Admittedly, I wasn’t sure if I would be writing anymore the
rest of the month, doting on just watching movies the rest of the way because
most of them I’ve already given significant time to in past Octobers. I might
just use the “make it brief” approach. With
Mark
of the Vampire, I think the conclusion is its bread and butter. Lugosi and
Carroll Borland “getting undressed” or “out of disguise” when Jean Hersholt is
revealed to be the murderer, and that all the “vampire funny business” is but a
ruse could very well displease the Dracula faithful. Lionel Barrymore is not
really my kind of actor, I must admit. He puts a lot on emphasis on dialogue
and puts a lot of jazz on his expression. I felt it especially exaggerated in
this film, but I guess when you appear in
Mark
of the Vampire for MGM, it might call for such a performance. Barrymore is
the Van Helsing of the film while Atwill, a busy character actor all over the
place in the 30s, serves as police inspector. Elizabeth Allan is the Mina, with
Ivan F Simpson her fiancé. Donald Meek, as the local village doc, I know from
Ford’s masterpiece, Stagecoach (1939). Meek, babbling on about vampires, feels
the death of Allan’s father was caused by one, as two pinpricks on the neck resemble
a vampire bite, with blood drained from the body. Barrymore arrives after it
appears Allan is the next to go. The film does give me a good bit of Gothic
jolly with Count Mora (Lugosi) and his daughter, Luna (Borland) inside their
castle, a good imitation Transylvanian abode with plenty of bats, rats,
spiders, and webs. Browning doesn’t let this film get static and MGM afforded
him some luxuries it seems. Production is good and MGM does seem to establish
Lugosi as a star, even if his role is limited. Easily my favorite scene has
Lugosi, in full costume and character, coming towards Leila Bennett (often
bellowing out a scream) with a fiendish look, predatory in approach. Borland’s long
hair, white gown, penetrative stare, and ghost-like walk certainly leave an
impression.
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