Captive Wild Woman ** (1943, Evelyn Ankers, Acquanetta, John Carradine, Martha Vickers, Milburn Stone, Lloyd Corrigan, Fay Helm) – Classic Movie Review 5239

Director Edward Dmytryk’s 1943 horror movie stars John Carradine as mad scientist Dr Sigmund Walters, who is experimenting in glandular research and transfuses a woman’s blood into the veins of Cheela, the circus ape.

Then, hey presto, the mad doctor’s monkey business turns the female gorilla into lovely human Paula Dupree (Acquanetta), who goes ape with jealousy when trainer Fred Mason (Milburn Stone) kisses girlfriend Beth Colman (Evelyn Ankers).

This essentially rather daft but watchably amusing cheaply made Universal B-picture chiller is briskly and efficiently made by Dmytryk, with a decently eerie atmosphere and a splendid turn from Carradine.

Written by Griffin Jay and Henry Sucher, it includes footage from 1933’s The Big Cage. Ted Fithian, Neil P Varnick and producer Ben Pivar are the men to blame for writing the preposterous original yarn.

Also in the cast are Martha Vickers, Lloyd Corrigan, Fay Helm, Vince Barnett, Paul Fix, Harry Holman, William Gould, Gus Glassmire, Ray Walker, Fern Emmett, Tom London, Charles McAvoy, Anthony Warde, Grant Withers, and the voice of Turhan Bey.

It must have been popular because there are two sequels: Jungle Woman in 1944 (also with Acquanetta and Evelyn Ankers) and Jungle Captive in 1945.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 5239

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