The Black Castle (1952) User Reviews

Hugely enjoyable atmospheric thriller.

[hitchcockthelegend · 7/10 · 9 March 2010]

The Black Castle is one of those film's that has found its way into a Boris Karloff collection and is mistakenly expected to be an outright horror movie. Whilst some horror elements exist within Nathan Juran's movie, this really is a multi genre piece that's tightly produced and effectively portrayed. Joining Karloff, in what is a small but critical role, are Richard Greene, Stephen McNally, Lon Chaney Jr, Rita Corday, John Hoyt & Michael Pate. It's produced, unsurprisingly, out of Universal International Pictures. The plot sees Greene's English gentleman travel to the castle home of the sinister Count von Bruno {McNally}. He's following an investigation into the disappearance of two friends, an investigation that is fraught with danger and surprise at every turn.

This has everything that fans of the old dark house/castle sub-genre could wish for. Genuine good and bad guys, a fair maiden, dark corners for doing dark deeds, devilish traps, ticking clock finale and we even get a good old fashioned bit of swashbuckling into the bargain. The cast are all turning in effective performances, particularly Greene and the wonderfully sneering McNally. Whilst Jerry Sackheim's writing is lean and devoid of the pointless filler that has so often bogged down similar film's of this ilk. A very recommended film on proviso that Karloff fans understand it's not really a Karloff movie, and perhaps more importantly, that horror fans don't expect blood letting to be the order of the day. A fine atmospheric story with a sense of dread throughout, The Black Castle is a fine viewing experience. 7/10

A mad count who loves the hunt, a stalwart hero, a tremulous heroine...no, it's not The Most Dangerous Game

[Terrell-4 · 7/10 · 31 January 2008]

The best thing -- and that's pretty good -- about The Black Castle is that it's a black-and- white Forties' Gothic grabber featuring a murderous mad count which was somehow made in 1952. The star ostensibly is the British actor Richard Greene, a capable leading man who reminds me of an earlier version of Roger Moore. The villain is a mad count played by Stephen McNally, who does a credible job except when he's called on to laugh maniacally. Skulking around in the shadows is a long-gowned Boris Karloff in a decidedly secondary role of an aged doctor who may or may not be the salvation of our hero.

It's the middle of the 18th Century in Austria and Sir Ronald Burton (Greene) is determined to find out what happened to two close friends. They disappeared in the vicinity of the castle belonging to Count Karl von Bruno (McNally), deep in the Black Forest. It seems that Sir Ronald and his friends had been instrumental in defeating a brutal plan of von Bruno's in Africa three years previously involving slavery and ivory. The Count was left not only with failure, but with a scar on his face and a black patch he now wears to cover a ruined eye. von Bruno vowed revenge, and it seems he might have been partially successful. So under a false name, Sir Ronald arranges for a hunting invitation from the Count, and off we go by carriage through a dark journey of storm and howling wolves to the Count's castle. It's a hulking mass of stone turrets and corridors, shadowy stairways, huge fireplaces...and creepy passages that lead to dank dungeon cells, a torture chamber and a great pit filled with snapping, thrashing crocodiles. It also is filled by the Count's lovely, blond, sensitive wife, Elga (Paula Corday, who sometimes is billed as Rita Corday), and by the Count's two close friends played by those two actors we know from the Fifties who specialized in being slime in costume, John Hoyt and Michael Ansara. There is a dangerous leopard hunt, forbidden kisses, knuckling servants, wooden signs creaking and swaying in the cold wind and poison in a cup. Not the least, Doctor Meissen (Karloff) has a special vial filled with a drug which will so slow the bodily functions that death will seem to have occurred. The risk is that...well, when the person awakes ten hours later, he'd better hope he's not already nailed shut in his coffin.

Surprisingly, for all the clichés, The Black Castle keeps moving merrily along. The movie takes itself seriously, but it's competently enough made to keep our interest, even if we wind up sitting back with a smile while we watch. It's even reassuring in a way to realize there are strong echoes of The Most Dangerous Game. When Burton realizes just how crazy von Bruno is, he becomes even more determined to bring von Bruno to accounts. And, naturally, he has fallen for Elga. von Bruno, crazed by vengeance yet crafty and capable, is a man who loves the hunt and is engorged by the kill. Hollywood's second creative rule has always been, "If you're going to steal, steal from the best." It's first creative rule, of course, is "If you're going to steal, steal from the best and then turn it into liverwurst." The Black Castle is a nice bite of Austrian braunschweiger.

Compelling Gothic horror/drama

[Coventry · 6/10 · 11 December 2006]

It's strange that I keep on discovering movies in which Boris Karloff actually plays the GOOD guy! The man will always be an icon of horror-cinema, of course, but I used to think he exclusively portrayed monsters, mad scientists and psychopaths. Here in this forgotten 50's Goth epic, Karloff stars as the noble and honorable resident doctor of an Austrian castle community of which the owner – Count Von Bruno – is the only true sadist and murderer! Sir Ronal Burton arrives at the castle to search for his two missing friends, of which he believes Von Bruno captured and killed them, and eventually relies on Karloff's character Meissen to save him. Von Bruno is a real villain who enjoys barbaric hunting games and holds an impressive collection of torture devices in his dungeon. Burton falls in love with his repressed wife Elga and when he's unmasked as Von Bruno's ancient nemesis, they're both locked up in the cellar. The script of "The Black Castle" is rather complex, but well constructed and rich on topics that fans of vintage Gothic cinema will certainly appreciate. The atmosphere in the extended hunting game sequences reminded me a bit of "The Most Dangerous Game" and the set pieces inside the castle looked genuinely sinister. There are more than enough sub plots and twisted supportive characters to keep the film compelling despite the lack of gruesome horror situations and make-up effects. The cast features another familiar horror face, Lon Chaney Jr., but he and Karloff sadly don't get enough screen time to list "The Black Castle" among their most memorable achievements in acting. This was the debut feature of the respectable director Nathan Juran, who went on making fun & undemanding Sci-Fi/horror flicks like "The Deadly Mantis", "20 Million Miles to Earth" and "The Brain from Planet Arous".

Gothic thrills

[dbdumonteil · 11 February 2010]

The writer drew on famous sources :Edgar Poe ("buried alive") and Shakespeare ("Romeo and Juliet").The beginning is quite scary and the interest is sustained till the end.The screenplay is certainly smarter than the average horror flick.Boris Karloff is the stand-out ,even if he is not really the scariest thing of the movie.The castle in question is full of traps,dark dungeons and crocodiles pit (which makes sense ,for the story really begins in Africa).The countess and the hero make a good romantic couple inside the gloomy walls of her husband's desirable mansion.The leopard hunting is also a very exciting moment.Very entertaining and a must for Gothic horror buffs.

Nifty Little Murder Mystery

[sddavis63 · 7/10 · 25 March 2007]

When I saw Lon Chaney, Jr. and Boris Karloff in the cast, I was expecting to find a typically "schlocky" 1950's style horror movie. The opening scene (a graveyard with a wolf howling in the background) seemed to confirm this. Once I began watching it, though, what I discovered was a nifty little mystery about an Englishman (Richard Green) seeking to discover what had happened to two of his friends who had disappeared in the Black Forest and, if necessary, to take revenge against the evil Count (Stephen McNally) who ruled the territory. Chaney, as the voiceless Gargon, had a rather limited role (one which reminded me of the Hunchback of Notre Dame, actually) while Karloff had a somewhat more substantial role as Dr. Meissen. In fact, Meissen was one of the more interesting characters in the movie, and it was difficult to know until the very end whether he would be established to be a good guy or a bad guy! The castle set was magnificent, and even the limited depiction of the Black Forest was real enough. It certainly didn't come across as low-budget, compared to other movies I've seen anyway. The only disappointment, I thought, was Rita Corday's performance as the Countess. She seemed somewhat dry and didn't seem to put much passion into the role.

That aside, I found that this movie held my attention throughout, and there was enough suspense about how this was all going to turn out to make it well worth the watching. Definitely recommended, with a 7/10 rating.

Solid and enjoyable.

[Hey_Sweden · 7/10 · 22 January 2015]

Richard Greene plays British nobleman Sir Ronald Burton, a man intent on proving that an evil Austrian count, Karl von Bruno (Stephen McNally), was the person responsible for murdering two of his friends. So he travels to the Counts' domain, the Black Castle of the title, under an alias, enjoying the Counts' hospitality, as well as participating in a leopard hunt. Along the way he falls in love with von Brunos' beautiful young wife, Elga (Rita Corday).

Greene is an effective hero, and Corday is absolutely lovely. There are lots of impressive supporting performances here, by John Hoyt and Michael Pate as two associates of our villainous Count, Tudor Owen as Burtons' travelling companion Romley, and especially Henry Corden as Fender the servant. Greene, as handsome and stoic as he is, still can't compete with the entertaining theatrics of one eyed McNally, who's fun to watch. Lon Chaney Jr. is kind of wasted in a thankless role as a nearly mute thug. Boris Karloff does his usual delightful work as a distraught doctor who joins the heroes' cause, although his fans should be aware that this isn't really a Boris vehicle. His role, too, is a supporting one.

There's a fair bit to enjoy here, in particular that leopard hunt, which is very atmospheric and is the best part of the movie. Nathan Juran directs, with his typical efficiency. The story, concocted by Jerry Sackheim, is a rather straightforward one and also an agreeable one. You gotta love von Bruno for having a castle with such standard features as booby traps and an alligator pit.

All in all, this isn't a great Universal-International production, but it is a good one.

Seven out of 10.

Seen on Pittsburgh's Chiller Theater in 1973

[kevinolzak · 7/10 · 1 June 2011]

1952's "The Black Castle" was a followup to the prior season's "The Strange Door," Universal Gothics preceding the studio's switch to science fiction with 1953's "It Came from Outer Space." The opening credits roll in front of the miniature castle seen in "The Ghost of Frankenstein," with familiar musical cues from "The Wolf Man," "Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man," "House of Frankenstein," even "Son of Frankenstein." Charles Laughton enjoyed a field day in "The Strange Door," which focused on the villains, while this slightly lesser feature (both scripted by Jerry Sackheim) centers on the heroic Englishman Sir Ronald Burton (Richard Greene), who journeys to The Black Forest and the domain of Count Karl Von Bruno (Stephen McNally), a former adversary in Africa, who had set himself up as a god with the local natives, only to be driven out after encountering Sir Ronald's forces, losing his right eye in the process. Burton is certain that two trusted allies were victims of the sadistic Von Bruno, whose lovely Countess (Paula Corday, "The Body Snatcher") takes a shine to the newcomer (soon to play Robin Hood on British television), who demonstrates his swordsmanship in a brief encounter with Michael Pate and John Hoyt, as henchmen of the Count. This castle comes with a dungeon, a black leopard, a pit full of alligators, and a coffin containing the skeleton of the wicked Count's first wife. Lon Chaney gets a stirring entrance but little screen time as Gargon, the Count's hulking mute caretaker, whose tongue was ripped out by the angry natives, while Boris Karloff also gets shortchanged in the small role of Dr. Meissen, physician to the Count but devoted to the Countess. He at least sets up the climax, the lovers taking a page out of Shakespeare by swallowing a potion that simulates death, delighting the villains who congratulate the doctor for allowing such a fitting demise for their enemies (buried alive). Together for the second time (after 1944's "House of Frankenstein"), Karloff and Chaney would be reunited once more, in the ROUTE 66 episode "Lizard's Leg and Owlet's Wing." Stephen McNally has fewer opportunities to shine than Charles Laughton, but rises to the occasion once faced with Burton's true identity. Michael Pate enjoys more screen time than he had in "The Strange Door," and would work with John Hoyt again in 1959's "Curse of the Undead." