User Reviews

Gothic melodrama from Universal, adapted from the Nathaniel Hawthorne novel (with significant changes) about the cursed Pyncheon family and one brother framing another for murder. Often included in Universal horror discussions, though it's not a horror film. It does have some nice atmosphere in keeping with that genre, though, particularly given that it shares the same look and feel of the Universal horror films being made around that time.

Margaret Lindsay, an often underrated actress who never really hit it big, isn't entirely convincing in the early scenes as the innocent young Hepzibah. She really brings it when the plot moves forward and she becomes older and more jaded. Vincent Price does well in one of his earliest big roles. George Sanders reportedly didn't care for his role or the film but you would never know it by his great turn. Dick Foran holds his own against far more talented co-stars.

None of the changes to the novel seem to hurt it, in my opinion. It's a very enjoyable film. Even though it's not a horror movie, I do think it will appeal to people who like those Universal classics. Some nice atmosphere, a good story, and a great cast.

First of all, I never read the book, so my opinion is based on the movie as it is, and I think is very good. Being a Vincent Price fan, I must said that he delivers a terrific performance. His joy, his sadness, his fury, he really put his soul on the character. It only confirms how great actor he was, not only for the horror genre as many people think.. and he even sings here!! The films is more a romantic story than a mystery one, but works well all over. Vincent will do "House..." again several years later, as part of the "Twice Told Tales" trilogy, but this is the best version. A very curious detail: pay attention to the music when Vincent's brother (George Sanders)is looking for something in the basement... it's clearly the first melody of Danny Elfman's Batman!! I'll be waiting for the DVD from now on...

This film bears little resemblance to the 19th century Hawthorne novel (which may be a good thing, since nothing happens for about the first two-thirds of the book). On the other hand, this film could have been a whole lot better. Still, it's a decent way to kill 90 minutes.

George Sanders gives his usual performance as a pompous scumbag trying to cheat brother Vincent Price out of the family fortune, even though the family is bankrupt. When their father suddenly dies during an argument with Price, Sanders accuses his brother of murder. The jury convicts Price without deliberating. Ah, the good old days of law and order. Decades pass and Price's sentence is commuted, all while his fiancée, played by Margaret Lindsay, has changed from a beautiful girl to a sour old crone, teased by passing teenagers, as she locks herself away in her grief and loneliness. This hasn't attenuated Price's love for her, though.

Sanders and Price spend the film trying to out-ham each other, with neither succeeding. Price does get to sing while pretending to play the harpsichord. There is an unnecessary subplot concocted by the screenwriter involving abolition and Sanders making money off the slave trade. I guess somebody felt his character wasn't repulsive enough.

Margaret Lindsay is the most persuasive performer in The House of the Seven Gables. While I know that most film fans will be more interested in the participation of George Sanders and Vincent Price as part of the cast, I think it can be argued that this film may well have been the highlight of her career as an actress. She has a dominant role in a class "A" production and neither of her more illustrious male co-stars dwarf her.

The only way to see this other than a chance showing on Turner Classic Movies and the rare illicit posting on youtube is the Universal Vault MOD, and it really is quite gorgeous. I'd suggest it if you can afford it.

I was absolutely knocked out by Margaret Lindsay's (NOT Lockwood !!!) bravura performance in this film. It is inconceivable that she wasn't nominated, but 1940 was one of the most competitive Best Actress years ever. She ran the gamut from lovely young girl to pinched spinster. Her range was worthy of Bette Davis (with whom she co-starred many times). I loved the film itself also, and was inspired to read the book, which I loved as well. Miss Lindsay should have received more comment from students of good acting in all these years since the film. She definitely gave one of the finest performances I have ever seen by an actress in the movies, and I'm 63 !

Vincent Price and George Sanders are reasons enough to see any film on their own, and were often high points in their lesser films. Seeing them in the same film together, like in 'The House of the Seven Gables' is even more of a pleasure. The source material is wonderful, wordy but very richly immersive and compelling.

'The House of the Seven Gables' may not be the greatest film in adaptation terms, there is not a whole lot of Hawthorne here, but as a film on its own terms it's well worth your while as long as it's not constantly compared to the book. 'The House of the Seven Gables' did need a longer length, would have given it at least another thirty minutes myself, to do justice to a story that is pretty complex even in the film and give the characters more depth, because parts did feel rushed.

