William Castle was always one for gimmicks to get attention for his product. Whether it was those tinted glasses for 13 Ghosts or those insurance policies for Macabre, Castle always had a keen eye for publicity. For The Night Walker he did things the more conventional Hollywood way, he reunited two stars from Hollywood's golden age of the studio who happened to be married to each other at one time.
This was done once before, for William Powell and Carole Lombard in My Man Godfrey. The trade papers were buzzing about how the former marrieds would get on. Actually they did and they produced a classic motion picture comedy.
Would that The Night Walker did the same for Taylor and Stanwyck. Neither was especially fond of the project although they behaved professionally whether the cameras were rolling or not. I agree with a previous reviewer, you either love the film or you can't understand it. I belong in the latter category.
Barbara is a beauty parlor owner married to a really creepy blind guy in Hayden Rorke. He's got the idea she's cheating on him and with his attorney Robert Taylor. Later on he's killed in an explosion in the house. After that Stanwyck starts having nightmares, so much so she can't tell reality from dream. The audience has some problems in that regard as well.
A really talented cast milks whatever entertainment value can be gotten from The Night Walker. Let's just say that at the end of the proceedings only one is left to tell the tale, a tale the police are going to have a lot of problems believing.
Castle puts his usual chilling atmosphere on the proceedings. But I assure you if you think about the plot the whole thing is quite ridiculous.
This was done once before, for William Powell and Carole Lombard in My Man Godfrey. The trade papers were buzzing about how the former marrieds would get on. Actually they did and they produced a classic motion picture comedy.
Would that The Night Walker did the same for Taylor and Stanwyck. Neither was especially fond of the project although they behaved professionally whether the cameras were rolling or not. I agree with a previous reviewer, you either love the film or you can't understand it. I belong in the latter category.
Barbara is a beauty parlor owner married to a really creepy blind guy in Hayden Rorke. He's got the idea she's cheating on him and with his attorney Robert Taylor. Later on he's killed in an explosion in the house. After that Stanwyck starts having nightmares, so much so she can't tell reality from dream. The audience has some problems in that regard as well.
A really talented cast milks whatever entertainment value can be gotten from The Night Walker. Let's just say that at the end of the proceedings only one is left to tell the tale, a tale the police are going to have a lot of problems believing.
Castle puts his usual chilling atmosphere on the proceedings. But I assure you if you think about the plot the whole thing is quite ridiculous.