Universal's 1943 film The Mad Ghoul is a slice above the standard assembly line chillers turned out by the studio during the decade. For this we can thank an absolutely bonkers premise, a frequently intelligent screenplay, some atmospheric direction, another famous Jack Pierce creature creation, and a superior performance by George Zucco. Fans of the iconic horror producing film factory will further revel in the unmistakable genre milieu created by both Hans J Salter's recognizable musical cues and a roster of familiar faces supporting Zucco. All these elements combine to provide 65 minutes of breezy entertainment.
Dr. Alfred Morris (George Zucco) lectures his university class about a mysterious poison gas utilized by the Mayans to essentially zombify people; "death in life" he dubs it. While in this state the subject becomes the tool of his master with no free will of his own. In his spare time Morris has recreated the formula and further deduced from an ancient painting that the Mayans used blood from a heart ventricle to reverse the process. Since he isn't well versed with a scalpel Morris inveigles medical student Ted Allison (David Bruce) to assist him in resuscitating a monkey he has exposed to the gas. Following a cardiectomy on a healthy monkey the procedure is an apparent success and now Morris deploys his end game: perform the same procedure on Ted and have the unwitting student terminate his engagement to singer Isabel Lewis (Evelyn Ankers) with whom Morris is in love. The doctor believes Isabel desires him as well but it turns out the lovely songstress fancies her piano accompanist Eric Iverson (Turhan Bey). Further complications set in when Morris realizes the antidote is only a temporary solution and the victim requires consistent injections and a steady supply of fresh human hearts. Engaging poor Ted as his personal grave digger/surgeon Morris becomes the title character and despoils fresh graves to acquire the necessary organ.
The screenplay concocted by Brenda Weisberg and Paul Gangelin from an original story by Hans Kraly is a rather remarkable blend of absurdity and intelligence. While the monster-making vehicle of poison gas and ventricular blood is outrageous - not too mention the lack of practical applications for it - the narrative treats the subject seriously. Dr. Morris is depicted as a pretty level-headed scientist who's professional genius compensates for his incredible lack of skill in deciphering the longings of a young lady's heart. His corruption of Ted is driven by love and not evil although if he wanted to move in on Isabel it seems there are many options before the nuclear one. His nonplussed reaction to learning she loves Eric is in keeping with the more rational aspects of the character although a film with this outrageous premise cries out for a more bombastic villain a la Bela Lugosi. Isabel is also a well written character with understandable romantic conflictions although her obliviousness to Morris' outrageous romantic overtures is laughable. From a plotting standpoint the notion of Morris and Ted following Isabel from city to city during her singing tour seems odd but it turns out to be a neat way for reporter Ken McClure (Robert Armstrong) to zero in on their crimes.
Director James Hogan constructs his movie with a brisk pace and some impressive cinematic flourishes. He does a splendid job employing shadows for suspenseful effect and utilizes closeups of zombie Ted to further unnerve the audience. One of the best scenes involves Zucco and Bruce confronting Armstrong in a mortuary where the latter has set a trap for them; the creeps gain the upper hand and while Zucco strangles Armstrong just off camera Bruce stares ahead blankly in a most chilling visual. Hogan's only misfire is the weakly-staged final confrontation between Ted, Isabel, and Eric on the Phantom of the Opera stage but he rebounds with the horrific closing scene of a rapidly-decaying Zucco clawing through the dirt of a fresh grave before expiring.
Hogan's film receives colossal support from both Jack Pierce and Hans J Salter. The zombie makeup designed by Pierce is a riff on his design for Boris Karloff in The Mummy but what makes it most unique is the way Ted becomes more desiccated during his inhuman phases. He initially resembles a marble statue; chalk white with tousled hair before his skin begins wrinkling and flaking. Bruce caps off this design with an unnerving vacant stair and staggering gate. All of the action is superbly embellished by the treasure trove of Salter's stock musical cues that pepper the movie with an unmistakable Universal flavor.