Could have done personally without the abolition subplot, or at least made it less prominent, it was intriguing enough at times but it seemed to be there only to make Jaffrey more loathsome. That wasn't necessary as it is blatantly obvious that he already is even without it. While the acting is very good actually, there are a few individual moments where it is somewhat dodgy. The biggest offender is Jaffrey's final scene, which was wildly over-acted (rather unusual for George Sanders) and overly-melodramatic (even for a melodrama).

However, 'The House of the Seven Gables' has a sumptuous Gothic look throughout, particularly in the photography and lighting, with the house suitably mysterious and imposing and with elegant costumes. It may not have been made on a huge, lavish budget, but it was not that kind of film really, and there is nothing in the production values to betray that the budget was not a large one. The music is like its own character, adding so much to the mood of the film while also being a wonderful score on its own. The song Vincent Price sings (yes it is him singing and he sings pretty beautifully here) is a charming touch.

Direction is efficient and a vast majority of the time is in complete control of the material, with a few parts where the control is lost a little (Jaffrey's final scene especially). The script is thought-provoking and literate, Hawthorne's prose is compressed but the script here is no less interesting. Although rushed and in need of a longer length, the characters lacking depth and one subplot in need of a trim, the story has a rich atmosphere and is very absorbing.

With a few individual scene exceptions, the acting is very good. George Sanders is deliciously caddish, Sanders was an unparalleled master when it came to acting playing cads. Vincent Price has the more rounded character and is more restrained, and all the better for it. Margaret Lindsay is a knockout, her character transformation (of the three leading characters she transforms the most) is beautifully done, and more than holds her own against the two masters.

Overall, well worth your while. Just judge it as a film on its own rather than as an adaptation. 7/10 Bethany Cox

THE HOUSE OF THE SEVEN GABLES (Universal, 1940), directed by Joe May, is not a biographical story of movie actor, Clark Gable along with six other members of his family, but a screen adaptation based on the 1851 novel by Nathaniel Hawthorne about a family curse involving a mansion known as Seven Gables. Featuring Vincent Price, Nan Grey, Cecil Kellaway and Alan Napier, actors who were recently featured in THE INVISIBLE MAN RETURNS (1940), this reunion cast, headed by George Sanders and Margaret Lindsay, is not a horror story though the curse pitted upon the dark and gloomy Seven Gables and its outcome might be its only link to horror.

Rather than include a re-enactment to the opening chapters of the book to extend the 89 minute movie into two hours, the movie opens with a Forward note before the story begins: "In the middle of the 17th century in New England, there lived one Colonel Jaffrey Pyncheon, a powerful leader of the colonial government. In order to acquire a valuable piece of land, Pyncheon cold-bloodedly accused its owner, a simple carpenter named Matthew Maule, of practicing Witchcraft. The innocent man was promptly condemned to hang from the scaffold,. Matthew Maule had hurled this curse, "God hath given him blood to drink! Definitely Colonel Pyncheon built his mansion on the dead man's ground. On the day of its completion, he was found dead in his new library - blood trickling from his mouth. His descendants lived on at Seven Gables. Succeeding generations of villages cling to the belief that "Maule's Curse" dwelt there with them." Then, 160 years later on a September night in 1828 - at the House of Seven Gables. Hepzibar (Margaret Lindsay) is introduced as a free-spirited girl engaged to marry Clifford (Vincent Price). Clifford's relationship with his brother, Jaffery (George Sanders) finds them divided upon the announcement by their father's (Gilbert Emery) decision to put up their bankrupt home of Seven Gables up for public auction. Though musician Clifford intends on moving to New York with Hefzibar after they get married, Jaffrey, believing there's a hidden fortune of gold connected with the house, is upset about the news. A violent verbal argument between Clifford and his father, who has disinherited him, ends up with the old man staggering and dying of a heart attack. In order to retain Seven Gables, Jaffrey accuses Clifford of their father's death. His accusations convince the trial jury of finding Clifford guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment in the state penitentiary. Because of this, the now embittered Hepzibar, who has acquired the deed of ownership by the family lawyer (Cecil Kellaway), not only does she forbid Jeffrey from Seven Gables, but boards up the house, living in seclusion. Twenty years later, 1848, Phoebe (Nan Grey), Hepzibar's young cousin, moves in to the house after years of decay, and brings life into it again by setting up a Cent Shop. During the course of time, Phoebe becomes interested in Matthew Holgrave (Dick Foran), a boarder who happens to be a distant relative to Matthew Maule. As for Jaffrey, who hasn't given up hope in acquiring the hidden treasure of gold said to be somewhere in Seven Gables, intends not to stop at nothing to get it. Others in the cast include: Miles Mander (Arnold Foster); Harry Woods (Mr. Wainwright); Charles Trowbridge, Edgar Norton and Harry Cording in smaller roles.

