|
Variety,
May 20,
1936
Dracula's
Daughter (1936)
Universal release
of E.M. Asher production. Features Otto Kruger, Gloria Holden, Marguerite
Churchill. Directed by Lambert Hillyear. Based on Bram Stoker’s
story, "Dracula’s Guest"; suggested by Oliver Jeffries;
screenplay, Garrett Fort’ camera, George Robinson. At Rialto,
N.Y., week May 16 ’36. Running time, 69 mins.
| Jeffrey
Garth |
Otto Kruger |
|
| Countess
Marya Zaleska |
Gloria
Holden |
| Janet
Blake |
Marguerite
Churchill |
| Sandor |
Irving
Pichel |
| Dr
Von Helsing |
Edward
Van Sloan |
| Lill |
Nan Gray |
| Lady
Esme Hammond |
Hedda Hopper |
| Sir
Basil Humphrey |
Gilbert
Emery |
| Sir
Aubrey Vail |
Claude
Allister |
| Sergeant
Wilkes |
E.E. Clive |
| Constable
Hawkins |
Halliwell
Hobbes |
| Albert |
Billy Bevan |
| Host |
Gordon
Hart |
| Dr.
Townsend |
Douglas
Wood |
| Dr
Graham |
Joseph
E.Tozer |
| Miss
Peabody |
Lily Malyon |
| Dr.
Bemish |
Fred Walton |
| Coachman |
Christian
Rub |
| Policeman |
William
van Brincken |
| Hobbs |
Edgar Norton |
This is a chiller
with plenty of ice; a surefire waker-upper in the theatre and a
stay-awake influence in the bedroom later on. Rates tops among recent
horror pictures and, as such, figures to deliver nice grosses.
Entire E.M.
Asher production rates bows, from the scenario groundwork up through
the acting, direction and photography.
For a change,
this is a picture that is quite entertaining along with its shocks.
It’s light in spots, thanks to the good dialog and the acting
of Otto Kruger, Marguerite Churchill and Billy Bevan, while the
heavy portions are more than adequately handled by Gloria Holden,
portraying Dracula’s vampire daughter, and Irving Pichel, her
jealous servant. Edward Van Sloan, who played the scientist in the
original Dracula film, is ditto in this, and just as convincing.
Two murders
in this film, both of them sufficiently shocking or the horror-pic
fans, with Miss Holden doing the blood-draining. Kruger is in the
role of a psychiatrist who uncovers the identity of the vamp while
working in behalf of Van Sloan, accused of murdering Dracula by
a Scotland Yard which doesn’t believe in the supernatural.
Marguerite Churchill is Kruger’s impish secretary and sweetheart,
as well as a near-victim of the femme killer. At the blowoff, the
vamp is killed by her servant at the moment she is hypnotizing Kruger.
Action skips
from the subterranean cellars of a London castle to those of the
Dracula menage in Transylvania, with plenty of creeps on both spots.
Robinson apparently grasped every opportunity to highlight the story
with his camera.
A good acting
job was contributed by Gilbert Emery as the Scotland Yard inspector;
Hedda Hopper and Halliwell Hobbes, in minor roles, also fit.
copyright ©
1936 Variety
|
