The Return of the Vampire *** (1943, Bela Lugosi, Matt Willis, Nina Foch, Frieda Inescort, Roland Varno, Miles Mander) – Classic Movie Review 3,337

‘Terrifying! Paralyzing! Horrifying!’ The 1943 American horror film The Return of the Vampire stars Bela Lugosi as a vampire named Armand Tesla, in an unofficial follow-up to the 1931 Dracula.

Director Lew Landers’s 1943 American horror film The Return of the Vampire stars Bela Lugosi as a vampire named Armand Tesla, along with Frieda Inescort, Nina Foch, Miles Mander, Roland Varno, and Matt Willis.

‘Terrifying! Paralyzing! Horrifying!’ Ah, yes! An explosion unearths the coffin of the blood-sucking Armand Tesla (Bela Lugosi) as the German bombs cause death, destruction and chaos in World War Two Blitz-torn London.

A cemetery caretaker (George McKay) unwittingly frees the monster by taking the stake out of his heart and a new vampire terror stalks the streets! Tesla assumes the identity of Dr Hugo Bruckner, a scientist escaped from a concentration camp, and plots revenge on the family who put him out of action back in 1918.

Lugosi’s splendidly eerie turn lends director Lew Landers creepy and likeable if often ineffective 1943 horror movie with a story based on an idea by Kurt Neumann that has sadly now mostly lost its power to send shivers down the spine.

Columbia’s production is shoddy looking and Griffin Jay’s screenplay is flaccid and purposeless (additional dialogue by Randall Faye). The presence of the talking werewolf (Matt Willis as the Wolfman, Andreas Obry) as Lugosi’s assistant and nemesis is pointless. Leslie Denison as Detective Lynch and William Austin as Detective Gannett are further irritants. And, unfortunately, the idea of the Nazi bombers attacking from overhead has dated badly and spoils the film. This has no real place in a vampire film. At any rate, they can’t make it work successfully.

And the once-scary-seeming ending, with the vampire’s familiar death from the effects of sunlight and crucifix is now spoiled by the crudeness of the special effects. It is impossible today to imagine why they were once considered so chilling that they were cut from some release prints! But, if the failed climax is forgiven. at least the first three quarters of the film are very amusing and entertaining.

However, there are unusually strong women’s roles in a horror movie of this era for Nina Foch as Nicki Saunders, Ottola Nesmith as the governess Elsa Walter, Jeanne Bates as Miss Norcutt and especially Frieda Inescort as the titled lady asylum operator Lady Jane Ainsley, who tries to target Lugosi for destruction. It’s a notable film debut for Nina Foch, who is given enough to do to stand out and make her mark. Indeed, there’s a good cast all round and, for all its faults, above all the movie is still worthwhile for Lugosi.

Also in the cast are Roland Varno as John Ainsley, Miles Mander as Sir Frederick Fleet, Gilbert Emery, Leslie Denison, William Austin, Billy Bevan, Olaf Hytten and Harold De Becker.

It was released in the US on November 11, 1943.

It was popular and Columbia grossed nearly $500,000 from the film on a cost of $75,000. Despite that, it was the last time Bela Lugosi received top billing in a major Hollywood studio film. The Return of the Vampire is considered an unofficial follow-up to Lugosi’s 1931 Universal Pictures film Dracula.

The Return of the Vampire is directed by Lew Landers, runs 69 minutes, is made by Columbia Pictures, is released by Columbia Pictures, is written by Griffin Jay (screenplay) and Randall Faye (additional dialogue), based on an idea by Kurt Neumann, is shot in black and white by L William O’Connell, is produced by Sam White, and is scored by Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco.

The cast are Bela Lugosi as Armand Tesla, Nina Foch as Nicki Saunders, Roland Varno as John Ainsley, Frieda Inescort as Lady Jane Ainsley, Miles Mander as Sir Fredrick Fleet, Matt Willis as Andreas Obry, Ottola Nesmith as Elsa Walter, Gilbert Emery as Dr Walter Saunders, Leslie Denison as Detective Lynch, William Austin as Detective Gannett, Sharliee Collier as Nicki as a child, Donald Dewar as John as a child, Olaf Hytten as Ben, and Nelson Leigh as Assistant.

Nina Consuelo Maud Fock.

Nina Foch (born Nina Consuelo Maud Fock)

Dutch born American actress Nina Foch (born Nina Consuelo Maud Fock; April 20, 1924 – December 5, 2008) signed a contract with Columbia Pictures at the age of 19 and made her film debut in their 1943 The Return of the Vampire, followed by Cry of the Werewolf the next year.

Though she was born Nina Fock, her stage name is pronounced Fosh.

© Derek Winnert 2016 Classic Movie Review 3,337

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