Of the many screen adaptations to classic literature dating back to the silent film era, with the exception of an obscure 1910 short, this happens to be the only SEVEN GABLES movie produced during the days of classic Hollywood. As much as this adaptation elevated Vincent Price further exposure to leading man status, and the top-billed George Sanders gathering enough attention as the greedy and jealous brother, it's Margaret Lindsay who comes off best with her performance. Virtually underrated, yet talented actress when a good role comes her way, she is quite convincing with her early scenes as a happy young girl, and even more convincing later on as a bitter woman living a reclusive life while the man she loves is in prison. Her role might have been inspired by the talents of Bette Davis, who might have made the role of Hepzibar equally believable, though such changes in screen personality were already done in similar fashion by Davis in THE OLD MAID (1939). Now it was Lindsay's turn to act out her charm of hate and despair. Blonde Nan Grey, who comes in later in the story, is certainly a beauty to behold, and another one of the forgotten names and faces from the Universal contract players. Vincent Price even gets a rare chance of singing a song, "The Color of Your Eyes."

While many who have read the Hawthorne novel may find changes and deletions of characters from the book to become disappointed with the outcome, overlooking that, the final script is good enough to hold interest throughout. Formerly distributed to video cassette, and later available on DVD as part of the Universal vault collection, to date, THE HOUSE OF THE SEVEN GABLES, almost forgotten and overlooked, did have cable television showing such as American Movie Classics (1993-1999). Watch it for the screen adaptation by Nathaniel Hawthorne; the youthful Vincent Price years before his other house movie titles of HOUSE OF WAX (1953), HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL (1959) and HOUSE OF USHER (1962) came his way; the sinister George Sanders; or the very fine performance given by the often overlooked Margaret Lindsay in a rare meaty role. (**1/2)

To begin with, my father owns a copy of the "Classics Illustrated" edition of Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel, which I recall reading myself as a kid. This movie version was produced by Universal, then going through its second Horror phase. Though not quite falling into that category, the Gothic trappings of the narrative at least evoke its recognizable style (in the same way that the fine Charles Dickens adaptation MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD {1935} would not have been amiss alongside the studio's remarkable initial outburst within the genre). Besides, that same year saw director May and cast members Vincent Price and Nan Grey (elevated to lead status) re-united for the well-above-average sequel THE INVISIBLE MAN RETURNS!

The plot involves the fraudulent purchase of the titular abode and the subsequent retribution of its rightful owner in the form of a curse…and sure enough, the usurper dies in the exact manner decreed by the jinx! The film actually starts years later with the current owners of the house reduced so close to bankruptcy that they seriously consider selling the property. However, one of the sons (George Sanders, here possibly at his most despicable – and that is saying a lot!) vehemently objects because, legend has it, a fortune is concealed within its walls! He manages to dissuade his father from going through with the deal, but his younger sibling (Price, another of Hollywood's great villains but in this case playing sympathetic) had been counting on the sale since he wanted to marry and settle in New York as a composer (we even get to hear the actor sing, and quite well too!). Confronting the old man, the latter suffers a heart-attack and fatally hits his head upon falling to the ground! Sanders (and a gathering crowd of onlookers) accuse him of murder and he is imprisoned for life…but, before being taken to jail, he puts on Sanders the very same curse that had afflicted their family!

Sanders thinks he can now have free rein with the house, but it transpires that his father (through solicitor Cecil Kellaway, who had also undertaken Price's defence at the trial) had bequeathed it not to him but to Price and his heirs, that is to say fiancée Margaret Lindsay! The years pass, with the woman growing bitter despite her attempts to obtain a pardon from the Governor, and Price even getting to meet the descendant (Dick Foran, the hero of another Universal monster sequel from 1940 i.e. THE MUMMY'S HAND, in which Kellaway also appears) of the man who had given his kin the evil eye in the first place, incarcerated for his abolitionist beliefs – never having believed in the jinx himself, Price has no qualms about befriending him! When the young man emerges from prison, he takes up residence at the house itself albeit under an assumed name since Lindsay has decided to take a lodger to rack up some income. Later, a distant female relative (Grey) also comes to live with her and, of course, the two fall in love.

