This is a Lon Chaney film that has its moments, but frankly needed more of Lon Chaney. He plays a lunatic who in the opening scene causes a car crash by using a mirror, then captures the victim. It's a great start and the dark old house he inhabits with his minions is full of secret chutes and trap doors, giving the film a creepy atmosphere. Unfortunately, that's offset by the film spending too much time on Johnny Arthur's character and things like the junior detective stuff and him accidentally getting drunk. The film goes for comedy, romance (Gertrude Olmstead is the love interest), and horror, and would have been better off concentrating on horror, at least for my taste. When Chaney's on the screen the film is at its best, and it's worth seeing if you're a fan of his, otherwise, it may be a bit too creaky and slow.
Review of The Monster
