175. The Old Dark House; movie review

THE OLD DARK HOUSE
Cert PG
69 mins
BBFC advice: Contains mild violence, scary scenes, sex references

"Are we meant to be laughing?", I inquired of Mrs W as we watched a preview version of The Old Dark House.
And it turns out we were. James Whale's 1932 horror is actually one of the first movie lampoons.
To that end, it still succeeds today because it certainly tickled our funny bones, more than 85 years after its original release.
I had originally believed it to be a genuine creep-fest because it stars horror master Boris Karloff and serious actor, Charles Laughton. But I have since read that it is intended to be a comedy.
To be fair, there are a fair few giveaways but I had not really thought much about satirical movies being in existence so early in the history of cinema.
Karloff plays the butler of a stately home which is visited by two sets of strangers taking refuge from a fearsome storm.
Gloria Stuart and Raymond Massey play a married couple who, along with their flirtatious friend (Melvyn Douglas), are the first to seek shelter.
After the facially-scarred butler answers the door, they are given dubious hospitality by an eccentric brother and sister (Ernest Thesiger and Eva Moore).
Then, Laughton and Lilian Bond enter the fray before romance and horror burst forth.
The laugh-out loud moments surround the more exaggerated behaviour of the guests and the hosts who become more bizarre as the film goes on (watch out for the curiously feminine voice of the bedridden patriarch).
Whale's film was undiscovered for more than 30 years but then became something of a cult.
I can certainly see why and it is short enough not to labour its gags.

Reasons to watch: A landmark movie - one of the first satirical talkies 
Reasons to avoid: May be too melodramatic for some

Laughs: Four
Jumps: None
Vomit: None
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 7/10

Director quote - James Whale: "That they should pay such fabulous salaries (in Hollywood) is beyond ordinary reasoning! Who’s worth it? But why not take it?"

The big question - How satirical is this meant to be?

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