The Bat (1959)

Director:

Crane Wilbur

Writers:

Avery Hopwood (novel) (play)
Mary Roberts Rinehart (novel) (play)

Release Date:

9 August 1959 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller | Mystery

Tagline:

When Someone SCREAMS ... It Will Be YOU!

Plot:

A crazed killer known as "The Bat" is on the loose in a mansion full of people.

Plot Keywords:

Bat | Mansion | Bank | Murder | Mystery Writer

Cast

Vincent Price	...	Dr. Malcolm Wells
Agnes Moorehead	...	Cornelia van Gorder
Gavin Gordon	...	Lt. Andy Anderson
John Sutton	...	Warner, the chauffeur
Lenita Lane	...	Lizzie Allen
Elaine Edwards	...	Dale Bailey
Darla Hood	...	Judy Hollander
John Bryant	...	Mark Fleming
Harvey Stephens	...	John Fleming
Mike Steele	...	Victor Bailey
Riza Royce	...	Jane Patterson
Robert Williams	...	Detective Davenport (as Robert B. Williams)

Runtime:

80 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono | Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Canada:G (Ontario) | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Finland:(Banned) (1961) | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) | USA:Approved (PCA #19363)

Company:

Liberty Pictures

Trivia:

Her role as Judy became the final on-screen feature film role for former child star Darla Hood of Our Gang/Little Rascals fame.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Cornelia and Lizzie go into Cornelia's bedroom and prepare to spend the night sleeping in the same room, Cornelia puts the chair in front of the door. Soon after that, Lizzie mentions to Cornelia that she has forgotten her nightclothes, among other things, in her room and has to go get them. When she opens the door to leave the room, the chair that Cornelia had put there is gone.

Quotes:

Cornelia van Gorder: [on the phone] Yes will you connect me to Dr. Malcolm Wells' office please? ...No I don't know his number and I have no phone book up here but it's an emergency, will you connect me please?
Lizzie Allen: Dear oh dear, I'm going to get the rabies!
Woman: Hello?
Cornelia van Gorder: Hello! Dr. Wells' Office?
Woman: This is the call service. Dr. Wells is out at the moment but if you'll give me your name, I'll try to locate him.
Cornelia van Gorder: Well this is Miss Van Gorder at the Oaks. My maid has just been bitten by a bat that may be rabid and she must have medical treatment as soon as possible. And I was told that Dr. Wells is the nearest physician.
Woman: I'll try to locate him for you but if I can't, I'll send you another doctor.
Cornelia van Gorder: Well thank you very much.
[hangs up]
Cornelia van Gorder: Oh he's out on a case! I hope it's not a delivery, a baby I mean they can be terribly complicated!
[...]

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Horror Incorporated: The Bat (1959) (#3.6)" (2003)

Very suspenseful...quite good for its day

Some people don't like to watch anything that's not in color...they don't know what they're missing. Some people look down at anything made in the fifties or sixties as hopelessly hokey...and they don't know what they're missing either. The Bat is a taut, suspenseful story, and one which proves gore isn't strictly necessary in order to be frightening. Agnes Moorhead shows plenty of spunk, and the great Vincent Price steals every scene in which he appears.

The cinematography of this film is excellent...note the use of dark shadows to conceal and hide peoples' identities, just as the dark mask hides the Bat's face. Jump out of your skin as that eerily-clawed hand appears in frame for the first time. Ignore the truly awful fake-looking bat that appears for a few seconds. No movie's perfect.

And play the adult version of the "Scooby Doo" mystery game...where you try to figure out who are the red herrings and who is the real murderer. It's probably not who you think it is.