The Old Dark House (1932 film)

The Old Dark House
Theatrical release poster by Karoly Grosz[1]
Directed by	James Whale
Written by	Benn W. Levy R. C. Sherriff (uncredited)
Based on	Benighted 1928 novel by J. B. Priestley
Produced by	Carl Laemmle Jr.
Starring	Boris Karloff Melvyn Douglas Gloria Stuart Charles Laughton Lilian Bond Ernest Thesiger Eva Moore Raymond Massey Brember Wills Elspeth Dudgeon
Cinematography	Arthur Edeson
Edited by	Clarence Kolster
Music by	David Broekman
Production company	Universal Pictures
Distributed by	Universal Pictures
Release date	October 20, 1932 (1932-10-20)
Running time	72 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$250,000 (est)

The Old Dark House is a 1932 American pre-Code comedy horror film directed by James Whale. Based on the 1927 novel Benighted by J.B. Priestley, the film features an ensemble cast that includes Boris Karloff, Melvyn Douglas, Gloria Stuart, Charles Laughton, Lilian Bond, Ernest Thesiger, Raymond Massey and Eva Moore.^[2][3] Set in interwar Wales, the film follows five travellers who seek shelter from a violent storm in the decaying country house home of the eccentric Femm family.

The adaptation rights to Priestley's novel, a social commentary on contemporary British class structures, were acquired by Universal Pictures at Whale's insistence following the completion of Frankenstein (1931) and during development on The Invisible Man (1933). The screenplay was written by Benn W. Levy, who had previously scripted Waterloo Bridge (1931) for Whale and Universal, with uncredited contributions by The Invisible Man's R. C. Sheriff, and serves as a largely faithful adaptation of the story. Whale was entrusted with selecting the film's largely British cast, several of whose members were theatre colleagues of his with minimal film experience, and would appear in several of his later films.^[4]

The Old Dark House failed to match the contemporary critical and commercial success of Whale's other films, and was withdrawn from circulation after Universal lost the rights to Priestley's novel, which was adapted for film again in 1963 by William Castle for Columbia Pictures and Hammer Film Productions. Initially deemed a lost film, Whale's colleague Curtis Harrington eventually succeeded in recovering most of its original elements, which were restored by the George Eastman House.^[4] With the re-evaluation of Whale's filmography, The Old Dark House has garnered widespread critical acclaim, and is recognized as both a cult classic and one of the director's most significant works. It was placed at number 71 on a Time Out poll of the best horror films.