Review of The Night Walker

As I look back toward my youth in the 1950s and 1960s, there are a handful of films that I remember most -- "Gone With The Wind", "Ben Hur", a few other greats...and this one. Now that's odd, because this is a suspense film done on the cheap (and to some extent, it shows). But I was attracted to the presence of two formerly married actors (Robert Taylor and Barbara Stanwyck) getting back together to star in a film together...and I love a GOOD horror film. What surprised me even more was that as I watched this film 50 years later, how much of the film I actually remembered. However, as is often the case, the film isn't near as good as I remembered it being Robert Taylor was looking almost old here, although Barbara Stanwyck was still quite beautiful. Taylor's performance is good enough, although for some reason in the early half of the film he has an odd smirk on his face that I just don't understand. Stanwyck is good throughout. This was Stanwyck's last film, but Taylor made a few more.

The other key player here was Llodd Bochner, and oddly handsome actor. It's not a particularly memorable role. It was his second film. After a few years he spent more time on the small screen.

It's a decent who-done-it, and hardly a horror film, although that's the way it's often pegged. Perhaps "suspense" is a better descriptor. The new DVD release is decent, though there is some deterioration of the negative, though not enough to affect one's viewing of the film. To be honest, and to my surprise, I ditched the DVD after watching it once...just not as good as I remembered. A modest "7".