In the meantime, Sanders' career as a (crooked) lawyer has soared…but, at long last, Price's sentence is revoked (on the condition that he provides evidence of his innocence!). When he returns home, Lindsay fears Price will think her looks have faded, while himself (in cahoots with Foran) starts acting strangely by digging the earth around the house and dismantling the property itself in the pretence of searching for the fabled treasure…which, needless to say, arouses Sanders' curiosity and greed all over again. Incidentally, the latter has compromised one of Foran's associates (Miles Mander) by utilizing anti-slavery money for their very purchase. Pestering him repeatedly to return the funds before they are discovered, he commits suicide (at the Seven Gables) and, when the Police turn up soon after, Sanders' protesting voice goes hoarse and he starts bleeding from the mouth…all the symptoms that indicate he truly is the latest victim of the curse (though Price, who had bestowed it upon him in desperation, does not blink an eye at its actual accomplishment)! Curiously enough, this form of reversal-of-fortune would eventually be undergone by Price himself in the recently-viewed ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN FABIAN (1951)!

In the end, both male leads leave their mark here, yet Price's character is clearly the more rounded one (at his best when putting down his 'glorious' ancestors' legacy early on) – incidentally, this is the first of 6 films he was featured in over the course of 43 years to have the word "House" in their title! On the other hand, somewhat surprisingly, May (hailing from the German Expressionist movement) does not impose a Teutonic style on the proceedings, letting the unfolding melodrama supply its own particular mood.

This movie was made with a modest budget and was never intended as an "A-movie", though it had a bit higher production values and was a bit too long to be a true "B-movie" (i.e., the second and much cheaper film in a double-feature). With these modest expectations as well as some great but underrated actors, this film really delivers. You see, this film starred second-tier actors such as Vincent Price was a practically unknown and inexperienced actor as well as George Sanders who had been a supporting actor or B-movie leading man. Margaret Lindsay was probably the biggest name star in the film, though her career had seen better days in the 1930s. As a result of this and a very modest budget, none of the Universal Studios execs at the time suspected this would be one of their best films of the year. In fact, dollar-for-dollar, this film is one of the best films I have seen. Sure, it isn't GONE WITH THE WIND or THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES, but these films had very large budgets and the best writers/directors/producers and of course they had to be great films.

Sanders and Price play brothers--Sanders is the money-grubbing amoral one and Price is the basically decent man who is framed by Sanders for murder. The plot is pretty complex and I don't want to spoil the suspense by explaining it further, but trust me the plot is exceptional--especially when it comes to irony. The ending is just terrific and drips with poetic justice.

Despite the fact that this is a compressed and revised version of the Hawthorne novel, THE HOUSE OF THE SEVEN GABLES manages to overcome its budget limitations (on a B-film scale) to become an interesting, if over-plotted version of the original story.

Margaret Lindsay, who usually had second femme leads at Warner Brothers during the '30s, is the central character here and acquits herself admirably. She's so good as the repressed Cousin Hepzibah, a bitter woman who becomes a reclusive owner of the house, that's it's a wonder she didn't have a bigger career. Others in the cast, including George Sanders, Vincent Price, Nan Grey, Dick Foran and Cecil Kellaway, perform admirably too. In fact, the acting is on the strong side and better than the script deserves.

But for all its strengths, the story is too complex to be told in 90 minutes and much had to be handled too swiftly to give any of the characters real depth. It's a nice try, and the film itself is worth seeing as a product of its time.

"The House of Seven Gables" had been standing on my personal must- see list for more than 10 years now; ever since I saw a heavily shortened and altered version of the same tale in the sixties' horror omnibus "Twice-Told Tales". During this decade of abstinence, my admiration for the fantastic Vincent Price only increased and likewise also my passion for macabre stories about cursed mansions and family feuds. Needless to say I highly anticipated my viewing of "The House of Seven Gables" (and thus I'm probably biased and unreliably partial), and it promptly became one of the finest film experiences of the year. What a wonderful movie!

