Highly Overrated But Still Good

best movie i've ever seen.

It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

The Black Castle (1952)** (out of 4) Ronald Burton (Richard Greene) accepts Count von Bruno's (Stephen McNally) hunting invitation but he has a reason other than just hunting. Ronald believes that two of his friends were murdered by the Count so he wants evidence as well as revenge.THE BLACK CASTLE is sold as a Universal horror movie but it's more melodrama/thriller than anything else. It does feature Boris Karloff and Lon Chaney, Jr. in small roles, which was obviously the studios attempt to get horror fans into theaters. As it is, THE BLACK CASTLE is a well-made film that has some good performances but overall it's quite forgettable since the story itself just isn't anything that special.I put the majority of the film's issues on the story because it's pretty obvious from start to finish and there really aren't any twists or turns that you won't see coming from a mile away. It also doesn't help that you really don't care whether the Count was a murderer or not. Both Greene and McNally are good in the role of the hero and bad guy and it's always fun seeing Karloff and Chaney even though neither of them have much to do.THE BLACK CASTLE was caught up in that in between period where the studio was getting out of horror monsters and was just before their sci-fi boom.

Richard Greene plays British nobleman Sir Ronald Burton, a man intent on proving that an evil Austrian count, Karl von Bruno (Stephen McNally), was the person responsible for murdering two of his friends. So he travels to the Counts' domain, the Black Castle of the title, under an alias, enjoying the Counts' hospitality, as well as participating in a leopard hunt. Along the way he falls in love with von Brunos' beautiful young wife, Elga (Rita Corday).Greene is an effective hero, and Corday is absolutely lovely. There are lots of impressive supporting performances here, by John Hoyt and Michael Pate as two associates of our villainous Count, Tudor Owen as Burtons' travelling companion Romley, and especially Henry Corden as Fender the servant. Greene, as handsome and stoic as he is, still can't compete with the entertaining theatrics of one eyed McNally, who's fun to watch. Lon Chaney Jr. is kind of wasted in a thankless role as a nearly mute thug. Boris Karloff does his usual delightful work as a distraught doctor who joins the heroes' cause, although his fans should be aware that this isn't really a Boris vehicle. His role, too, is a supporting one.There's a fair bit to enjoy here, in particular that leopard hunt, which is very atmospheric and is the best part of the movie. Nathan Juran directs, with his typical efficiency. The story, concocted by Jerry Sackheim, is a rather straightforward one and also an agreeable one. You gotta love von Bruno for having a castle with such standard features as booby traps and an alligator pit.All in all, this isn't a great Universal-International production, but it is a good one.Seven out of 10.

Brave and dashing adventurer Sir Ronald Burton (a solid and likable performance by Richard Greene) goes to the castle of the sinister Count Karl von Bruno (splendidly essayed with divinely wicked glee by Stephen McNally) to investigate the disappearance of two friends who were guests of the Count. Complications ensue when Burton falls for the Count's fetching wife Countess Elga von Bruno (an appealing portrayal by the lovely Rita Corday). Director Nathan Juran, working from an engrossing script by Jerry Sackheim, relates the absorbing story at a steady pace, does an expert job of creating and sustaining a supremely spooky ooga-booga gloom-doom mood, and stages the stirring outbursts of action with real aplomb. McNally's deliciously slimy and sadistic villainy keeps the picture humming throughout. Moreover, it's nice to see the always terrific Boris Karloff in a sizable change-of-pace good guy role as Dr. Meissen, a kindly physician who helps Ronald out, Popping up in sturdy supporting parts are Lon Chaney Jr. as the hulking, brutish Gorgon, Michael Pate as the haughty Count Ernst von Melcher, John Hoyt as the equally snooty Count Steiken, Tudor Owen as Ronald's loyal servant Romley, and Henry Corden as browbeaten coachman Fender. Irving Glasberg's crisp black and white cinematography and the robust shuddery score are both up to par. An enjoyable movie.

The Black Castle is one of those film's that has found its way into a Boris Karloff collection and is mistakenly expected to be an outright horror movie. Whilst some horror elements exist within Nathan Juran's movie, this really is a multi genre piece that's tightly produced and effectively portrayed. Joining Karloff, in what is a small but critical role, are Richard Greene, Stephen McNally, Lon Chaney Jr, Rita Corday, John Hoyt & Michael Pate. It's produced, unsurprisingly, out of Universal International Pictures. The plot sees Greene's English gentleman travel to the castle home of the sinister Count von Bruno {McNally}. He's following an investigation into the disappearance of two friends, an investigation that is fraught with danger and surprise at every turn.This has everything that fans of the old dark house/castle sub-genre could wish for. Genuine good and bad guys, a fair maiden, dark corners for doing dark deeds, devilish traps, ticking clock finale and we even get a good old fashioned bit of swashbuckling into the bargain. The cast are all turning in effective performances, particularly Greene and the wonderfully sneering McNally. Whilst Jerry Sackheim's writing is lean and devoid of the pointless filler that has so often bogged down similar film's of this ilk. A very recommended film on proviso that Karloff fans understand it's not really a Karloff movie, and perhaps more importantly, that horror fans don't expect blood letting to be the order of the day. A fine atmospheric story with a sense of dread throughout, The Black Castle is a fine viewing experience. 7/10