(1939, Dir. Elliott Nugent)
In Short: The six remaining relatives of an eccentric millionaire meet on the tenth anniversary of his death for the reading of his will. Joyce (Paulette Goddard) is named the heir, but due to the family's history of insanity, a second heir will be named if Joyce goes crazy or is killed within a month of inheriting the family fortune. Danger and spooky hijinks ensue! This is a parody of horror films (in fact, it's a remake of a 1927 silent horror movie of the same name). It has all the tropes of a scary movie--an escaped serial killer, moving bookcases, flickering lights, a suspicious housekeeper, and hidden family treasure to name a few. These are all played for laughs, and Bob Hope's character, Wally, is an actor who often remarks that the events of the film's plot are just like those of plays and movies he's been in. The standard, predictable format of a horror movie is there, but for comedic purposes. This movie is tremendously funny. Bob Hope has fantastic comedic timing, and Nydia Westman is absolutely hilarious in her small role as Cousin Cicily. Paulette Goddard and Gale Sondergaard also give great performances. Elliott Nugent's directorial approach to the film creates frustrating levels of dramatic irony ("How are they not seeing that bookcase open???") that pay off big time for both comedic and dramatic beats. The plot is a bit lacking, however, and the twist at the end could have been more earned. Despite this, this film did what it set out to do: make fun of horror movies in a funny way. 8/10 sapphire and emerald necklaces.
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AuthorEileen here, writing reviews for film class. Archives
April 2018
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