 1943 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

See this strange, strange story of a woman whose lure set brother against brother; whose love caused hate - and whose beauty bowed to the will of an evil spell in whose power we must refuse to believe - EVEN IF IT'S TRUE!

Plot:

A young Canadian nurse (Betsy) comes to the West Indies to care for Jessica, the wife of a plantation manager (Paul Holland)...

Plot Keywords:

Voodoo | Nurse | Canadian | Love | West Indies

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

James Ellison	...	Wesley Rand
Frances Dee	...	Betsy Connell
Tom Conway	...	Paul Holland
Edith Barrett	...	Mrs. Rand
James Bell	...	Dr. Maxwell
Christine Gordon	...	Jessica Holland
Theresa Harris	...	Alma - Maid (as Teresa Harris)
Sir Lancelot	...	Calypso Singer
Darby Jones	...	Carrefour
Jeni Le Gon	...	Dancer (as Jeni LeGon)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Richard Abrams	...	Clement (uncredited)
Doris Ake	...	Black female friend of Melise (uncredited)
Rita Christiani	...	Friend of Melise (uncredited)
Vivian Dandridge	...	Melisse (uncredited)
Alan Edmiston	...	Job Interviewer (uncredited)
Kathleen Hartfield	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Norman Mayes	...	Bayard (uncredited)
Jieno Moxzer	...	Sabreur (uncredited)
Clinton Rosemond	...	Coachman (uncredited)
Arthur Walker	...	Ti-Joseph (uncredited)
Martin Wilkins	...	Houngan (uncredited)
Melvin Williams	...	Baby (uncredited)

Directed by
Jacques Tourneur

Writing credits
Charlotte Brontë		(novel "Jane Eyre") uncredited
Inez Wallace		(story)
Curt Siodmak		(screenplay) and
Ardel Wray		(screenplay)

Produced by
Val Lewton	....	producer

Original Music by
Roy Webb

Cinematography by
J. Roy Hunt		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Mark Robson

Art Direction by
Albert S. D'Agostino
Walter E. Keller

Set Decoration by
A. Roland Fields		(as Al Fields)
Darrell Silvera

Makeup Department
Maurice Seiderman	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
William Dorfman	....	assistant director

Sound Department
John C. Grubb	....	sound recordist
Terry Kellum	....	sound re-recordist (uncredited)
James G. Stewart	....	sound re-recordist (uncredited)

Music Department
C. Bakaleinikoff	....	musical director

Other crew
Lou L. Ostrow	....	supervisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• RKO Radio Pictures (presents)

Distributors

• RKO Radio Pictures (1943) (USA) (theatrical)
• RKO Radio Pictures (1952) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• C&C Television Corporation (1955) (USA) (TV)
• RKO Radio Pictures (1957) (USA) (theatrical)
• Image Entertainment (1995) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Nostalgia Merchant, The (19??) (USA) (VHS)
• Turner Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Turner Home Video (1991) (USA) (VHS)

Runtime:

69 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

USA:PG (TV rating) | Iceland:L | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Sweden:15 | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) (1998) | USA:Approved (PCA #8949)

Company:

RKO Radio Pictures

Trivia:

The legal disclaimer at the end of the credits, which roll at the start of the film, makes light of the film's subject. The disclaimer states: "The characters and events depicted in this photoplay are fictional. Any similarity to actual persons, living, dead, or possessed, is purely coincidental."

Quotes:

Paul Holland: I want you back in Canada.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Monsterama Sci-Fi Late Night Creature Feature Show Vol. 1 (1996) (V)

Soundtrack:

The British Grenadiers

Lyrical and Atmospheric

"I Walked with a Zombie", besides having one of the oddest movie titles, took a different approach to the horror genre than the popular Universal movies of the day. Maybe it harkens back to the earlier Universal heavies like "Dracula" and "Bride of Frankenstein". Made by Val Lewton and Jacques Tourneur, they crafted their collaborations using a poetic, dreamlike approach to cinematic storytelling. Lyrical and atmospheric, "I Walked with a Zombie" recounts the story of a Canadian nurse sent to a small West Indian sugar island to tend for a young comatose woman, the wife of the island's plantation owner. What's wrong with her? Hints abound through the songs of the calypso singers, bits of dialogue, objects in the movie. The story, as odd as it is, is not told directly. You may think it is, but at the end of the film, you're not so certain of what's happened. Were the events the work of the supernatural? Was a crime committed? Or both? Or neither? It's difficult to say. I recommend this movie, it's important not to forget the older, off-beat films.