Todd Browning is most famous for strange films such as Freaks and The Unknown; but the strangest thing about this film is actually not the subject material; it's the way everything comes together. Looking at this film on paper would easily lead any sane person into thinking that its going to be a great big mess, but somehow Todd Browning has pulled together ideas including a criminal on the run, a mad science project to shrink every living thing in the world, transvestism and a story about a man wanting to reconcile with the daughter who hates him, and created a masterpiece out of it! The plot focuses on Paul Lavond; a man wrongly accused of robbery and sent to Devil's Island. He manages to escape along with a friend of his; a mad scientist who has discovered a way to shrink living things, with the idea of having less food consumed in mind. Lavond seizes an opportunity to use this discovery to get his own back on those who framed him; and at the same time clear his name so his only daughter won't hate his memory.
The film is extremely entertaining to watch; Browning keeps things going with a real verve and since there's so much diversity on display, things simply don't have chance to get boring. When the film finished I knew I'd enjoyed it thoroughly; but it's not until I stepped back and started to think about the film that I realised what a masterpiece it is! Browning weaves his web with great skill and frankly unrelated plots fit together seamlessly. The lead character Paul Lavond at first appears to be a dastardly opportunist; but through this story of revenge and shrunken people, his character develops and by the end, we not only like the character - but actually understand and respect his actions throughout the film! (Yes, we understand and respect why he had to use shrunken people for revenge). For what at first appears to be a silly horror film, that is a real achievement. The lead character is brought to life by Lionel Barrymore; a very talented actor that leads the film brilliantly; both as leading man and his alter-ego, Madame Mandelip! There's so much more going on than just the central story too; Rafaela Ottiano's delightfully twisted sidekick Malita is the pick of Browning's sideshows. The Devil-Doll is liable to be brushed aside by many for the silliness of its central plot; but if you look a little deeper, you'll surely find a complex little story that works much better than it has any right to. I would not hesitate to HIGHLY recommend this film to anyone that loves their off-the-wall cinema!
The film is extremely entertaining to watch; Browning keeps things going with a real verve and since there's so much diversity on display, things simply don't have chance to get boring. When the film finished I knew I'd enjoyed it thoroughly; but it's not until I stepped back and started to think about the film that I realised what a masterpiece it is! Browning weaves his web with great skill and frankly unrelated plots fit together seamlessly. The lead character Paul Lavond at first appears to be a dastardly opportunist; but through this story of revenge and shrunken people, his character develops and by the end, we not only like the character - but actually understand and respect his actions throughout the film! (Yes, we understand and respect why he had to use shrunken people for revenge). For what at first appears to be a silly horror film, that is a real achievement. The lead character is brought to life by Lionel Barrymore; a very talented actor that leads the film brilliantly; both as leading man and his alter-ego, Madame Mandelip! There's so much more going on than just the central story too; Rafaela Ottiano's delightfully twisted sidekick Malita is the pick of Browning's sideshows. The Devil-Doll is liable to be brushed aside by many for the silliness of its central plot; but if you look a little deeper, you'll surely find a complex little story that works much better than it has any right to. I would not hesitate to HIGHLY recommend this film to anyone that loves their off-the-wall cinema!