Pillow of Death (1945)

“Silliest unmitigated tommyrot I ever heard.”  15 July 2021

Pillow of Death is the last of the six Inner Sanctum mystery / thriller films that Universal made in the 40s.  And, in my opinion, it’s one of the two best (Weird Woman being the other).  In this one, Lon Chaney Jr is Wayne Fletcher, a lawyer in love with his secretary.  The problem is, he’s got a wife at home.  So when she’s found dead under mysterious circumstances, Fletcher is the natural suspect.  

Despite what I consider to be a rather silly title, Pillow of Death is a solid little film.  The writing is excellent with a surprising (at least surprising to me - even on a repeat viewing) solution that works nicely.  The atmospheric “old dark house” trappings, complete with a seance, and plot twists keep things interesting.  The direction is crisp as the film moves along at a good pace.  And, like most of Universal’s B output from this time period, the sets and cinematography look better than they have any right.  It really is quite beautiful to look at.  Overall, Pillow of Death is a well made movie.

As for the acting, there’s very little to complain about.  Chaney is fine in the lead, but I admit the “tormented soul” routine he perfected in The Wolf Man gets a bit old.  Co-star Brenda Joyce, taking a break from playing Jane in the Tarzan series, is more than capable.  There are a number of notable performances in the supporting cast, but none quite like George Cleveland.  What a joy!

7/10