Dead Men Walk (1943)

Cast:

George Zucco is Elwyn Clayton
George Zucco is Lloyd Clayton
Mary Carlisle is Gayle
Dwight "Can anyone say 'Masterrrrr' better than I?" Frye is Zolarr

What the box says:

This painfully cheap but wildly entertaining PRC production stars a hammy George Zucco in a dual role as the Clayton Twins -- both doctors, one good, one evil. Elwyn Clayton, a practioner of the black arts, is murdered by his brother Lloyd and returns from the dead as a vampire to seek revenge with the aid of his leering, hunchbacked assistant (Dwight Frye).

He exacts his vengeance by brutally muredering Elwyn's associtates, with all the evidence pointing to the only living twin.

Jungle Siren director Sam Newfield makes the most of the paltry budget, helped greatly by Zucco's typically flamboyant performance -- which threatens to out-camp even that of the legendary eye-roller Frye (who would die of a heart attack some months after theis film's completion).

Plot:

The History of Vampires book is being burnt as an evil head is superimposed over the fire ranting about something.

In the church, a funeral is being held and has a very small turnout. Lloyd looks on his dead brother, Elwyn. Kate, the local loon, busts in and causes ruckus. Elwyn was evil and Satanist. She is escorted out. The reverend apologizes to Lloyd.

Later, he tells Gayle, his niece, about her father’s involvement in the black arts. Apparently, she isn’t bothered at all by it.

That night, Lloyd goes to Elwyn’s house and gathers up his notes and starts to burn them. The hunchbacked Zolarr storms in and tries to stop him. He even accuses Lloyd of killing Elwyn by pushing him off that cliff. Lloyd claims it was self defense. Zolarr claims vengeance and leaves. Lloyd tosses a few books on the hot 40.

Gayle and her boyfriend, Dave, have decided to get married and decide to tell her uncle.

Lloyd is happy about their plans.

Zolarr wheels a coffin out of the cemetery. He opens it and Elwyn arises from it. Being in good with black arts gets a corpse promoted to a vampire. Exposition fu ensues about his weaknesses during the day and the craving of blood.

Elwyn stops and makes a withdrawal from some nameless girl.

Lloyd and the Sheriff check her body. They can only find 2 small puncture marks on the neck. Kate pops in and says how she knows what is going on though no one will believe her.

I'm the nutty lady who knows all about vampires? She mentions how Dr. Lloyd is good. His brother only brought evil. The Sheriff decides not to send her to the asylum.

Lloyd is doing some research when Elwyn pays a visit. He claims his good brother murdered him. Elwyn will take all that Lloyd holds dear. Just before he leaves, he announces he will induct Gayle into the dark arts. She will be drained of her blood. Lloyd opens fire, but bullets have no effect on him.

Gayle and David rush in to see about the shots they heard. Lloyd tells David about how he saw Elwyn. They think it is just stress.

Elwyn peeks in on Gayle.

How's my Anthony Hopkin's impression? Later, he stops by on a matter of vampiric concern.

The next morning, Dave checks on Gayle who is weak from anemia. She tells about having bite marks on her neck and nightmares about a bat.

Dave gives Gayle a blood transfusion. Afterwards, Gayle has more color in her cheeks and is feeling better.

Lloyd spies Elwyn outside.

Dave is told that somehow Elwyn is involved in Gayle’s sickness. He thinks Lloyd is off the deep end. He is convinced to go to the cemetery to check on Elwyn’s body.

The coffin is missing from the mausoleum. Lloyd is positive that his brother is still up to evil. Dave doesn’t believe in the supernatural. He wants to marry Gayle and get her away soon. Lloyd isn’t sure that is such a good idea.

At church, Dave talks loudly with the Sheriff. He is sure that Lloyd is planning to murder Gayle and has flipped his wig. The Sheriff tries to explain to him they need criminal intent first.

Kate comes by the house to check on Gayle. She knows what to do to save Gayle and gives her a crucifix. Explaining about vampires, Lloyd walks in and hears everything. Elwyn is a vampire and must be set on fire to destroy him. Kate leaves.

Gayle is unsure of what is going on. Lloyd has her wear the crucifix.

That night, Elwyn comes by for a midnight snack. However, the cross drives him away.

Dave confronts Dr. Lloyd. Blaming Gayle’s disease on him, he threatens to kill Lloyd if something happens to her. Lloyd doesn’t try to even explain the truth to him. He asks Dave to stay and watch over Gayle. That offer convinces Dave he isn’t plotting to nefariously off Gayle.

Checking on Gayle, she hasn’t had any nightmares. Dave stays by her side.

Elwyn orders Zolarr to remove the crucifix from Gayle’s neck.

A stealthy hunchback ensues and creeps into Gayle’s neck. Dave has drifted asleep. He wakes up and chases Zolarr downstairs into Lloyd. They start to question him about Elwyn.

You'll never make me like NEW Coke...Never Dave doesn’t believe anything about the vampires.

The power is cut, and Zolarr escapes. Elwyn pops in to threaten Lloyd and Dave who is quickly becoming a believer in nosferatu. Lloyd will search for Elwyn and leave Dave to guard Gayle.

Elwyn comes up with another plan.

Sheriff pays a visit to Lloyd. The whole town heard about Dave’s accusations and suggests that Lloyd leave for a while. Dr. Lloyd has to stay.

Kate is searching for the coffin and spots Zolarr. Backtracking, she discovers the location of the coffin. She’ll get Dr. Lloyd and destroy the fowl spawn once and for all. Zolarr returns and chases Kate.

