Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932)

Bela may be good, but the rest of the cast isn't, 10 September 2005

While at first glance Dr. Mirakle (Bela Lugosi) appears to be like many of the other sideshow charlatans, there's something very sinister about the man. It seems that he has been experimenting with the relationship between human and ape blood to prove their mutual lineage. But his experiments require a healthy human body with which to inject gorilla blood. And Dr. Mirakle will stop at nothing to get "volunteers" to assist him with his work.

What Works:

- Bela. I don't care how bad or dull the material, Bela Lugosi always appears to be having the time of his life and is somehow able to transmit that feeling to the viewer. It's difficult to watch one of his performances and not be drawn to the man. His Dr. Mirakle is another in the long line of characters given life by Bela. He is just so devilishly demented that it's impossible not to enjoy the character or the actor playing the character. Good job, Bela.

- Cinematography. I've made no secret over the years of my fondness for Karl Freund. Many of the movies where he credited for the cinematography (or directed) are among my favorites. His work on Murders in the Rue Morgue does not disappoint. Many of the scenes are shot like works of art. One of my favorites (and not just in this movie, but when compared with other movies) is the scene where Bela's prostitute victim is tied to the cross in his laboratory. The lighting, staging, and use of shadows make it one of the most beautiful scenes I've ever seen.

What Doesn't Work:

- Stagey. While this is a common complaint with some of the older films, I think I have only used the term twice before - Dracula and The Cocoanuts. But the term "stagey" fits many scenes in Murders in the Rue Morgue quite nicely. The unnatural feel caused by this took away from the atmosphere the movie was going for in many of these scenes.

- The Rest of the Cast. As good as Bela is, many of the other members of the cast have trouble meeting the standard set by Bela. The actor who immediately comes to mind is Leon Ames. On more than one occasion I found myself groaning out loud at his ludicrous performance.

- That's No Gorilla. This may seem picky, but I was bothered almost the entire movie by the close-ups of the gorilla that obviously wasn't a gorilla. In long shots, it's easy to tell that it's a man in a gorilla suit. But in the tight shots, the gorilla suddenly transforms into a chimpanzee. It's very distracting.

If for no other reason than Bela Lugosi's performance and the incredible cinematography of Karl Freund, I will re-watch this movie. While Murders in the Rue Morgue may never become a favorite of mine, the work of these two men easily makes the movie better than average. If you're a fan of either, I'm sure you will agree.

6/10