Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932)

Director:

Robert Florey

Writers:

Edgar Allan Poe (story)
Robert Florey (adaptation)

Release Date:

21 February 1932 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Horror | Mystery

Tagline:

Innocent Beauty - this was her wedding eve. On the wall a shadow . . the beast was at large grinning horribly-cruelly. What was Her Fate ?

Plot:

In 19th Century Paris, the maniacal Dr. Mirakle abducts young women and injects them with ape blood in an attempt to prove ape-human kinship...

Plot Keywords:

Ape | Medical Student | Police | Kidnapping | Morgue

Cast

Sidney Fox	...	Mlle. Camille L'Espanaye
Bela Lugosi	...	Dr. Mirakle
Leon Ames	...	Pierre Dupin (as Leon Waycoff)
Bert Roach	...	Paul
Betty Ross Clarke	...	Mme. L'Espanaye
Brandon Hurst	...	Prefect of Police
D'Arcy Corrigan	...	Morgue Keeper
Noble Johnson	...	Janos The Black One
Arlene Francis	...	Woman of the Streets

Runtime:

61 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Danish | German

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording Sound System)

Certification:

USA:Unrated

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

Among the caricatures drawn on the walls of Dupin's apartment is the likeness of Edgar Allan Poe, who wrote the story the film is based on.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The movie is set in 1845, but Charles Darwin didn't publish his theory of evolution until 1859.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Creature Features: Werewolf of London/Murders in the Rue Morgue (#1.8)" (1970)

Soundtrack:

Romeo and Juliet Overture

Minor but lovely little thing

Loose adaptation from the story by Edgar A. Poe, this little movie deserves a look, less for its today transparent plot (and genetical experiments) than for the great cinematography by Karl Freund within the marvelous sets. Bela Lugosi stuck in the background is more threatening than his ridiculous characterization of Dracula.

Quite funny at times but the storyline fails to be compelling.