I haven't read Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel on which the movie is based, so I'll restrain from making references towards that, but it's fairly obvious (and confirmed in reviews by people around here who have read the book) that the script is a lot less detailed than the book. Even though its running time is slightly under an hour and a half, "The House of Seven Gables" often still resembles more of a soap-opera rather than a feature film, what with the many supportive characters that are introduced in the middle of the story, convoluted structure and several sub plots that largely remain undeveloped. The story takes place near Salem, Massachusetts (where novelist Hawthorne originates from) but for once there isn't a direct link with the infamous 1692 witch trials. In 1828, Jaffrey Pyncheon is summoned to his family estate and the legendary parental house of seven gables. The Pyncheon family is in deep debt and the younger brother Clifford insists on selling the house, much against the will of his older brother Jaffrey because he's secretly convinced there's an enormous fortune hidden somewhere in the house, as according to an old legend. When their father Gerald suffers from a stroke and dies during a heated discussion with Clifford, Jaffrey sees the opportunity to cowardly accuse his brother of murder and thus become the sole heir to the house. This doesn't turn out too well for Jaffrey, since in an attempt to protect himself from his debtors, Gerald changed his testament and donated the house and the estate to their cousin Hephzibah … and she also happens to be Clifford's devoted lover! For more than 20 long years, Hephzibah waits for her man to get released from prison, and only towards the end of this period she decides to flourish up the decaying house by taking in a lodger and opening a shop together with the newly arrived and beautiful younger cousin Phoebe. All these years, Jaffrey has been repeatedly trying to take ownership of the house at last, but he shouldn't have underestimated his brother, as he has had twenty long years in prison to carefully study the Pyncheon's cursed family history and develop a slick plan to get revenge.

"The House of Seven Gables" has everything I could possibly look for in a classic horror/mystery tale. The film benefices from a totally absorbing and intelligent screenplay, also filled with supremely written dialogues and continuous new dimensions added to the plot. The atmosphere is unsettling and tense throughout, even though the pacing slows down a little bit during the middle-section. Director Joe May ("The Return of the Invisible Man") makes supreme use of the sober decors and set-pieces, and he can also safely rely on his downright fantastic ensemble cast. Vincent Price is my favorite actor of all times, although admittedly this is largely based on the immortal horror roles he played as per the 1950s and onward. Still, in his earlier and more dramatic 40s roles like "Laura", "Dragonwyck" and definitely also this "The House of Seven Gables", Vincent Price certainly proved that he's a magnificent all-round actor! And here he even sings! Price isn't the only one responsible for the stellar performances in "The House of Seven Gables". George Sanders is also amazing as the arrogant and emotionless Jaffrey. He also had a very rich and versatile career, including genre highlights like "The Picture of Dorian Gray" and "Village of the Damned", and he committed suicide in 1967 allegedly because he was bored. Last but certainly not least, Margaret Lindsay truly gives away one of the most remarkable female performances of the classic film era. Her character Hephzibah undergoes a metamorphosis from a cheerful and optimistic young girl into a stoic and frustrated spinster waiting for her lost lover. Without exaggerating, she honestly deserved at least an Oscar for her role.

The screen writer took great liberties with the original work by Hawthorne. Relationships are changed to allow a love interest. Hepzibah Pyncheon becomes the cousin of Clifford Pyncheon, rather than his sister, to allow the romance to weave itself throughout the film. Also the character of Clifford is altered to make him heroic, something he is not in the book. Added are a trial, which was never in the book. Great emphasis is place on the dedication of Matthew Maule to the cause of abolition. Hawthorne never stressed this. The greatest shortcoming is the lack of emphasis on the house itself. It plays a major role in the novel but in the film it is just another building in which the action takes place. Overall it is not a bad film but if one is trying to capture the essence of what Hawthorne was writing, the film misses the major points.

While not perfectly true to the novel, House of the Seven Gables is a good movie to watch alone on a late evening - it does keep you on your toes. Enjoyable if you like melodramas and thrillers.

7.5/10

I must say I was a little disappointed with this movie. It strayed far from the book written by Nathaniel Hawthorne. I had to do a term paper in college on this story and thought that by watching the movie I could better understand what Hawthorne was writing about. It is a good thing I read the book first. It would have been much better had they followed the book. They skipped so much of the original story that it barely resembled THE HOUSE OF THE SEVEN GABLES.

Being a big fan of the book, I was avoiding this film for a LONG time. The first half hour of the film would lead a fan of Hawthorne to conclude that the screenwriter had never even READ the original novel.

However, the screenwriter in this instance simply wanted to spend the first 30 minutes dramatizing the 'back story' that Hawthorne only alludes to in the book. Jaffrey and Clifford are now brothers, not cousins. Clifford and Hepzibah are now lovers, not siblings ... and the details surrounding the murder of Clifford's father (his uncle in the book) are slightly different, but the movie is only 90 minutes long, and the film simplifies the plotline without erasing the POINT.

Some of the acting (Margaret Lindsay as Hepzibah, for example) is so brilliant, it makes you want to cry. The scenes that depict Phoebe's arrival to Seven Gables (Chapter 2 in the book, almost halfway through the film) are incredibly well acted. Other moments in the film are so badly and broadly acted, it's laughable. At the scene of the first murder, the camera actually does a quick pan to Margaret Lindsay in the doorway, biting her knuckle. Oy gevalt.

As is usual, reading the book is more of a challenge (not everyone enjoys Hawthorne's prose), but ultimately a MUCH richer experience. For a product of its time, however ... the film does itself justice.

1940's "The House of the Seven Gables" was a fine attempt to adapt Nathaniel Hawthorne's 1851 novel by Universal, reuniting 28 year old Vincent Price in his 6th movie role with several costars from recent titles "Tower of London" (Nan Grey, Miles Mander), "Green Hell" (George Sanders), and "The Invisible Man Returns" (Nan Grey, Cecil Kellaway, and Alan Napier). The wicked Colonel Pyncheon falsely makes an accusation of witchcraft against landowner Matthew Maule in 1658, thereby stealing his property to build the titular Massachusetts abode with its many gables. Maule places a dying curse upon his persecutor, and the colonel actually drops dead after the house is finished. Several despicable generations later the year is 1828, and elderly Gerald Pyncheon (Gilbert Emery) has pacified eldest son Clifford (Price) by agreeing to sell Seven Gables to pay off his numerous debts, which does not meet with the approval of younger son Jaffrey (top billed George Sanders), who still believes an old legend that vast riches are buried somewhere on the grounds. Clifford is an aspiring songwriter fresh off his first sale, intending to wed sweetheart Hepzibah (Margaret Lindsay) for a better life in New York, but a shouting match with his father proves fatal for the old man, giving Jaffrey an opportune moment to put his own brother on trial for murder. Much to Jaffrey's horror, Hepzibah has been awarded Seven Gables in the event of Gerald's death, so she banishes her brother-in-law and shuts herself off in the house for 20 years, until the arrival of destitute cousin Phoebe (Nan Grey) precedes the return of a weary but still game Clifford, whose life sentence was merely commuted until he can legally clear himself through his ever scheming sibling. Apart from making Clifford and Hepzibah lovers rather than siblings, it's a close approximation of Hawthorne's story, and Vincent Price would have another go at it in truncated form for the 1963 anthology "Twice-Told Tales." Deputizing for an ailing Robert Cummings, Price not only makes young and old look effortless, he even gets to show off his baritone for Clifford's song "The Color of Your Eyes," yet acting honors must go to the underrated Margaret Lindsay, a shining jewel during the opening third, reduced to a haggard spinster living alone for decades.

I suppose this production of a classic novel would have held an audience's attention in its time; but to me, it came across as close to camp due to the overacting of almost everyone involved. Not to say these are bad actors; most are genuine pros who've done better work elsewhere, notably including the prolific Sanders, Price and Kellaway. Margaret Lindsay was very appealing and properly performed as the young Hepzibah, not as interesting as the twenty years older version. A fairly young Price who also sang! (briefly in a sweet voice) was a nice novelty for me to witness, and had some appropriately played moments, both highly dramatic and more moderate; but at other times, he was falling into the same trap of the director as the other players. 22-year-old Nan Grey was sweet as the young cousin Phoebe, and reminded me of a young version of the generation-later minor star Carol Lynley. Other highlights were the sets and wardrobe. Because the directing disappointed me, I'm hoping I can find a better production of this story to see and recommend, but a search of this site shows no one with any professional reputation tried to remake it, which I find surprising, since even the utterly perfect "West Side Story" got remade. I'd love to see Saoirse Ronan as Hepzibah, and maybe Ansel Elgort as Clifford.

