The Strange Door

Director: Joseph Pevney Joseph Pevney

Overview

Based on a story by Robert Louis Stevenson, this 17th Century set chiller features Charles Laughton as a callous French nobleman whose desire for a young woman leads to betrayal and murder.

Product Details

Release Date:	10/07/2014
UPC:	0025192181221
Original Release:	1951
Source:	ALLIED VAUGHN
Language:	English
Time:	1:21:00
Sales rank:	49,354

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Charles Laughton	Sire Alain de Maletroit
Boris Karloff	Voltan
Sally Forrest	Blanche de Maletroit
Richard Stapley	Denis de Beaulieu
Michael Pate	Talon
Paul Cavanagh	Edmond de Maletroit
Alan Napier	Count Grassin
William Cottrell	Corbeau
Morgan Farley	Rinville
Charles Horvath	Turec
Eddie Parker	Moret
H.J. Salter	Composer

Technical Credits

Jerry Sackheim

David S. Horsley	Special Effects
Joseph Pevney	Director
Ted Richmond	Producer
Jerry Sackheim	Screenwriter

Editorial Reviews

Despite the presence of horror icon Boris Karloff, The Strange Door is actually more of a Gothic melodrama: there are no monsters here, only a crazed lord of the manor and a seriously wacked-out torture chamber. There's also not a lot of credibility here. Granted, credibility isn't often a major consideration in movies of this sort, but there are gaping plot and logic holes here that will cause consternation among even the most forgiving fan. That said -- and acknowledging that Door is really a pretty bad movie -- it must also be said that door is a lot of fun, a cheesy, cheap, over-the-top melodrama that's great for someone flipping around the channels at 2:00 a.m. and looking for something freaky to watch. Although Karloff is in Door, he is not the star and is in fact reduced to a small (but important) part. Star honors go to Charles Laughton, who takes the opportunity to give one of his most delightful full-of-ham turns. It's not the kind of great acting Laughton was more than capable of, but it's one heck of a lot of fun.