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Stunning.

great review. just finished watching this film. probably the best noir i've ever seen

Old Dark House is well respected within the horror genre.

My favorite actress as well. I had the pleasure of seeing her in person when I was in college at UC Santa Cruz in 1974. She lived in Carmel and there was a Capra film series that year. She had never seen It's A Wonderful Life but was very fond - for obvious reasons - of Capra. She agreed to come up and view the film and answer questions after. Since - as all fan's know - she was very private, I just was so thrilled by this occasion.

You have a great ASMR voice

Excellent video, really informative Miriam.

I am awestruck by the quality of your research and presentation. Your work is as as great as the movies you are talking about. PLEASE make more of these ! My nickname is Movie Man Dan. I'm 72 years old, and worship these old classic movies - particularly The Old Dark House. As Lugosi said . . . " I never drink . . . wine ", but I am a conasssur of these beloved films. This is my passion. I wish I could have been present when this was filmed. You touched my heart on this one. 👍👍👍🦇🎃🎥

At last!! Someone else who loves this movie too.

She's very pretty with dark hair, in her scene with Humphrey Bogart. "The Big Sleep."

The first time I saw this film it was projected in a real theater. It was being presented by The Eastman House, which was the organization that salvaged and restored the film. It has become my favorite among those early Universal horror films. The script is so intelligent and witty, and everyone in the cast is fantastic.

A truly good scary movie! I was able to see it for the first time a few years ago on my home screen, but I would to see it properly in a theater. You have yourself a new subscriber :)

Loved the eclectic nature of your Letterboxed Film List. Several of my own personal favoritesare the : YOUNG AND INNOCENT, THE WINDOW, DAISY KENYON, DESTRY RIDES AGAIN, MR. AND MRS. SMITH, IT STARTED WITH EVE and MARNIE : the dynamic range and final monologue of Louise Latham is amazing. Also, a change of pace for Diane Baker. Someday l hope to see James Whale's REMEMBER LAST NIGHT? 1935

Often overlooked playing the part of, l believe, 102 year old Roderick Femm, is Elspeth Dudgeon, billed as John Dudgeon so as to achieve a high pitched thin voice. Also, in 1932, was the very over the top Cecil B. De Mille film THE SIGN OF THE CROSS also with Charles Laughton, Claudette Colbert & Fredric March.

Great review! This film has been a favorite of mine for many years now. I hope you decide to examine James Whale's musical masterpiece Showboat. Released in 1936, it humbles the 50's technicolor remake.

Have a potato.

I have a DVD of this movie -- it's pretty good. Not perfect, but worth seeing if you have not. Don't expect much from Karloff -- it's all about the other actors.

Wasn't it lost for decades?

Charles Laughton was great. A favorite actor of mine.

So Raymond Massey and Boris Karloff actually did star together at least once. Karloff would take a stage role a few years after this where he plays a serial killer who comes back to take revenge on his aunts and his brother. When it came time to make the movie version for one reason or another Karloff couldn't reprise his role, and Raymond Massey stepped in for him to great success. That's why all the jokes about Massey looking just like Boris Karloff in "Arsenic and Old Lace."

I watch it every October.

Very cool. Subscribed!

I’ve not only seen The Old Dark House I own a blu-ray special edition. 😊 I love it and although I didn’t go into it thinking I would, Laughton’s character might have become my favorite, especially upon hearing that despite his title, he came from humble beginnings and only wanted to give the best to his first wife. I thankfully learned about the movie thanks to the internet in Gloria Stuart (due to Titanic), then realized the connection to James Whale (Bride of Frankenstein is one of my all time favorites). Thesinger and Karloff were the cherries on top. 😁 I look forward to the rest of your series. Now please have a potato 🥔

I agree this is a great old movie. Karloff is very good.

I did, within the last couple of months, see The Old Dark House. It's an intriguing film as most of the first half is all atmosphere without real threat. Nevertheless, it maintains a sense of tension. The thing that drew me to the film was Ernest Thesiger as I was trying to review his career. His performance was terrific, and I truly loved the macabre wit and irony of his goodbyes at the end of the film. This film lingered in my mind much longer than I thought it would.

Terrific film. I prefer it to FRANKENSTEIN, in fact. Thanks for covering it. Thumbs up!

I'd like to see NON-STOP NEW YORK (1936) restored. Not a film given much attention, but is is lively fun thriller/comedy in the Hitchcock mold, with touches of SF and a wonderfully colorful cast. Directed by Robert Stevenson, who has directed many memorable films (including work for Disney, much later, such as MARY POPPINS.) The only copies available are pretty bad, with the soundtrack at times a bit hard to make out from the standpoint of some of its rapid dialogue and the nuances of the wacky characterizations.

My party trick for years was playing Saul and freaking everybody out

A excellent scary movie with a lot of laughs

Awesome movie well on par with Whale’s Frankenstein, wonderful to see it get some much deserved love!

I agree with you. All four James Whale Universal horror films are great. All we had were still photographs of this film for the longest time. Best of luck to you with this new series, you're off to a good start.

Perfect the torrential rain storm that drives you forcibly, into the old dark house for uncertain refuge, how marvelous... The stuff of nightmares ...

I read JB Priestley’s novel “Benighted” before I saw this movie, and frankly, I couldn’t understand what the point was. When I finally got to see the movie, however, I enjoyed it so much that I didn’t look for a “point.” The movie was its own point.

I love this movie and your commentary pretty much covers why.

The "spooky house with odd fellows over for dinner" trope all started here. Eva Moore's "Painted Women" diatribe is hysterical.

Have seen The Old Dark House but it wasn't as crisp and clear as the clips you show here. I'll have to take another look. The version you link to looks to be great quality. Thanks!

I need to check out The Old Dark House after your review and I'm looking forward to more videos in this series of Criminally Underrated Classic Movies.

It's good to see you back with another video . I saw this film several years ago , and I have to admit that I wasn't overly impressed with it in general . As you stated , the acting was really good , but the film as a whole didn't really resonate with. me . That said , listening to your breakdown of the Old Dark House , makes me want to watch it again . Perhaps I wasn't' in the mood for it when I initially saw it . I will watch it again , and give my comments later on . Thank you for encouraging me to give it a reappraisal !

I love The Old Dark House so much - it has everything, including great actors and direction, with a fantastic blend of humor and genuine fear. I'm so glad it's been restored and is now seen as one of the great horror classics.

It's truly underrated. One of my favories and in my house we always use " “Have a potato!". haha

I completely agree with you. Very well researched comments, Miriam. Such a great cast and James Whale at the height of his brilliance. I like the idea of this new series you're doing. Looking forward to more.

Fantastic review. You've not only made me want to watch this film, you've also inspired me to rewatch Frankenstein for the first time since I was a kid and Bride for the first time ever.

Don't forget to check the description box for the complete Letterboxd list of Criminally Underrated Classic Movies and also links to the films mentioned and where you can find them! Thank you for watching!

She was super cute 🥰 💕

This looks very strange. I'll have to look for it. Are you doing 'Noir-vember' this year?

I can't find one of her best movies. In the movie she sells records and meets Cary Grant (I think) who falls for her good looks and buys armfuls of records. She finds out the he doesn't even have a record player. Could you please find this movie for me? Thank you.