Tod Slaughter is simply fantastic. He bought to the screen, in all it's hammy glory, the old gaslight tradition of gory murder plays where people are encouraged to boo and hiss the villain and, of course, cheer the hero. Even though I had read about Tod Slaughter, I had never seen his films until a couple of years ago. They never take themselves too seriously and even if all the other actors are playing it straight, Tod Slaughter is hamming it up for all he is worth!!!
The film starts off like a play, with all the characters being itroduced by the M.C. - "even Tod Slaughter himself"!!!!Eric Portman was probably the only actor in a Tod Slaughter film to go on to much better things in the next decade. In only his second film appearance, he plays Carlos, the gypsy who loves Maria. The film opens with a barn dance and Maria (Sophie Stewart) is proving herself quite a flirt, as she romances first the Squire and then Carlos. Squire Corder (Tod Slaughter) is told his fortune by one of the gypsies and it doesn't look too bright!!! He is told he will finish at the end of a rope - so he quickly banishes the gypsies from the barn. Later that night Maria visits the Squire and her head is turned with stories of London society.
She often visits the Squire, telling her parents she is at choir practice. They begin to suspect her of being flighty and when she is caught with Carlos, he, seeing her confusion, confesses he is the man she has been seeing. Of course the Squire has no intention of marrying her - she is there as his plaything!!! When he loses his entire fortune at cards, he sets his sight on a wealthy widow. Meanwhile Maria finds out that she is pregnant and when her father throws her out, she goes to Squire Corder for help. He takes her to the Red Barn with promises of marriage - but murders her instead. Unfortunately (for him) in his haste he buries his gun in the grave. Carlos arrives back amid the claims that he was the last person to see Maria. He is determined to bring the evil Squire to justice. The village and the "Bow Street Runners" are on Carlos' trail and he leads them to the Red Barn where the Squire's dog Tiger starts to dig. First his gun is found and then Maria. The scene is set for a typical Slaughter ending as he quickly shows the madness he has been trying to hide.
Highly Recommended.
The film starts off like a play, with all the characters being itroduced by the M.C. - "even Tod Slaughter himself"!!!!Eric Portman was probably the only actor in a Tod Slaughter film to go on to much better things in the next decade. In only his second film appearance, he plays Carlos, the gypsy who loves Maria. The film opens with a barn dance and Maria (Sophie Stewart) is proving herself quite a flirt, as she romances first the Squire and then Carlos. Squire Corder (Tod Slaughter) is told his fortune by one of the gypsies and it doesn't look too bright!!! He is told he will finish at the end of a rope - so he quickly banishes the gypsies from the barn. Later that night Maria visits the Squire and her head is turned with stories of London society.
She often visits the Squire, telling her parents she is at choir practice. They begin to suspect her of being flighty and when she is caught with Carlos, he, seeing her confusion, confesses he is the man she has been seeing. Of course the Squire has no intention of marrying her - she is there as his plaything!!! When he loses his entire fortune at cards, he sets his sight on a wealthy widow. Meanwhile Maria finds out that she is pregnant and when her father throws her out, she goes to Squire Corder for help. He takes her to the Red Barn with promises of marriage - but murders her instead. Unfortunately (for him) in his haste he buries his gun in the grave. Carlos arrives back amid the claims that he was the last person to see Maria. He is determined to bring the evil Squire to justice. The village and the "Bow Street Runners" are on Carlos' trail and he leads them to the Red Barn where the Squire's dog Tiger starts to dig. First his gun is found and then Maria. The scene is set for a typical Slaughter ending as he quickly shows the madness he has been trying to hide.
Highly Recommended.