The Old Dark House (1932 film)

The Old Dark House
Theatrical release poster by Karoly Grosz[1]
Directed byJames Whale
Written by
Based onBenighted
1928 novel
by J. B. Priestley
Produced byCarl Laemmle Jr.
Starring
CinematographyArthur Edeson
Edited byClarence Kolster
Music byDavid Broekman
Production
company
Universal Pictures
Distributed byUniversal Pictures
Release date
  • October 20, 1932 (1932-10-20)
Running time
72 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
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The Old Dark House failed to match the contemporary critical and commercial success of Whale's other films, and was withdrawn from circulation after Universal lost the rights to Priestley's novel, which was adapted for film again in 1963 by William Castle for Columbia Pictures and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.

  1. ^ Nourmand & Marsh 2004, p. 105.
  2. ^ Erickson, Hal. "The Old Dark House". Allmovie. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved January 23, 2013.
  3. ^ Hallenbeck 2009, p. 21
  4. ^ a b Shadow Play – Whale, Priestley and The Old Dark House (Booklet). James Whale. London: Eureka Entertainment. 2018 [1932]. EKA70292.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)