Chipper newlywed Joyce Webster (a typically fine and robust portrayal by the ever lovely Beverly Garland) gets dumped by her husband Paul (dashing hunk Richard Crane) on their wedding night. Joyce tracks Paul down to a remote swampland area of Louisiana and discovers much to her dismay that Paul is slowly mutating into a hideous alligator man hybrid. Director Roy Del Ruth, working from a silly, yet sincere script by Orville H. Hampton, maintains a constant pace throughout, treats the admittedly absurd premise with dead seriousness, and does an expert job of creating a flavorful brooding bayou atmosphere. Lon Chaney, Jr. contributes a lively turn as gruff, hearty, lecherous hook-handed local yokel troublemaker Manon, plus there are nice supporting performances by Frieda Inescort as Paul's stern, but loyal mother Lavinia Hawthorne, George MacReady as earnest physician Dr. Mark Sinclair, and Douglas Kennedy as helpful psychiatrist Dr. Wayne MacGregor. Cranes deserves extra praise for effectively evoking sympathy for the grotesque, yet pitiable Paul. Karl Struss' crisp black and white cinematography, the rousing climax, Irving Getz's booming overwrought score, and the uncompromisingly downbeat ending further enhance the entertainment value of this immensely fun nonsense.
Review of The Alligator People
The Alligator People
(1959)
A nifty 50's horror creature feature romp
3 October 2007
Warning: Spoilers