An underrated, black and white, horror classic.
While this repeatedly commits an unforgivable sin - for me, at least - when it comes to horror; that is to say, it jams in comedy where it does not belong. I nevertheless enjoy it, and it does more right than wrong.
The story is very simple: motorists are caught in a terrible storm and have to seek shelter at the only house on that path. Inside they find the Femms, all varying degrees of insane.
That's basically the movie, but if you like classic horror, this is worth several viewings.
What the movie gets right is the slow unraveling that our characters have found the worst place to take refuge from the storm. Also, this may be the first horror movie that had people as the "monsters," and not supernatural or otherwise twisted, sci-fi versions of humans. These are just people who are crazy. Yes, they exist.
What the movie gets wrong is trying to shove in comedy and a love story. The acting is very indicative of the era: meaning people are being obnoxious or silly when the situation dictates they should, at the very least, be rattled, nervous or trying to hide how scared they are. Maybe it was because of the Depression, but I don't get why there needed to be so much optimism in horror from this time.
Really, the scariest part is when two strangers can "fall in love" after a few minutes and propose marriage the next day. Perhaps that's the real horror!

Beware The Night.

As a violent storm rages, five travellers in a remote part of Wales take refuge at a creepy looking mansion that's home to the "odd" Femm family...

Weird, exciting and positively funny haunted house film with a top cast that's directed by one of Horror's greatest directors, James Whale. Based loosely around J.B. Priestley's novel "Benighted", the piece is further boosted by excellent camera work from Arthur Edeson and a screenplay that positively zips with memorable moments. Upon release in America the film was poorly received, yet unsurprisingly given it's British dryness, it was well liked in Britain. Even spawning an imitation in the form of The Ghoul, with both Boris Karloff and the irrepressible Ernest Thesiger again starring.

The Old Dark House got a reissue in the late 30s after the Horror genre had been reinvigorated by the likes of King Kong, but sadly it fell off the radar once the rights had reverted to Priestley. The film then appeared to be lost for many many years until Curtis Harrington (director of such TV Horror fare like Killer Bees) found a print in the archives in 1968, and thankfully got the funding to have the film restored and preserved. Thus now, and as far from perfect as the print is, the piece can be enjoyed by anyone with a bent for such a unique blend of Horror & Comedy.

You have to be prepared for its kooky nature to truly enjoy the experience, but all being well The Old Dark House will continue to garner new fans with each passing year. The supreme director and marvellous cast deserve that at least. 8/10

James Whale really did put together an excellent cast for this comic horror film. On a foul night; five stranded travellers seek shelter in a creepy old Welsh manor house - occupied by the even creepier "Femm" family and their almost anthropoid servant "Morgan" (Boris Karloff). As the evening progresses, lots of drink is taken and we meet the servant's pyromaniac brother and mayhem ensues. There are super performances from Melvyn Douglas, Ernest Thesiger and Raymond Massey with Eva Moore as the horrid "Rebecca" and a fantastically over-the-top Charles Laughton as "Sir William Porterhouse". The sets are a bit on the basic side and the lighting could have done with some more wattage, but it is all eerily directed with a plenty of wit and charm - well worth a watch.