Masterful Movie

Expected more

Absolutely Brilliant!

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

***SPOIERS*** German director Frank Wisbar's re-make of his classic 1936 German ghost story "Death of a Meiden" does the best of the meager budget it had making one of the best of the bargain basement studio PRC's releases. It was after ferryman Douglas, Charles Middleton, was falsely convicted of murder of local yokel Mr. Berkeley and hanged for the crime that his ghost started to appear in the swamp strangling those and their family members responsible for his death. It's when Maria Hart, Rosermary La Planche, the granddaughter of the man who murdered Berkeley Joseph Hart, Frank Conlan,and framed Douglas for it shown up looking for a job as the local ferry skipper. It's then that she fell in love with the judge Christian Sanders-Robert Barratt's-who sentenced Douglas to death-son Chris Jr, Blake Edwards,who like herself were on Douglas's hit-list.Spooky and atmospheric film a lot like the Val Lawton movies classics like "Cat People" & "The Leopard Man" made around the same time that shocked their audience with off the screen and imaginary horrors that leave them to those that are watching imagination. Even though he already strangled the person responsible for him being executed, Joseph Hart, Douglas would only be satisfied if everyone's, Hart the judge & jury, family members innocent or not got the same treatment from him. It's when Chris Jr was near death from pneumonia, in almost drowning in the swamp, that Maria in an effort to save his life offered herself up to the vengeful Douglas as a human sacrifice in order to save his life.****SPOILERS**** This unselfish act by Maria knocked some sense and humanity into Douglas' heart who came to realize that his acts of vengeance have gone a wee bit too far and ended up killing many innocent people who had really nothing to do with his untimely death.It was Maria in proving her love for Chris Jr. and willing to die for it that saved both his as well as, in being targeted by Douglas, her lives as well as proving the saying that "Love conquers all" even in the case when certain death comes knocking at one's door.

Poverty Row cheapie that's much better than its modest production would suggest. There's been a series of murders by strangulation in the swamp. The superstitious locals believe it's the ghost of an innocent man they hanged seeking revenge. The hanged man's granddaughter shows up, looking to take over her grandfather's ferry business. She soon falls in love with a young man who happens to be the son of one of her grandfather's killers. Gramps won't like that!Lots of foggy atmosphere, a nice cast, and some neat special effects elevate this PRC chiller above most of the other Poverty Row films of the time. The cast includes vets Robert Barratt and Charles Middleton. Future director Blake Edwards and former Miss America Rosemary LaPlanche play the young lovers. Some genuinely creepy moments in this one. Probably the best PRC film I've seen.

I believe I first heard of this one after reading Michael Elliott's more or less favorable appraisal of it and, by and large, I find myself agreeing with his assessment. The title pretty much explains both the film's theme (horror/thriller) and style (foggy atmosphere). For a PRC effort, I guess it is slightly above-par quality-wise but this does not in any way make it some lost genre classic: this reminds me of Leslie Halliwell's comment about Edgar G. Ulmer's rather splendid 1944 BLUEBEARD: "possibly the most interesting film ever to come from PRC (which isn't saying very much)".The strangler (played, in ghostly form, by Charles Middleton) is a ferry-man who was hung for a crime he did not commit. It transpires that the person to succeed him in that job (which is vital for locals to travel across the swamp to the other side of town) was actually the one whose testimony proved decisive in the eventual conviction – and it is later suggested that he was merely after the post! However, before dying, Middleton curses not only the people who sent him to his death but their descendants as well...and, to be sure, a number of accidental stranglings have been occurring, which the superstitious community obviously blames on this blood-curdling warning! Soon, it is the turn of the new ferry-man to get his just desserts: a trio of intrepid elderly women cross over to cut down the hangman's noose left in place after Middleton's execution and, left alone in the boat to dispose of the rope, the old man throws it up in the air – with the noose then falling squarely around his neck and, as the other end is caught in some brushes, he ends up choking like the others! This latest victim had actually intended retiring since he was getting on in years and, soon after, his replacement – a girl, and his own niece – arrives, as does the son (played by future director Blake Edwards!) of an eminent member there. Naturally, the two youngsters fall for one another and, given that they are related to two of Middleton's 'murderers', he adds them to his list of proposed victims. The elders of the town are convinced that only if one of those involved gives himself willingly to the strangler can the curse be lifted but, needless to say, nobody has the courage for it. When Edwards himself is almost done in, it is up to either his father or his girl to save him – having already been made to take up what is normally a man's task, it is no surprise to find that it is she who comes through for the leading man as well...but rather than giving herself to the former ferry-man, she pleads with him to give up his revenge quest and rest in peace (yes, people in this film can actually converse with the ghost!).In the long run, this emerges as middling but not displeasing fare: the narrative may hardly be original yet it is reasonably engaging and, while the approach comes across as somewhat pedestrian, it nonetheless manages to convey the appropriate mood throughout.

Rosemary La Planche (Maria) takes over the role of ferryman in the swamplands from her grandfather Frank Conlan (Joseph) when he is found dead. It seems that a previous ferryman Charles Middleton (Douglas) who was unjustly hanged is dishing out his revenge on the villagers that found him guilty. He doesn't stop there - he goes for their relatives as well. He 'strangles' his victims in the village swamp. When La Planche's boyfriend Blake Edwards (Chris) makes an appearance, the ghostly 'strangler' goes for him.....The film has quite a good foggy, swampy look to it that runs throughout the film. The phantom is effective and scary - if only he'd just make his peace with God. The older members of the cast are entertaining, and the dialogue is amusing in parts, especially in the scenes between Blake Edwards' father Robert Barratt (Mr Sanders) and Nolan Leary (Pete Jeffers). Listen to their logical debate as to who should sacrifice himself to the ghoul that lurks outside - very funny. The younger members of the cast are pretty wooden but it doesn't matter and La Planche is one seriously weird girl. Why would anyone love the job of working at night in a swamp where people are getting killed? She does. She is very odd but shows a strength of character that is to be applauded at the end of the film.