Despite being relegated to third billing the film is dominated by George Zucco in the lead role of Dr. Alfred Morris. The actor wisely employs a subtle route in depicting this duplicitous character who is not inherently diabolic but instead morbidly devoted to his Mayan gas research. Morris' ultimate downfall is his infatuation with Isabel and the bombastic hubris (or "slight miscalculation" as Lionel Atwill once said) leading him to surmise she secretly loves him. He corrupts Ted only to remove his romantic competition and is later truly upset to learn he has stolen the young man's humanity. However, once on that track he goes off the rails into true mad scientist territory knowing he can't stop perpetrating his unholy deeds. Next to his legendary turn as Andoheb in The Mummy's Hand this is Zucco's best work in a Universal film; a brilliant performance.
David Bruce shines as the unfortunate Ted Allison particularly in his monstrous state. The character is a bit simple and a lovesick milksop to boot early on but once the tragedy sets in Bruce effectively sells the sympathy angle. He does his best work near the end when he finally understands what he's become and sacrifices his life to foil Dr. Morris. Cast as the object of everyone's affection is Evelyn Ankers as the conflicted singer engaged to Ted but who loves another man. This is nearly an impossible role; a woman essentially two-timing the hero and contributing to his downfall. Thanks to a script that goes out of its way to show her in a sympathetic light and some expert acting by Miss Ankers this never happens. Inhabiting her true love interest is frequent costar Turhan Bey who somehow nabbed top billing in many promotional posters. His role is minimal and criminally underwritten to provide more opportunities for Zucco, Bruce, and Miss Ankers. Robert Armstrong is a bit long in the tooth to play the wisecracking reporter but he adds plenty of zip to the blandly written part and gives it better than it deserves. Amongst the rest of the supporting players film noir fans will recognize a youthful Charles McGraw in the minor role of Garrity.
As one of the rare "monster" flicks from the Universal canon that didn't spawn a franchise The Mad Ghoul is nonetheless a fine film that delivers the goods: creepy atmosphere, gruesomeness to spare, a stellar makeup job by the master Jack Pierce, the glamour of Evelyn Ankers, and a powerhouse performance by George Zucco. While not breaking new ground the film is sure to entertain those desiring a dose of the macabre or on the fence about cremation.
Dr. Alfred Morris (George Zucco) lectures his university class about a mysterious poison gas utilized by the Mayans to essentially zombify people; "death in life" he dubs it. While in this state the subject becomes the tool of his master with no free will of his own. In his spare time Morris has recreated the formula and further deduced from an ancient painting that the Mayans used blood from a heart ventricle to reverse the process. Since he isn't well versed with a scalpel Morris inveigles medical student Ted Allison (David Bruce) to assist him in resuscitating a monkey he has exposed to the gas. Following a cardiectomy on a healthy monkey the procedure is an apparent success and now Morris deploys his end game: perform the same procedure on Ted and have the unwitting student terminate his engagement to singer Isabel Lewis (Evelyn Ankers) with whom Morris is in love. The doctor believes Isabel desires him as well but it turns out the lovely songstress fancies her piano accompanist Eric Iverson (Turhan Bey). Further complications set in when Morris realizes the antidote is only a temporary solution and the victim requires consistent injections and a steady supply of fresh human hearts. Engaging poor Ted as his personal grave digger/surgeon Morris becomes the title character and despoils fresh graves to acquire the necessary organ.
The screenplay concocted by Brenda Weisberg and Paul Gangelin from an original story by Hans Kraly is a rather remarkable blend of absurdity and intelligence. While the monster-making vehicle of poison gas and ventricular blood is outrageous - not too mention the lack of practical applications for it - the narrative treats the subject seriously. Dr. Morris is depicted as a pretty level-headed scientist who's professional genius compensates for his incredible lack of skill in deciphering the longings of a young lady's heart. His corruption of Ted is driven by love and not evil although if he wanted to move in on Isabel it seems there are many options before the nuclear one. His nonplussed reaction to learning she loves Eric is in keeping with the more rational aspects of the character although a film with this outrageous premise cries out for a more bombastic villain a la Bela Lugosi. Isabel is also a well written character with understandable romantic conflictions although her obliviousness to Morris' outrageous romantic overtures is laughable. From a plotting standpoint the notion of Morris and Ted following Isabel from city to city during her singing tour seems odd but it turns out to be a neat way for reporter Ken McClure (Robert Armstrong) to zero in on their crimes.
