by Ted Davis

Directed by: Joseph Pevney

This review contains a mild Kitty Carnage Warning!

Cat Out of the Bag Alert! This review contains some spoilers for this film!

Synopsis: Rash young adventurer Denis de Beaulieu (Richard Stanley) is entrapped in a gloomy castle by the fey and corpulent Sire Alain de Maletroit (Charles Laughton), whose eccentricities only partially mask a completely evil and revolting nature. The Sire’s murky motives require his virginal niece Blanche de Maletroit (Sally Forrest) to marry the briskly introduced Denis — and a refusal to comply will result in an ugly, painful and protracted death for the prospective groom . . . and possibly also for the balking bride. As the Sire pulls his chains tighter around the young couple, faithful and slow-moving family servant Voltan (Boris Karloff) holds the figurative and literal keys to their release.

Kitty Cameo (with Mild Kitty Carnage Warning!): As Denis and Blanche sneak out of the castle, in an attempt to escape the clutches of her insane uncle, an unnamed drunken sot of a guard (Harry Cording) raises his head to swipe a meowing black cat away from his plate and off the heavy wooden table.

Final Mewsings: Cats know that a tasty morsel is worth any risk.

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