Halloween at FilmPhiles...: The Old Dark House

Greetings All ,

I would like to talk a few moments if I could to talk about the movie "The Old Dark House". This is a film directed in 1932 by James Whale . I really love this film for Halloween because I believe it is one of the quintessential films that should be seen around that time. It starts off with three travellers going through the Welsh countryside only to have their automobile overcome by mother nature and ending up at, you guessed it, "The Old Dark House". What they find when they are finally let in is a butler named Morgan (played by Boris Karloff), who has some mental issues to say the least. As their visit continues they are introduced to the family Femm, those being Horace Femm, his sister Rebecca and their somewhat incarcerated brother Saul not to mention Sir Roderick Femm (played by Elspeth Dudgeon playing a role you will have to figure out for yourself) the rest played very nicely by (Ernest Thesiger, Eva Moore and Brember Wills). As our night continues we find the level of disfunctionality among the family Femm to be a bit more then our guests are willing to deal with.

Luckily we still have two more guests to arrive because of the storm still hammering the Welsh country roads, we welcome Sir William Porterhouse and the lovely Glayds DuCane Perkins (played by Charles Laughton and Lilian Bond). With the addition of our other two players and the release of Saul we find ouselves in a bit of mayhem that will induce anyone who loves Halloween or romance to totally enjoy this film. Just to reiterate, we haved a brother who is a coward, a sister full of religious piety, a criminally insane brother, a matriarch who tries to micromanage the entire family and a butler consumed by carnal desire and five guests trying to stay in this wacky hotel. So all I can I can say is relax have some gin and enjoy one of the true classics of horror interspersed with a bit of humor and take a drive to "The Old Dark House".

Just For Fun:

This was Charles Laughton's first American film.

The father is played by Elspeth Dudgeon, a female.

Originally, Russel Hopton was set to play the part of Rodger Penderal and Walter Byron was to play the part of Phillip Waverton.

The Raven

The Raven
by Edgar Allan Poe
(published 1845)

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
"'Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door-
Only this, and nothing more."

Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December,
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
Eagerly I wished the morrow;- vainly I had sought to borrow
From my books surcease of sorrow- sorrow for the lost Lenore-
For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore-
Nameless here for evermore.

And the silken, sad, uncertain rustling of each purple curtain
Thrilled me- filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating,
"'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door-
Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door;-
This it is, and nothing more."

Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
"Sir," said I, "or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;
But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,
That I scarce was sure I heard you"- here I opened wide the door;-
Darkness there, and nothing more.

Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before;
But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token,
And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, "Lenore?"
This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, "Lenore!"-
Merely this, and nothing more.

Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,
Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before.
"Surely," said I, "surely that is something at my window lattice:
Let me see, then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore-
Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore;-
'Tis the wind and nothing more!"

Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,
In there stepped a stately Raven of the saintly days of yore;
Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;
But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door-
Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door-
Perched, and sat, and nothing more.

Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore.
"Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou," I said, "art sure no craven,
Ghastly grim and ancient Raven wandering from the Nightly shore-
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!"
Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."

Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,
Though its answer little meaning- little relevancy bore;
For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being
Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door-
Bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber door,
With such name as "Nevermore."

But the Raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.
Nothing further then he uttered- not a feather then he fluttered-
Till I scarcely more than muttered, "Other friends have flown before-
On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before."
Then the bird said, "Nevermore."

Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,
"Doubtless," said I, "what it utters is its only stock and store,
Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful Disaster
Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore-
Till the dirges of his Hope that melancholy burden bore
Of 'Never- nevermore'."

But the Raven still beguiling all my fancy into smiling,
Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird, and bust and door;
Then upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking
Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore-
What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt and ominous bird of yore
Meant in croaking "Nevermore."

This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing
To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core;
This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining
On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamp-light gloated o'er,
But whose velvet violet lining with the lamp-light gloating o'er,
She shall press, ah, nevermore!

Then methought the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer
Swung by Seraphim whose footfalls tinkled on the tufted floor.
"Wretch," I cried, "thy God hath lent thee- by these angels he hath sent thee
Respite- respite and nepenthe, from thy memories of Lenore!
Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe and forget this lost Lenore!"
Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."

"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil! - prophet still, if bird or devil! -
Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,
Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted-
On this home by Horror haunted- tell me truly, I implore-
Is there- is there balm in Gilead?- tell me- tell me, I implore!"
Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."

"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil! - prophet still, if bird or devil!
By that Heaven that bends above us- by that God we both adore-
Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,
It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore-
Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore."
Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."

"Be that word our sign in parting, bird or fiend," I shrieked, upstarting-
"Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore!
Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!
Leave my loneliness unbroken!- quit the bust above my door!
Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!"
Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."

And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,
And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted- nevermore!

8 comments:

veejayOctober 6, 2009 at 1:43 AM
hey bob,
why haven't i ever heard of this movie before? it sounds sensational! my only question is - is it available to rent?
AnonymousOctober 6, 2009 at 2:05 AM
It is totally available to rent on netflix, and if your lucky enough it is some times on TCM in the wee hours of the morning!Good Luck!
SilentfilmfanaticOctober 6, 2009 at 5:51 AM
I loved this film when I first saw it on TCM last year. It has witty dialogue and a great cast. I remember that Gloria Stuart, who is still alive at 99 years of age, was in this film. I definitely want to see it again.
Excellent blog!
ClassicBeckyOctober 6, 2009 at 6:22 AM
Gee Bob, that sounds like my family, except we don't have a butler! LOL. I watch this movie every time TCM shows it, I just love it. Great article!
NoireeOctober 6, 2009 at 2:59 PM
Oooh, my skin is crawling! How wonderfully creepy. Once again, Bob, you have done a beautiful job of evoking the mood of the film. I'm going to put it in my Netflix queue right now!
Becks, before I come to visit, you must hire a butler who is consumed by carnal desire!
DawnOctober 7, 2009 at 9:54 AM
Bob,i have not seen this film..when i do..i will keep all the lights on..
Gilby37October 10, 2009 at 9:41 AM
Bob, you've done a great job and opened my eyes to what sounds like a must-see! Thanks!
disneyprincesswdwOctober 19, 2009 at 3:18 AM
Sounds so creepy. This sounds great to watch on a gloomy rainy night.

Halloween at FilmPhiles...

The Old Dark House

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