The Cabinet of Caligari (1962)

Everything's great, except the plot, 30 December 2005

After her car breaks down, Jane Lindstrom (Glynis Johns) makes her way to the gated home of a man known as Caligari (Dan O'Herlihy). She is invited into the house and, at first, feels comfortable. But when Jane is not allowed to leave the next day, she realizes that, like Caligari's other "guests", she is trapped. Things get even worse when she witnesses Caligari and another man beating an old woman to death. She'll do anything to get out, but how does she ever hope to escape from Caligari's clutches?

This movie might have been a complete dude for me if it weren't for Glynis Johns. For lack of a better word, I'll call her portrayal of Jane Lindstrom "refreshing". She's absolutely atypical of what you would normally expect to find in a movie like this. For the most part, she's meek, mild, mannered, and goes along with what she's told. But when push comes to shove, she's not above abandoning this persona and experimenting with a more brash, sexy personality if it will help her get what she desires. The contrast between the two personalities is fascinating. The rest of the cast is equally enjoyable with O'Herlihy playing the mysterious, cold Caligari perfectly. A group of recognizable character actors, whose names may not be very well known, rounds out the cast.

Don't expect "in your face" horror with The Cabinet of Caligari. It's very subtle. In fact, my rating would be higher but the movie is often too subtle for its own good. There were more than a few instances where I wished something would happen. Too often the plot drags as we see scene after scene of Jane lying around bemoaning her situation. Do something, woman! And while Caligari is a threatening presence, he spends most of his time sitting behind a desk asking seemingly pointless questions. But just when you think things have come to a grinding halt, a scene like the one where Caligari is caught by our heroine spying on her in the bathtub comes along and things pick up for a moment.

Technically, The Cabinet of Caligari is superior to a lot of the other low budget horror of the period. Cinematography and lighting are quite nice. There are some interesting camera shots and lighting choices such as those during Jane's striptease for Caligari. The set design is a real highlight. I was reminded on more than one occasion of the post-modern/deco house in The Black Cat (1934), a real favorite of mine. The house features fabulously designed staircases, corners, and spaces to make most scenes at least look interesting.

Overall, it's too bad the plot couldn't be as interesting, entertaining, or well done as the technical aspects of the film and the acting. Had the plot been better, The Cabinet of Caligari could have been a real winner.

5/10