Grip of the Strangler [The Haunted Strangler] *** (1958, Boris Karloff, Elizabeth Allan, Jean Kent, Vera Day, Anthony Dawson) – Classic Movie Review 6146

Director Robert Day’s intriguing 1958 British horror thriller Grip of the Strangler [The Haunted Strangler] stars Boris Karloff as James Rankin, a mystery writer who investigates the case of a serial killer murderer hanged two decades earlier and discovers that he himself was the grisly killer. It could have been called The Killer Who Investigated Himself.

Rankin begins to suspect that the wrong man might have been hanged as The Haymarket Strangler, but he is possessed by the killer’s spirit when he picks up his scalpel and begins to repeat the murders.

With the screenplay by Jan Read and executive producer John Croydon (credited as John C Cooper) based on Read’s original story Stranglehold, this is an often contrived-seeming and unsurprising low-budget (just £70,000 or £80,000) chiller. Though always interesting with its Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde echoes, the movie is none too thrilling or scary, and only moderately acted, apart from the principal performers, who are effective.

But, still, it is a creepy and lusty film, and it is efficiently made by Day. And of course it is always a pleasure to spend time with the great horror icon Karloff (‘KING OF THE MONSTERS!’), as well as the three formidable co-stars Elizabeth Allan, Jean Kent and Vera Day. Anthony Dawson (from Dial M for Murder) is also welcome as Superintendent Burk.

Also in the cast are Derek Birch, Tim Turner, Diane Aubrey, Dorothy Gordon, Max Brimmell, Desmond Roberts, Leslie Perrins, Derek Birch, Michael Atkinson, Jessie Cairns, Peggy Ann Clifford, Robert Day, Joan Elvin, John Fabian, John G Heller, George Hirste, Arthur Mullard, Roy Russell and George Spence.

Jan Read wrote the story Stranglehold especially for his friend Boris Karloff. He gave the script to producer Richard Gordon, who set up Amalgamated Productions, who went into partnership with John Croydon and negotiated a deal with distributor Eros Films. Read’s script was rewritten by John Croydon, who added the ideas of a Jack the Ripper-style murderer and of making the transformation physical.

The deal with Eros required two films, so Grip of the Strangler was shot back to back with producer Richard Gordon’s Fiend Without a Face, with a different cast and director. Both were later released together by MGM as a double feature, taking $650,000 and making MGM a profit of $160,000.

Grip of the Strangler [The Haunted Strangler] runs 80 minutes, is made by Amalgamated Productions, is released by Eros Films (UK) and MGM (US), is shot in black and white by Lionel Banes, produced by John Croydon and Richard Gordon, scored by Buxton Orr, and designed by John Elphick.

The film was shot in Walton Studios in Surrey,

Karloff was paid $27,500 for four weeks’ work. He Karloff had an option to make a second film for Amalgamated, and later made Corridors of Blood (1958) for them.

The following year Robert Day went on to make First Man Into Space (1959). He debuted as director with The Green Man (1956). Robert Day died on 17 March 2017, aged 94.

The cast are Boris Karloff as James Rankin, Jean Kent as Cora Seth, Elizabeth Allan as Barbara Rankin, Anthony Dawson as Superintendent Burk, Vera Day as Pearl, Tim Turner as Dr Kenneth McColl, Diane Aubrey as Lily Rankin, Max Brimmell as Newgate Prison Turnkey, Leslie Perrins as Newgate Prison Governor, Jessica Cairns as Asylum Maid, Dorothy Gordon as Hannah, Desmond Roberts as Dr Johnson, Michael Atkinson as Edward Style, Peggy Anne Clifford as Kate, Derek Birch, Leslie Perrins, Derek Birch, Jessie Cairns, Robert Day, Joan Elvin, John Fabian, John G Heller, George Hirste, Arthur Mullard, Roy Russell and George Spence.

Richard Gordon (31 December 1925 – 1 November 2011) can be heard on the DVD commentary tracks for eight of his films: The Haunted Strangler, Fiend Without a Face, First Man into Space, Corridors of Blood, Devil Doll, Secrets of Sex, Horror Hospital and The Cat and the Canary.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 6146

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