Director James Hogan constructs his movie with a brisk pace and some impressive cinematic flourishes. He does a splendid job employing shadows for suspenseful effect and utilizes closeups of zombie Ted to further unnerve the audience. One of the best scenes involves Zucco and Bruce confronting Armstrong in a mortuary where the latter has set a trap for them; the creeps gain the upper hand and while Zucco strangles Armstrong just off camera Bruce stares ahead blankly in a most chilling visual. Hogan's only misfire is the weakly-staged final confrontation between Ted, Isabel, and Eric on the Phantom of the Opera stage but he rebounds with the horrific closing scene of a rapidly-decaying Zucco clawing through the dirt of a fresh grave before expiring.
Hogan's film receives colossal support from both Jack Pierce and Hans J Salter. The zombie makeup designed by Pierce is a riff on his design for Boris Karloff in The Mummy but what makes it most unique is the way Ted becomes more desiccated during his inhuman phases. He initially resembles a marble statue; chalk white with tousled hair before his skin begins wrinkling and flaking. Bruce caps off this design with an unnerving vacant stair and staggering gate. All of the action is superbly embellished by the treasure trove of Salter's stock musical cues that pepper the movie with an unmistakable Universal flavor.
Despite being relegated to third billing the film is dominated by George Zucco in the lead role of Dr. Alfred Morris. The actor wisely employs a subtle route in depicting this duplicitous character who is not inherently diabolic but instead morbidly devoted to his Mayan gas research. Morris' ultimate downfall is his infatuation with Isabel and the bombastic hubris (or "slight miscalculation" as Lionel Atwill once said) leading him to surmise she secretly loves him. He corrupts Ted only to remove his romantic competition and is later truly upset to learn he has stolen the young man's humanity. However, once on that track he goes off the rails into true mad scientist territory knowing he can't stop perpetrating his unholy deeds. Next to his legendary turn as Andoheb in The Mummy's Hand this is Zucco's best work in a Universal film; a brilliant performance.
David Bruce shines as the unfortunate Ted Allison particularly in his monstrous state. The character is a bit simple and a lovesick milksop to boot early on but once the tragedy sets in Bruce effectively sells the sympathy angle. He does his best work near the end when he finally understands what he's become and sacrifices his life to foil Dr. Morris. Cast as the object of everyone's affection is Evelyn Ankers as the conflicted singer engaged to Ted but who loves another man. This is nearly an impossible role; a woman essentially two-timing the hero and contributing to his downfall. Thanks to a script that goes out of its way to show her in a sympathetic light and some expert acting by Miss Ankers this never happens. Inhabiting her true love interest is frequent costar Turhan Bey who somehow nabbed top billing in many promotional posters. His role is minimal and criminally underwritten to provide more opportunities for Zucco, Bruce, and Miss Ankers. Robert Armstrong is a bit long in the tooth to play the wisecracking reporter but he adds plenty of zip to the blandly written part and gives it better than it deserves. Amongst the rest of the supporting players film noir fans will recognize a youthful Charles McGraw in the minor role of Garrity.
As one of the rare "monster" flicks from the Universal canon that didn't spawn a franchise The Mad Ghoul is nonetheless a fine film that delivers the goods: creepy atmosphere, gruesomeness to spare, a stellar makeup job by the master Jack Pierce, the glamour of Evelyn Ankers, and a powerhouse performance by George Zucco. While not breaking new ground the film is sure to entertain those desiring a dose of the macabre or on the fence about cremation.