The Curse of the Wraydons [Strangler’s Morgue] ** (1946, Bruce Seton, Henry Caine, Pearl Cameron) – Classic Movie Review 10,869

‘At the opening of the last century this island of ours stood alone facing the menace of Buonaparte’s mastery of Europe. At this vital moment there were a few traitorous Englishmen willing to sell their country for their gain.’

Director Victor M Gover’s hammy 1946 horror thriller The Curse of the Wraydons [Strangler’s Morgue] is set during the Napoleonic Wars and features Victorian legendary character Spring-Heeled Jack, described by people who claimed to have seen him as having a terrifying appearance, with diabolical physiognomy, clawed hands and eyes like red balls of fire.

The Curse of the Wraydons a rather murky, low-voltage Victorian barnstormer from an elderly-looking Tod Slaughter, who plays the The Chief, aka Philip Wraydon, and licks his chops round the tale of mad scientist avenger Spring-Heeled Jack, aka Jack Wraydon, wanting to avenge himself on his brother’s family.

Slaughter has got an only modest production and cast to back him up: Bruce Seton, Pearl Cameron, Henry Caine and Barry O’Neill are other Wraydons enjoying a cursed time, with Alan Lawrance as the local squire, Squire Sedgefield. Naturally, everybody over-acts like mad to try to keep up with Slaughter.

It may be a horror movie, but, with the UK’s Lord Chamberlain discouraging Slaughter’s usual blood-thirsty barnstormers during World War Two, it plays more like a campy costume espionage melodrama and, as such, is unfortunately mainly played for laughs.

Victorian legendary character Spring-Heeled Jack.

The Curse of the Wraydons is based on the play Spring-Heeled Jack or The Terror of London by Maurice Sandoz.

The cast are Tod Slaughter, Bruce Seton, Gabriel Toyne, Alan Lawrance, Andrew Laurence, Pearl Cameron, Lorraine Clewes, Ben Williams, John E Coyle, Henry Caine, Herbert Appleby, Daphne Arthur, Joe Cunningham, Lionel Gadsden, Patricia Grant, and Barry O’Neill.

It is made at Bushey Studios, Bushey, Hertfordshire, England.

It was belatedly released in the US by J H Hoffberg Company in 1953, edited to 75 minutes and retitled Strangler’s Morgue, in a double bill with Slaughter’s 1948 The Greed of William Hart, retitled Horror Maniacs.

Another version of the story starring Tod Slaughter was produced as a TV movie in 1950 by BBC titled Spring-Heeled Jack.

It was released on VHS in 1997 and then DVD in 2008 by Sinister Cinema in the US.

The Curse of the Wraydons is directed by Victor M Gover, runs 100 minutes, Gilbert Church Productions, released by Ambassador Film Productions (1946) (UK) and J H Hoffberg Company (1953) (US) (as Strangler’s Morgue), is written by Michael Barringer and Owen George, based on the play Spring-Heeled Jack or The Terror of London by Maurice Sandoz, is shot in black and white by S D Onions, is produced by Gilbert Church and J C Jones, is scored by DeWolfe and designed by Victor Hembrow.

© Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 10,869

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