ellenirishellen-62962 Okay,so it isn't really scary,but it is well made.Agnes Morehead and Vinny Price are the stars,but there are so many great supporting actors.John Sutton as the chauffeur promoted to butler,Gavin Gordon as the cop,Lenita Lane as Lizzie the companion to Cornelia.Price is as much the star as Morehead and I loved every second he was on screen!Knew right away who was The Bat,but watching this film unfold was a great experience.Have the DowHour Of Great Mystery version with Helen Hays,so will have to watch,but what little I saw of that version didn't compare.Will also look at the 1941 film The Black Cat again,as this reminds me of that LOL film.

Cristi_Ciopron Crane Wilbur's 'The Bat' is an unusual comedy ('don't you hear that awful noise out there?'), and I enjoyed its unwillingness to attempt the conventional suspense, and its dry, light style recalls sometimes that of Feuillade, if you wish, and of Hitchcock's TV, but mostly, increasingly, massively that of Ed Wood, unwilling to guide or patronize its public, it attempts something very different, with perhaps one of the most unflattering portrayals of a cereal killer ever, and the sense that all these events don't really matter that much, almost an Ed Wood soap opera …. The impression is that each actor did pretty much what he or she felt like; some of them were having fun, certainly the lead actress. As the movie nears its denouement, with that clueless, absurd cop, it becomes obvious that this is Ed Wood taken to the hilt. Possibly the 1st mystery movie where I guessed whodunit; and the whole subplot about the chauffeur was mere Ed Wood.

utgard14 Enjoyable old dark house movie. Agnes Moorehead stars as the mystery writer who becomes wrapped up in a real-life mystery. Sort of a precursor to Jessica Fletcher. She and her comic relief sidekick (Lenita Lane) find themselves targeted by the murderous Bat. You know, Moorehead was never known as a great beauty but I've always thought she was a handsome woman and she looks particularly lovely in this film. She was always a great actress and she's very good in this, a rare starring role for her.The cast is solid. In addition to Moorehead and Lane, there's Vincent Price and Gavin Gordon. Price is terrific as always, if a little subdued. Gordon is good but every time I see him in a role I am reminded of his Lord Byron from the Bride of Frankenstein prologue and I snicker a little. Also in the cast in a minor role (and her last) is Darla from The Little Rascals.It's a pretty basic story and based on a play that's been made for film a few other times. Most notably 1926 and 1930. Both of those were entertaining for different reasons. This version I've always had a soft spot for. I watch it again every couple of years or so. I recommend anybody who enjoys these types of old films give it a shot.

Bezenby Here's a tip: Upon having embezzled a million dollars, don't tell your mate Vincent Price if the two of you are in an isolated cabin with a forest fire raging outside. That's what a guy does here and before you know he's full of lead and Vincent is heading for his family home, looking to get a piece of the action. The question is, we know Vincent is a murderous doctor with an unhealthy interest in bats, but does that actually make him The Bat, a serial killer who's also started snooping around the mansion with his clawed hand and mask, scaring the life out of famous crime writer and her sidekick who merely rented the house for a bit of peace.This film is almost giallo-like in the way it plays out. We've got our hat wearing, gloved killer stalking the various characters, and a list of suspects including Vincent, a dodgy butler, a cop and the nephew of the guy who got killed at the start. Throw in a house full of secret rooms and you've got a winner with a surprisingly sharp script, too. As it's a murder mystery type film, I can't say too much about the plot, but The Bat does get his hands on a few victims and not everyone is who they seem.Of course, you can't go wrong with the acting talent here either. Vincent Price is basically Vincent Price, but when was that ever a bad thing? The guy playing the cop, the crime writer, and her sidekick all held up their end well. I give this one a big, steel thumbs up.