Isle of the Dead (1945)

Director:

Mark Robson

Writer:

Ardel Wray (written by)

Release Date:

1 September 1945 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

What evil force is loose that empties graves of these long dead...buries those still alive...leaves behind it death...AND WORSE! (original half-sheet poster)

Plot:

On a Greek island during the 1912 war, several people are trapped by quarantine for the plague. If that isn't enough worry...

Plot Keywords:

Plague | Quarantine | Island | General | Greek Mythology

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Boris Karloff	...	Gen. Nikolas Pherides
Ellen Drew	...	Thea
Marc Cramer	...	Oliver Davis
Katherine Emery	...	Mrs. Mary St. Aubyn
Helen Thimig	...	Madame Kyra (as Helene Thimig)
Alan Napier	...	St. Aubyn
Jason Robards Sr.	...	Albrecht (as Jason Robards)
Ernst Deutsch	...	Dr. Drossos (as Ernst Dorian)

Runtime:

71 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

UK:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #10319)

Company:

RKO Radio Pictures

Trivia:

The 19th century artist, Bocklin, painted "The Isle of the Dead." It appears in the credits of this film and is recreated in the sets.

Goofs:

Factual errors: General Pherides has two stars on his collar to denote his rank, whereas Doctor Drossos has epaulettes of knotted embroidery. The Hellenic Army of the Balkans War did not use insignia on collars to denote rank. Rank was indicated on epaulettes. A Lieutenant General's epaulette had two large silver stars on gold embroidery with red edging. A Captain's epaulette has three smaller silver stars on a striped epaulette (red-gold-red).

Quotes:

Thea: Laws can be wrong and laws can be cruel and that people who only live by the law are both wrong and cruel.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Val Lewton: The Man in the Shadows (2007) (TV)

Under-appreciated gem

Wonderfully atmospheric film with a unique sense of place and well-drawn characters. Karloff's performance here is excellent, yet very different from his work in other films. You may be disappointed if you go in expecting something like his horror classics for Universal. This one is suggestive rather than shocking, and I'd recommend it to anyone who likes the subtle horrors of Cat People, The Innocents, or even Rosemary's Baby. Because of its literate script and interesting character development, Isle of the Dead may also appeal to others who don't usually like horror.