If they hadn't used the title in the Crime Doctor series of films two years earlier, this one probably could have gone down as his 'Strangest Case'. Because this one had me going with it's interesting plot and Gordon Carson's (Stephen Crane) alleged 'suicide' right up until the word 'vampire' was introduced into the story. With that 'huh?' moment, one can only hope to stay attentive long enough to scramble together a host of disparate elements in order to close out this baffling murder mystery.
It didn't start out so confusing. You had a wealthy businessman who's first two wives died mysteriously within days of their respective weddings under unusual circumstances. Coincidental enough to cast doubt on Carson's innocence, sure, but having him wind up dead shortly after marrying the third time was turning the tables on the story. Eventually it becomes clear that wife number three (Hillary Brooke) did it for the money, so even if she were to be a suspect, the fact that her husband died of a gunshot wound in his locked study with no means of entry or exit to be found, seems to make this an open and shut case for suicide.
But then you have the brother and sister dance team (Anthony Caruso, Lupita Tovar) who's publicity guru (Jerome Cowan) suggests they're never seen during the day, don't have mirrors in their dressing room, and sleep in coffins. Well then, the vampire angle gains some traction and the crime doctor has one more bizarre hurdle to overcome to solve the crime of Carson's murder. It all hinges on the idea that one or the other of the Bragga's can 'disappear' at will, thereby suggesting that one of them could have killed Carson while invisible.
Well I won't give it all away here, but the resolution to the mystery is a whole lot more mundane than anything that went before. I think if you watch this film a second time after knowing how the story ends, it would make more sense and not seem so bizarre with the vampire angle thrown in. Still, questions remain, like why was it necessary for Miguel Bragga to give Ordway the knockout drink? And why, even if they went along with the vampire pretense, would the Braggas sleep in coffins? Who would ever know?
It didn't start out so confusing. You had a wealthy businessman who's first two wives died mysteriously within days of their respective weddings under unusual circumstances. Coincidental enough to cast doubt on Carson's innocence, sure, but having him wind up dead shortly after marrying the third time was turning the tables on the story. Eventually it becomes clear that wife number three (Hillary Brooke) did it for the money, so even if she were to be a suspect, the fact that her husband died of a gunshot wound in his locked study with no means of entry or exit to be found, seems to make this an open and shut case for suicide.
But then you have the brother and sister dance team (Anthony Caruso, Lupita Tovar) who's publicity guru (Jerome Cowan) suggests they're never seen during the day, don't have mirrors in their dressing room, and sleep in coffins. Well then, the vampire angle gains some traction and the crime doctor has one more bizarre hurdle to overcome to solve the crime of Carson's murder. It all hinges on the idea that one or the other of the Bragga's can 'disappear' at will, thereby suggesting that one of them could have killed Carson while invisible.
Well I won't give it all away here, but the resolution to the mystery is a whole lot more mundane than anything that went before. I think if you watch this film a second time after knowing how the story ends, it would make more sense and not seem so bizarre with the vampire angle thrown in. Still, questions remain, like why was it necessary for Miguel Bragga to give Ordway the knockout drink? And why, even if they went along with the vampire pretense, would the Braggas sleep in coffins? Who would ever know?