The townsfolk stand around and have branded Dr. Lloyd as a killer. Kate’s body was found in the old cemetery. The Sheriff tries to calm the residents down.

The coffin gets moved again. When Elwyn arises he is told how Zolarr had to kill Kate and move him to avoid detection. Elwyn is pleased with his trusty servant.

Searching the cemetery, Dr. Lloyd finds Kate’s purse. He finds the mausoleum and leaves. Zolarr uses his ninja-like tracking skills to follow the unaware doctor.

Some townsfolk spot Elwyn kill someone. They assume it is Dr. Lloyd.

Dave is waiting when Lloyd returns.

The mob heads to Dr. Lloyd’s town.

Dave and Lloyd discuss where the coffin may be hidden. Their best guess is Elwyn’s house. Lloyd will go after the vampire. Dave must wait just in case. Lloyd heads to his brother’s house. .

The unruly mob surrounds Lloyd’s house. They question Dave about Lloyd’s whereabouts. Searching the house, they knock Dave out. Later, he awakens. The mob prevents him from calling the Sheriff.

Zolarr versus Dr. Lloyd.

The mob occupation continues. The ringleader is sure that Lloyd is a killer.

Lloyd is able to knock Zolarr out as Elwyn returns. He claims that Gayle will be converted. As the brothers struggle, a candle is knocked down and starts a fire.

Dave is able to escape as the mob chases after him.

Elwyn and Lloyd are fighting as Zolarr keeps crying for his “master.” The rooster crows as dawn approaches. Lloyd will sacrifice himself to kill Elwyn.

Through a window, Dave and the mob sees the brothers fighting until the roof collapses on them.

Later, at the church, the entire town has gathered for Dr. Lloyd’s funeral.

What I say:

I never had heard of this movie before until I discoverd it in a $1 DVD bin. My ten of fans(give me that illusion) are probably of sure I latched onto it and several other movies that have been or will be posted. The box description made the movie sound quite a bit better than what it actually was.

You thought the fact of having Hayley Mills as twins in the Parent Trap was bad about using a split screen. Apparently, Dead Men Walk hasn't been on your list of movies to watch. George Zucco plays both brothers but never mentioned as twins. So they aren't identical. To be fair, Zucco makes each of them seem different enough not to really realize the same actor in both roles.

Most of the heroic roles are given to the younger actor with a more swashbuckling appeal. George Zucco sure doesn't fit into that category. However, he is the one who battles the vampire and pays the ultimate cost for it. Dave is on the whiny side and seems more of hinderance to Zucco for the most part. Dave could only have been of ahinderance if he had organized the lynch mob against Lloyd.

The 40s didn't have many movies that were shocking like some of the original horror movies of the 30s like Dracula. While there weren't any ratings at that time, movies had specific boundaries that could not be crossed. Yes, the MPAA wasn't established until the mid 60s. However, the standards and limits of the Hays Code were still in effect in the 50s which made the early Hammer movies so horrific. Christopher Lee made Dracula and vampires more than corpses with a taste for blood.

Dwight Frye is probably better known for playing Renfield in Dracula. The man has evil henchman down stone cold. Unfortunately, he was typecast into such small roles and was unable to escape the notoriety of being a henchman or other character roles. When you add the hunchback and the simpering pitiful cries of "Masterrrr", you've got quality. Sadly, he died shortly after this movie.

You've got to admire Elowyn just flat out telling Lloyd what he plans to do. The converting of his own daughter to obey his nefarious will and destroying everything Lloyd holds dear, too. Lloyd will be powerless to find anyone to help him. By using the word vampire, the townsfolk would think him to be batty at the best or nuttier than the Planter's Peanut Guy. When the closest you have to an ally is the local crazy woman, you do have problems. Even worse, as Elowyn weakens and drains Gayle, David suspects that Lloyd is somehow behind it. His accusations to the Sheriff will lead to much disaster by later inciting the townsfolk into an angry mob ready to lynch Llyod come Hell or highwater.

A thought popped up about this movie. Gayle is Lloyd's niece. No other siblings other that Elowyn were mentioned. Wouldn't that make Elowyn her father? And double creepy points for a father partaking of the blood of his daughter? Ultra mega creepy brownie points for the way he is so determined to make her a vampire and a slave to his will.

There have been many different vampire mythologies: the Anne Rice and Brian Lumley books and the various ethnic takes on nosferatu. Dead Men Walk has its own take on it. If you are bad enough in life, you will be allowed to become undead servant of the Devil. I can't help but think that sounds a lot like Dracula from Coppola's Bram Stoker's Dracula got turned. Though doing immense evil in life and renouncing God aren't the same thing.

Producers’ Releasing Corporation or PRC was one of the true low-budget b-movie companies of the day. Think of Full Moon without the sequels or Troma without the fart jokes or Lloyd Kauffman would give you an idea of the movies PRC made in the 40s. It is hard to really compare the movie industry of the 40s with what we have today. What would be considered the b-movies made today are hardly given any time at the theater and are more easily shown on the Sci-Fi channel or at the video store which has become the bastion of the b-movie.

Quotable Dialogue
"How can you defile this holy house with the body of that evil man?"
"You'll pray long for death before you die."
"Vampires, creatures of the Devil, who are neither alive nor dead."
"I don't blame you for thinking I'm a homicidal maniac."
Morals of the Story
Hunchbacked assistants are easy to find.
Book burning is neccessity.
Vampires can turn off lights without using the lightswitch.
Villagers have a dominant trait to form mobs when scared.
Hunchback servants are excellent at crying out "MASTERRRRRRRRRR!!!"