The Black Castle (1952)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

Nathan Juran

Writer:

Jerry Sackheim (writer)

Release Date:

15 December 1952 (Sweden)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery | Horror | Action | Romance

Plot:

Man investigates the disappearance of two of his friends who were the guests of a sinister Austrian count. |

Plot Keywords:

Count | Ball And Cap Pistol | Germany | Catalepsy | Faked Death

Cast

Richard Greene	...	Sir Ronald Burton, alias Richard Beckett
Boris Karloff	...	Dr. Meissen
Stephen McNally	...	Count Karl von Bruno
Rita Corday	...	Countess Elga von Bruno
Lon Chaney Jr.	...	Gargon
John Hoyt	...	Count Steiken
Michael Pate	...	Count Ernst von Melcher
Nancy Valentine	...	Therese Von Wilk
Tudor Owen	...	Romley
Henry Corden	...	Fender
Otto Waldis	...	Krantz, the innkeeper

Runtime:

82 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Canada:PG (Ontario) | Finland:(Banned) (1952) | USA:Unrated | Sweden:15

Company:

Universal International Pictures (UI)

Quotes:

Count Karl von Bruno: Doctor, you're an expert on medical science. Isn't it true that the Ancient Romans were pain worshippers?
Dr. Meissen: Oh, yes, Herr Count. They even held endurance contests. It was a mark of distinction to suffer in silence.
Count Steiken: [Being treated for an arm wound by Dr. Meissen] Ah, naaah! Oh, no!
Count Karl von Bruno: Do you hear that, Steiken?
Count Steiken: [Screaming] Aaah, ah, ah! I'm not an Ancient Roman!
Servant: Herr Count, Mr. Beckett is here.
Count Karl von Bruno: Well, bring him in for this should amuse him too.
Count Steiken: [to Dr. Meissen] Ooohh! - You idiot! You call yourself a doctor?
Count Karl von Bruno: [Sadistically twisting Steiken's arm] And you? You call yourself a man?
[...]

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Son of Svengoolie: The Black Castle (1952) (#1.53)" (1980)

Soundtrack:

3rd and 1st movements from Serenata No.13 'Eine kleine Nachtmusik' K.525

Disappointing Gothic Horror Programmer!

"The Black Castle" was Universal's final attempt to return to its glory days of the Gothic horror of the 30s and 40s. One would think that with both Boris Karloff and Lon Chaney in the cast, the film would be better. Unfortunately both are relegated to small supporting roles.

Englishman Sir Ronald Burton (Richard Greene) believes his two close friends have been murdered by the evil Count Karl von Bruno (Stephen McNally..complete with eye patch). It seems that Burton and friends were responsible for driving von Bruno from Africa.

Assuming the alias of Richard Beckett, Burton secures an invitation to go to von Bruno's "black castle" for a hunting party. there he plans to gather evidence to show that von Bruno had murdered his two friends. Burton meets von Bruno's wife Elga (Paula Corday) who is trapped in an arranged marriage. The two begin to fall in love.

Dr. Meissen (Karloff), the castle physician is sympathetic to the young couples plight. He goes so far as to murder Count Steiken (John Hoyt) when he overhears Elga and Burton confess their love for each other. Burton leaves the castle with evidence he has discovered but is forced to return when Dr. Meissen informs him that von Bruno has imprisoned Elga. While attempting to rescue her he battles with von Bruno's brutish mute servant Gargon (Chaney) whom he sends into a pool of alligators.

To help the couple escape, Dr. Meissen administers a potion to them that will send them into a death like trance. von Bruno discovers the plot and....................

It's a shame that Karloff and Chaney had to suffer the humiliation of being cast in such menial roles. Both had saved the studio at different times. Karloff with his "Frankenstein" roles in the 30s and Chaney with his "Wolfman" in the 40s. For Chaney this I believe, was his final film for Universal. Karloff would make one more with the studio the following year in "Abbott & Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde".

Following this film, Universal would more or less abandon the old style Gothic horror films for the new wave of atomic giant monster films.