Son of Dracula (1943)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

Robert Siodmak

Writers:

Curt Siodmak (story)
Eric Taylor (screenplay)

Release Date:

5 November 1943 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

Can You Take It? More Startling . . . More Blood-Curdling Than Anything You've Ever Seen!

Plot:

Count Alucard (read his name backwards) finds his way from Budapest to the swamps of the Deep South; his four nemeses are a medical doctor, a university professor, a jilted fiancé and the woman he loves.

Plot Keywords:

Count | Occult | Swamp | Professor | Doctor

Cast

Robert Paige	...	Frank Stanley
Louise Allbritton	...	Katherine Caldwell
Evelyn Ankers	...	Claire Caldwell
Frank Craven	...	Doctor Brewster
J. Edward Bromberg	...	Professor Lazlo
Samuel S. Hinds	...	Judge Simmons
Adeline De Walt Reynolds	...	Madame Zimba (as Adeline DeWalt Reynolds)
Pat Moriarity	...	Sheriff Dawes (as Patrick Moriarity)
Etta McDaniel	...	Sarah
George Irving	...	Colonel Caldwell
Lon Chaney Jr.	...	Count Dracula (as Lon Chaney)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Charles Bates	...	Tommy Land (uncredited)
Joan Blair	...	Mrs. Land (uncredited)
Jess Lee Brooks	...	Stephen, the Valet (uncredited)
Cyril Delevanti	...	Dr. Peters, the Coroner (uncredited)
Robert Dudley	...	Jonathan Kirby, Justice of the Peace (uncredited)
Ben Erway	...	Deputy Shooting at Frank (uncredited)
Robert F. Hill	...	Deputy Shooting at Frank (uncredited)
Sam McDaniel	...	Andy, Servant Who Greets Dracula (uncredited)
George Meeker	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Charles R. Moore	...	Matthew, Plantation Worker (uncredited)
Jack Rockwell	...	Jack, Deputy (uncredited)
Walter Sande	...	Mac, Deputy (uncredited)
Emmett Smith	...	Servant (uncredited)

Directed by
Robert Siodmak

Writing credits
Curt Siodmak		(story) (as Curtis Siodmak)
Eric Taylor		(screenplay)

Produced by
Ford Beebe	....	producer
Donald H. Brown	....	associate producer
Jack J. Gross	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Hans J. Salter		(as H.J. Salter)

Cinematography by
George Robinson		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Saul A. Goodkind		(as Saul Goodkind)

Art Direction by
John B. Goodman
Martin Obzina

Set Decoration by
Russell A. Gausman		(as R.A. Gausman)
Edward R. Robinson		(as E.R. Robinson)

Costume Design by
Vera West		(gowns)

Makeup Department
Emmy Eckhardt	....	hair stylist (uncredited)
Jack P. Pierce	....	special makeup effects artist (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Melville Shyer	....	assistant director
Ford Beebe	....	second unit director (uncredited)

Art Department
Wally Kirkpatrick	....	props (uncredited)

Sound Department
Bernard B. Brown	....	sound director
Charles Carroll	....	sound technician
Edwin Wetzel	....	sound (uncredited)

Special Effects by
John P. Fulton	....	special effects (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Walter Bluemel	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Max Nippell	....	gaffer (uncredited)
Roland Smith	....	grip (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Ann Fielder	....	wardrober: women (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Carl Himm	....	assistant cutter (uncredited)

Music Department
Werner R. Heymann	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Charles Previn	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Frank Skinner	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)

Other crew
Mary Chaffee	....	script clerk (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Universal Pictures (as Universal Pictures Company Inc.)

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1943) (USA) (theatrical)
• Realart Pictures (1948) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Screen Gems (1957) (USA) (TV)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)
• Universal Pictures Nordic (2004) (Sweden) (video)

Also Known As:

Destiny (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

80 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Spain:13 | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Sweden:15 (original rating) | Sweden:7 (re-rating) | USA:Approved (PCA #9194) | Germany:12 | Finland:K-11 (2004)

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

In the film, Dracula and Katherine (after she becomes a vampire) never display any fangs.

Goofs:

Continuity: When vampire Kay takes the form of a bat to drink the blood of Frank in his cell, we see the shadow of a bat landing on his shadow in the background. At the same time we see him lying in the foreground, and there's no bat on his neck.

Quotes:

Harry [townsman bit]: How are ya, doctor?
Prof. Harry Brewster: Hi, Harry.
Frank Stanley: Hey, Charlie!
Charlie, station agent: Hello Dr. Brewster, Mr. Stanley.
Frank Stanley: How are ya. Say, uh, those all the passengers you have?
Charlie, station agent: Just the four.
Prof. Harry Brewster: You didn't put anyone off at the wrong station, did you? We're here to meet a friend of the Caldwells, a Count Alucard.
Charlie, station agent: There was no Count on this train. All customers. Say - there was a lot of stuff in the baggage car that might belong to your Count.
Prof. Harry Brewster: Thanks, we'll take a look at it.
Train Conductor Voice: [offscreen] All aboard.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Son of Svengoolie: Son of Dracula (1943) (#1.3)" (1979)

Big Drac Attack

When Lon Chaney, Jr., looking like he's just eaten about two dozen Big Macs, introduces himself at the Louisiana estate of Dark Oaks, as Count Alucard (spell it backwards), the fun begins. For those who like atmospheric horror, Son Of Dracula is a treat. The Siodmak brothers, director Robert and author Curt, both worked on this one. Made during the Second World War, at a time when Universal was producing mostly inferior horrors, this is one of the studio's best efforts of the period, with cinematographer George Robinson's camera prowling the homes, woods and bayous of American South with the surefooted gracefulness of a black panther. The acting is fine, with even such limited players as Robert Paige, Evelyn Ankers and Louise Albritton all turning in good work. Character actors Frank Craven and J. Edward Bromberg make a nice vampire-hunting duo, and their scenes together suggest a real alliance and not merely two actors going through the motions. Big Lon, as the Count, is very effective. He lacks Lugosi's old world charm, but makes up for it in bulk, drawing nicely on the natural arrogance that some big men are prone to, his vampire is a baleful figure, often prone to violence. There's more local color than one might expect in this sort of movie, with the character of the swamp-dwelling Queen Zimba providing an interesting link to the Cajun and Voodoo traditions. By today's standards I suppose Son Of Dracula is none too frightening, though it nicely suggests the link between horror and everyday life, normal emotions and regional traditions, which, while this might not mean much nowadays, certainly resonated in the America of sixty years ago, which it effectively evokes.