The Black Cat (1934)

Director:  Edgar G. Ulmer
Cast:  Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, David Manners

Finally!  Lugosi and Karloff together in one film!  And then there's that hot guy who always plays losers, David Manners.

PLOT:  Peter and Joan Allison (David Manners, who looks a lot more handsome here than he does in DRACULA, and Julie Bishop) are honeymooning.  On a train, they share a room with a psychiatrist, Dr. Vitus Werdegast (Bela Lugosi.  I know, I'd turn down the role if I knew my character was going to be named that too) due to a mix-up in reservations, who says that he has returned from something.

When the bus the three share crashes and Joan is injured, the gang arrives at the home of Dr. Werdegast's friend, Hjalmar Poelzig (Boris Karloff).  Joan wakes up in a trance and Peter puts her to bed.      

Poelzig decides to sacrifice Joan in a Satanic ritual.  Oy vey...good thing Joan doesn't remember anything about the accident.  When Peter tries to leave, he is strangled and Joan collapses.  He is taken to a dungeon and Poelzig begins the ritual.  Joan escapes and finds Karen Werdegast, who tells her her father died in prison.  Werdegast saves her and Peter fights off the guard.  Poelzig catches up to Werdegast and the two engage in a struggle with the Chinese man involved.  Werdegast and the man finally get him!  Werdegast strips him of his clothing and decides to strip away his skin.    

Meanwhile, Peter awakens and shoots Werdegast.  The two leave and Werdegast pulls a switch, detonating the building.                        

REVIEW:  Like every film David Manners is in, someone has to save his ass from making it a shitty movie.  In DRACULA's case, it's Dwight Frye, Bela Lugosi and Edward van Sloan.  In this, it's Bela and Boris Karloff.  I guess the Universal costume department thought it would be funny to dress up Boris as a Romulan.  I did enjoy the Satanic ritual and the final scenes, though.  2.5 out of 5 stars.            

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