This film bears little resemblance to the 19th century Hawthorne novel (which may be a good thing, since nothing happens for about the first two-thirds of the book). On the other hand, this film could have been a whole lot better.

George Sanders gives his usual pompous performance as a scumbag trying to cheat brother Vincent Price out of the family fortune, even though the family is bankrupt. When their father vapor locks during an argument with Price, Sanders accuses his brother of murder. The jury convicts Price without deliberating. Ah, the good old days of law and order. Eventually, Price's sentence is commuted, and he figures out a way to get even.

Sanders and Price try to out-ham each other, with neither succeeding. Price does get to sing while pretending to play the harpsichord. Lovely Margaret Lindsay gives a fine performance as Price's cousin and lover, transitioning from an effervescent beauty into an old maid. In the novel, her character and Price's character are siblings - but Hawthorne was not that kinky.

There is an unnecessary subplot concocted by the screenwriter involving abolition and Sanders making money off the slave trade. I guess somebody felt his character wasn't repulsive enough.

This movie really surprised me. I knew it was a somewhat less than faithful adaptation of Nathaniel Hawthorne's classic novel, but I did not know how darn entertaining it was. I mean it is the kind of movie I could not pull away from. The story was crisp in terms of pacing and transitions. Joe May's brisk and solid direction help highlight those things as well as the actine. May directed The Invisible Man Returns and the Sherlock Holmes film The House of Fear as well. The acting is top-notch with George Sanders playing the evil, elder brother Jaffrey Pyncheon with his customary aplomb - he looks so young yet that sardonic, acidic, acerbic wit oozes through every scene he is in. He is just great though not in much of the film after the beginning. Vincent Price - gosh, is he young...maybe 27 or so - is real good. Vinnie is a bit husky here. You can see him coming into his own as an actor and does an excellent job as the younger brother Clifford who befalls the miseries of having Jaffrey as his elder brother. There are some real nice character actors in here like Cecil Kellaway as a family lawyer and friend of Clifford and Cousin Hepzibah. Alan Napier, Alfred from the Batman series, plays a postman and his scenes are very charming and mark the passage of time throughout. Lovely Nan Grey(best known probably for Dracula's Daughter as well as The Invisible Man Returns) is solid as a young cousin who needs to live with Hepzibah. But for me, the real star is Margaret Lindsay. To be honest, I was not particularly familiar with her work, but she is aces here. Beautiful and forceful. She plays a happy woman with her future before her with her love at the beginning of the film. Her smile is infectious. As the plot unwinds and bad things happen to her and her lover, the bitterness which slowly creeps into her life is worn equally as well. Her performance really was that good. The writing here is very good too. The dialogue is very witty, often funny, and pops in every scene. This movie is roughly 90 minutes but I was glued to it for each and every minute in it. This is definitely - as far as I am concerned - a minor classic.

Yes Margaret Lindsay appeared to me as Pauline Goddard at first when she played the young Hepsidah ; so much so that I had to check the cast list as I did not know what Margaret Lindsay looked like but had seen Pauline in several early 1940s films.Reading other user reviews it is evident that many have read "The House of the Seven Gables" perhaps in American schools and they therefore noticed when the film and novel diverged.Perhaps it is more familiar to American reviewers but it came to me fresh so I had no preconceived ideas.

I immediately noticed the actor who played the father Pyncheon in the first reel was the actor who played the First Lord of the Admiralty in "That Hamilton Woman" (1941) starring Larry & Viv.I agree with the user comment above about unnecessary histrionic melodramatic acting which I find so unconvincing.This was especially true and ironic of the demise in the last reel of George Sanders whose character died in the same way as his father along with the cry of "Murderer" uttered by Hepsidah rather than by the George Sanders' "Jaffrey".There is a Jane Austen like happy ending where there is a double marriage.I have never seen this film before but it held my interest to the end and I awarded it 6/10.

Few great novels have been altered so completely for the screen as this one, but the result is, to say the least, interesting, and actually not worse than the book; lighter, of course, but adding very much to it of good quality, especially by the outstanding acting throughout, among which Vincent Price and Margaret Lindsay make very memorable performances. There are some scenes which go directly into your heart that the book is lacking, and no one can remain unmoved by the very deep human emotions around Clifford Pyncheon's homecoming after 20 years in prison. George Sanders is the usual outrageously elegant crook with unshakable superiority of wealth and confidence - in the book he dies in the library without pains in his sleep but surrounded by the ghosts of all his ancestors deeply loaded with vice. There are no ghosts in this film, there is no need for them, as the alternative story to the book's is quite enough of human interest.

Another factor raising the film to a considerable level is the music. There is no music even mentioned in Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel, but here it is made to play an important part, underscored by Frank Skinner's wonderful score, and Vincent Price even sings and sings well.

In brief, it's not a very extraordinary film, but it certainly makes the best of all resources at hand of the figures, the actors, the music and the gloomy story, while perhaps the greatest scene of all in the film is that between the women, two very different women, one marked by disaster and outrage and the other as fresh as a new spring.

Top notch cast- (After all it is Vincent Price) great acting- great scenery and house-not even to bad a story line. Not really much to criticize about the movie except-- sooooo far from being true to original book. Nathaniel Hawthorne would turn over in his grave if he knew what they did to his story, and I must say- not an improvement. I mean, did they really have to invent parts to the story that were not even in the book. If you are going to use some ones book as a title for your movie- you really should at least try to stick somewhat to the story. Still, if you have never read the book- a decent movie- considering it was 1940. Again- Vincent Price!! And after all- it is hard to cram any novel into 2 hrs.

If the staid literary stylings of Nathaniel Hawthorne aren't for you, this is a swell cinematic way to experience one of his most renowned creations.

Purists rightly dispute the film's lack of adherence to the book, but in the end it's all about the Pyncheon family curse-and this the movie handles quite well.

Alas, screenwriter Lester Cole (he of Hollywood 10 fame), inserts an irrelevant abolitionist subplot that improbably (but quite intentionally, I suspect) morphs into pseudo-Bolshevik bromides about the inevitable triumph of the laboring masses. But what's a CP member to do when Stalin is playing pattycake with Hitler during the dubious era of good feelings known as the Nazi-Soviet Pact?

I quibble, as all the principals in this are terrific. Margaret Lindsay turns in the performance of a lifetime. Who knew Vincent Price could croon? While favorite cad George ("as ants to a picnic") Sanders does his usual bounderish best. Although his exit could have done without all the ham & cheese.

Here I blame the director. Sanders is a finely calibrated dramatic tuning fork who operates best within a certain elegant frequency. Don't ask him to get too excited. Not his style.

Still, I'd watch him in anything. You should too, starting with this one!

In the middle of 17th century New England, powerful Colonel Jaffrey Pyncheon led the colonial government and accused simple carpenter Matthew Maule of witchcraft to steal his land. Pyncheon died mysteriously after completing his mansion which is believed to be cursed by Maule. It's 1828. The Pyncheon clan still occupies the estate. Jaffrey Pyncheon (George Sanders) is called back home. He believes that there is a secret fortune hidden somewhere on the property. His older brother Clifford (Vincent Price) is giddy after selling a song and wants to marry cousin Hepzibah Pyncheon (Margaret Lindsay). Their father Gerald announces that he's selling the estate to pay off his debts.

The first half is great. There is real poetry to the tragedy. One really feels the longing when Clifford comes home. That is probably the emotional high point of the movie. The second half is a little convoluted with a contrived plan. It tries to tie these threads together into neatly moral poetry and come up with a happy ending.

George Sanders (Jaffrey) is called to the family home – the House of Seven Gables – where his father Gilbert Emery tells him that he has to sell the house. Brother Vincent Price (Clifford) is keen on the idea but Sanders is not. Sanders has read that there is a fortune buried somewhere within the walls but Price is having none of it. There is also a curse that has been placed on the family. Does this curse come true? Which brother gets the upper hand?

The film has an interesting title and an interesting beginning with a set-up that raises hopes for a good film. Unfortunately, everything just peters out and there is not much happening in this effort. I was expecting a spooky offering involving a house with some secrets unravelling themselves. It's nothing like that. Basically nothing happens. Vincent Price provides some hilarious over-the-top bad acting at the end of a court case when he breaks into hysterical laughter, deserved of a 60's camp horror film. And Sanders' final scene is equally appalling. Yep – the whole affair is a let-down.