The Creature Walks Among Us *** (1956, Jeff Morrow, Rex Reason, Leigh Snowden) – Classic Movie Review 1931

The tacky, amusing 1956 Universal horror movie The Creature Walks Among Us is the third and final Gill Man film. Jeff Morrow and Rex Reason try to uncover the Gill Man in Florida and breed a new species. Ricou Browning is back as the Gill Man (underwater).

Director John Sherwood’s tacky and amusing 1956 Universal Studios horror movie The Creature Walks Among Us is the third and final Gill Man feature. It stars Jeff Morrow as rich mad scientist Dr Barton, who is married to a fun-loving wife (Leigh Snowden), sets off with nice Dr Morgan (Rex Reason) to uncover the Gill Man in Florida, and then experiments on his blood corpuscles to breed a new species.

Ricou Browning is back briefly as the rubber-costumed Gill Man (underwater), though he soon turns into a air-breathing, clothes-wearing, all-purpose boogey-man monster, played by Don Megowan (on land).

This low-budget second sequel to Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954), following Revenge of the Creature (1955), is pedestrian, rather static and unimaginative. However, the performances and direction are brisk and capable enough, and there is little of the risible dialogue usual in these offerings. Alas, it is not made in 3D this time like its two predecessors.

Maurice Manson, James Rawley, David McMahon, Paul Fierro, Lillian Molieri, Larry Hudson and Frank Chase also appear.

It is written by by Arthur A Ross, based on the treatment The Creature of Man by Arthur A Ross.

It is the last film in the Universal Classic Monsters series, and Ricou Browning’s final appearance as the Gill Man.

It was shot from late August 1955 to mid-September 1955. The underwater scenes were shot at Wakulla Springs in North Florida, now a state park, and other location shooting took place elsewhere in Florida.

Director John Sherwood is a long-time Universal-International assistant director making his debut as director. Jack Arnold, who directed the first two films, had moved up to A-list films and suggested his assistant director could move up to director.

As with Creature from the Black Lagoon, it has music composed by Henry Mancini, then under contract with Universal.

The cast are Jeff Morrow as Dr William Barton, Rex Reason as Dr Thomas Morgan, Leigh Snowden as Marcia Barton, Gregg Palmer as Jed Grant, Maurice Manson as Dr Borg, Ricou Browning as Gill-man in water, Don Megowan as Gill-man on land, James Rawley as Dr Johnson, Paul Fierro as Morteno, Lillian Molieri as Mrs Morteno, David McMahon as Captain Stanley, Larry Hudson and Frank Chase.

Ricou Browning died at his home in Southwest Ranches, Florida, on 27 February 2023, aged 93. He was the last surviving original actor to portray any of the Universal Classic Monsters.

© Derek Winnert 2014 Classic Movie Review 1931

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