| Fog Island (1945) |
| Directed by Terry Morse Written by Pierre Gendron Based on the play Angel Island by Bernadine Angus Lionel Atwill .... Alec Ritchfield Jerome Cowan .. Kavanaugh George Zucco .... Leo Grainger John Whitney .... Jeff Kingsley Veda Ann Borg .... Sylvia Ian Keith .... Doc Lake Sharon Douglas .... Gail Jacqueline deWit .... Emiline Leo Grainger was framed by several of his associates and as a result spent five years in prison.His wife was also murdered while he was incarcerated and his holdings liquidated.Those folks also tore through his home at Fog Island looking for the reputed fortune Grainger allegedly swindled away.They found nothing. Grainger is released and is at home with his step daughter Gail.He urges her to leave the island but she refuses.Leo informs her that he is inviting the people he feels responsible for his misfortune to the island.He also tells Gail that one of them may have murdered her mother.She doubts that any of them will respond to the invite.Leo says that their greed will get the best of them. Doc Lake, arrives on the island.He was Grainger's cellmate and his accountatnt that was sent up the river by the same people as well.He wants to settle old scores too.But he also is intrigued by the fact that there may be a hidden fortune.Grainger agrees to let him stay on. We meet the invitees (Ritchfield,Kavanaugh,Sylvia et al) as they discuss with each other whether they should accept Leo's invitation.As he predicted, greed wins out.They all decide to go. Contrary to what has been published we do get to see an exterior scene of a boat approaching the island.True it is a model and more than likely lifted from another movie (SOS Coast Guard perhaps?) but it is in fact there.Grainger does meet his guests at his foggy doorway.He is a bit non plussed when he meets Kingsley's son rather than the elder.Seems the elder died a month ago.But Kingsley knows Gail very well much to her chagrin. After dinner Grainger gives each of his guests a little clue.Ritchfield gets a chisel, Gail a key,Kavanaugh a book of multiplication tables,Sylvia a replica of a human skull.He also informs them that one of them murdered Grainger's wife and probably will kill some of them that very night.Leo then retires for the evening but in reality he begins to spy on his guests. While Gail is playing the organ a secret passage is revealed.Ritchfield discovers a few secret rooms in the catacombs below the house.Most of the cast decides to double cross the others.Failing that they team up solely to keep an eye on each other as mistrust abounds. ***SPOILERS**** Grainger confronts Ritchfield in the great hall.Leo is sure that Ritchfield killed Mrs Grainger.Alec confirms this by stabbing Leo to death.Gack!Uhh couldn't we have come up with a better way there Leo old pal?Alec drags Leo into the catacombs and deposits his body under the hidden eyes of Doc Lake.Alec then coerces Emiline to turn over a key.He promptly stabs her and drops her off into the ground. At last Alec, Sylvia, Kavanuagh and Doc Lake figure out the clues and head to a small room.While they are doing this young Kingsley and Gail discover what was left of her mother's fortune.It seems that Leo was actually framed and she sold off almost all of what she had to save him.The youngsters reconcile and plan to leave. Meanwhile our fab four discover a hidden strongbox.When it is removed from it's place a trap springs shut. The four are trapped like rats as water rushes in the room.Leo gets his revenge from beyond the grave as the four meet a watery death.****END OF SPOILERS*** This is a PRC flick so the budget just wasn't there.However the interior sets are very nice and eye pleasing.The cast is excellent, especially Zucco and Atwill.Granted this movie could have been a little better with a trim here and some added exposition there.The scene where Zucco is creating the death trap shouldn't have been shown as the surprise is lost.Also the sneaky butler should have been dropped from the film as he adds nothing. The director went on to shoot the american inserts for the 1954 classic, Godzilla. |
 |
 |