After the success of White Zombie (1932), the Halperin Brothers moved to Paramount where they produced this stylish, big-budget horror piece, its thrills even more chilling because they now seem so credible when presented against such lavishly realistic sets, and augmented by Martinelli's rivetingly moody cinematography.
The cast too is absolutely out of the box. Carole Lombard gives one of her finest performances as the troubled and ultimately possessed heroine, making the transition from innocent yet ultra-sophisticated mourner to vengeful, homicidal madwoman with disturbing conviction. As the villain of the piece, suave, hateful, murderous Allan Dinehart is truly a stand-out. The hideous scene in which he coldbloodedly murders his lowlife landlady (brilliantly played for both repugnance and sympathy by Beryl Mercer) is seared into my memory.
Randolph Scott's disbelieving hero is also well played. So is Warner's high society doctor, and especially William Farnum's amiably greedy Hammond.
Last but second only to Miss Lombard's is the powerful performance delivered by Vivienne Osborne in a tenth of the star's footage. Her presence literally haunts the whole film.
Paramount have not spared any expense. The sets, whether grimy, hell's kitchen tenements or palatial high society palaces are so naturalistic, the viewer never questions or doubts for a moment his role as a committed voyeur in this disturbingly real-life scenario. True, the special effects are few, but this admirable restraint only serves to make them so much more frighteningly believable.
Director Halperin never puts a foot wrong. He seems to know instinctively when to slow down the pace to build up a brooding atmosphere and when to heighten the drama with quick cutting to deliver shock after shock.
The cast too is absolutely out of the box. Carole Lombard gives one of her finest performances as the troubled and ultimately possessed heroine, making the transition from innocent yet ultra-sophisticated mourner to vengeful, homicidal madwoman with disturbing conviction. As the villain of the piece, suave, hateful, murderous Allan Dinehart is truly a stand-out. The hideous scene in which he coldbloodedly murders his lowlife landlady (brilliantly played for both repugnance and sympathy by Beryl Mercer) is seared into my memory.
Randolph Scott's disbelieving hero is also well played. So is Warner's high society doctor, and especially William Farnum's amiably greedy Hammond.
Last but second only to Miss Lombard's is the powerful performance delivered by Vivienne Osborne in a tenth of the star's footage. Her presence literally haunts the whole film.
Paramount have not spared any expense. The sets, whether grimy, hell's kitchen tenements or palatial high society palaces are so naturalistic, the viewer never questions or doubts for a moment his role as a committed voyeur in this disturbingly real-life scenario. True, the special effects are few, but this admirable restraint only serves to make them so much more frighteningly believable.
Director Halperin never puts a foot wrong. He seems to know instinctively when to slow down the pace to build up a brooding atmosphere and when to heighten the drama with quick cutting to deliver shock after shock.