"The Black Room" is sort of like "The Corsican Brothers", only with a dark Transylvanian twist. When twin sons are born to a Carpathian nobleman it is not cause for celebration because it has been prophesied that the younger brother will kill the older. As a result, the younger brother has beens ent to live abroad. Decades later, however, the older brother has summoned the him back to the ancestral seat. Why?
During the mid 1930s Columbia Pictures was not known for films such as this, period gothic horror movies featuring actors such as Boris Karloff. Considered a "Poverty Row" studio, The Three Stooges and "Capricorn" were more their meat and potatoes. Perhaps that is why this film has disappeared beneath the radar for so long.
That is a shame because this is a good film; well written, well directed and featuring an excellent cast headed by the incomparable Boris Karloff. Supporting him are the beautiful, young Marian Marsh, who should have become a bigger star but whose career somehow went awry, and Catherine DeMille, adopted daughter of daughter of Cecil B. DeMille and wife of Anthony Quinn.
Unquestionably one of the greatest horror film actors of the 20th century, Karloff appears in dual role, playing both brothers. In so doing he gets the opportunity to display his versatility by playing both "Good" Boris and "Bad" Boris. That, alone, is well worth the price of admission.
During the mid 1930s Columbia Pictures was not known for films such as this, period gothic horror movies featuring actors such as Boris Karloff. Considered a "Poverty Row" studio, The Three Stooges and "Capricorn" were more their meat and potatoes. Perhaps that is why this film has disappeared beneath the radar for so long.
That is a shame because this is a good film; well written, well directed and featuring an excellent cast headed by the incomparable Boris Karloff. Supporting him are the beautiful, young Marian Marsh, who should have become a bigger star but whose career somehow went awry, and Catherine DeMille, adopted daughter of daughter of Cecil B. DeMille and wife of Anthony Quinn.
Unquestionably one of the greatest horror film actors of the 20th century, Karloff appears in dual role, playing both brothers. In so doing he gets the opportunity to display his versatility by playing both "Good" Boris and "Bad" Boris. That, alone, is well worth the price of admission.