Scared to Death (1947)

Today, I thought it would be a fun idea to have a Lugosi week where I revisited a series of films that aren’t exactly the highlights of his career, while also returning to some of his Universal Studios efforts not yet covered this year when in the early months of 2020, before the virus pandemic ran roughshod across the globe, I was committed to classic films, wrapping up final thoughts one last time for the blog. There are a few remaining Lugosi Universal films that I will get to as well as some poverty row quickies. With a nice little four day Memorial Day weekend vacay coming up, I thought why not build to it with some Lugosi flicks? “Scared to Death”, itself, isn’t probably the start many would consider but before Lugosi’s Ed Wood disasters, leaving his legacy either an embarrassment or entertainment depending on the audience, there was this little “whodunit” at the tail end of the 40s. But as 50s arrived, the old horror greats were “shelved” for aliens from outer space in “watch the skies” terror.

I wanted to include my IMDb user comments from 2007 as a sort of reflection of my overtly critical desconstructive style, with bare knuckle descriptions such as “mind-numbing”, “painful”, “hammy”, “overripe”, “atrocious”, and “deadeningly” to throttle “Scared to Death” (1947), a film that really just wishes to cash in on the popular murder mysteries of the written word (and in film) of the time that were popular, utilizing horror actors of the poverty row “circuit” they could afford (in this case, Lugosi and Zucco) to populate the low budget production, set almost exclusively inside Zucco’s sanitarium for the mentally unwell. Zucco seemed verbose and stiff, as if he the material required very little real sincerity and effort…I read he replaced a dying Atwill, which might explain it. Lugosi, who I was also critical of in the 2007 write-up, didn’t bother me at all this go-around. I’ve mellowed A LOT since those days and what would really aggravate my sensibilities even ten years ago doesn’t as much now. Still, “Scared to Death” is not a good film. Its “interludes” when the jarring and awkward “interruptions” of Laura on a slab setting up the next scene or the “death mask” outside the window peering in, complete with loud music cues, as the other characters in the house are looking for Laura or clues to her disappearance (or what or who was targeting her) pop in and out intrusively. Lugosi in “Cinecolor” seems to be the film’s lure. Whether or not Lugosi is a suspect, despite being a too obvious red herring, his magician and hypnotist isn’t beyond making every scene stand out. Lugosi isn’t in the film to just be some dull background extra, so he is indeed flashy as you might expect. He emotes, uses his mannerisms, body language, and tone to muster presence and onscreen “look at me”. Yes, Lugosi allowed his star to “dim” under the darkness of the poverty row thundercloud—he took the money they offered—but he nevertheless made the most of his appearances. He didn’t stiff those who paid them. He didn’t in “Scared to Death”, either. The film’s victim on the slab, Laura, is so wholly unlikeable, keeping her limited to brief scenes where she’s barking at people (why is she being “examined” by Zucco and “kept” at the house? Who is sending her the anatomical head from the locked basement? Where does she go when she vanished from the film? Do we care as long as we don’t have to hear her rip into anyone who even speaks in her direction?). I could see why Zucco and son want her out of their lives, without paying her a dime, and how a relationship from the past (betrayal to the Nazis even, to further add bad juju to Laura’s character) might assist in that offers a rationale at the very end, lending to just why Laura “passed on” when confronted with the error of her ways. Included is “comedy relief” in the form of Raymond, a dunderheaded dope with a well-meaning heart just wanting back on the Homicide squad, in love with the nosy maid who “studies” the mail and cracks wise herself. Zucco’s questionable hiring practices in his security and cleaning staff leaves much to be desired. I have to admit, though, this wasn’t nearly as bad an experience as the 2007 viewing was. A revisit was inevitable as was my response today during this rainy, sleepy Sunday afternoon. It is only 60 minutes and some change. It might be a bit on the dull side for some, but films of this period were paced different anyway. The Cinecolor is an alternative where Lugosi’s face—he does get plenty of close-ups—is enriched by the process, but I always felt he was built for B&W. This does provide an incentive to see it, I guess. 2/5

Laura Van Ee(Molly Lamont)tells us about why she is laying dead on the autopsy room table ready for examination. She's a real piece of work, Laura, as she creates ugly situations with her father-in-law Doc Josef(George Zucco, who gets hit behind the head quite a few times, pretty much his sole purpose in this film)and kind husband Ward(Roland Varno). In arrives estranged cousin hypnotist Leonide(Bela Lugosi)to Josef with a dwarf assistant(Angelo Rossitto)who is a deaf mute who reads lips carefully. What Leonide's main objective is in being at his cousin Josef's house will become clear later on. It seems something has Laura deeply troubled and it has a lot to do with a specific blindfold. Josef, God knows why, has a stupid house cop Bill Raymond(Nat Pendleton, more on this clown later)around to protect and serve. He would rather dose off on cat naps, drink coffee, and flirt with the VERY annoying maid Lilly Beth(Gladys Blake). Then arrives reporter Terry Lee(Douglas Fowley, more on this clown later)and his squeeze, numb-skull Jane(Joyce Compton), all nicely bubbly and idiotic. We spend about an hour or so with this cast of morons as they try to solve some kind of mystery concerning disappearances and hypnotized dames. It's all rather silly, uninteresting, and deadeningly dull.

Truly terrible "thriller" with the type of dialogue that kills brain cells and atrocious acting the burns the eyes' retinas. The narrative device, from flashbacks of the dead woman, is used clumsily. The pounding music cues(particularly when we go in an out to Laura on the slab)are also embarrassing reminders of how incompetent the direction was. The attempts at using nincompoop Raymond, delivered by Pendleton who should've been embarrassed with having to announce such words, as comic relief fall completely flat. Not just Raymond, however, anytime the film tries to implement humor it falls flat to the point where you giggle at the attempts themselves. Lugosi himself is saddled with dialogue such as "Ask me no questions and I'll tell you no lies." Oh, and Fowley as this third-rate Bogie wannabee has dialogue such as "Cut out the mulberry bush routine" & "gumming up the works.". The hammy overacting (especially the female leads, but no one in this cast goes unscathed)might earn this dreck cult status, but I felt that the pacing was so slow and the story itself(especially it's structure)so mind-numbing, the viewer might be rendered comatose far before this flick ends. You'll truly be dumber after the film is over. Even Lugosi and Zucco are overripe. Painful cinema;for masochists only.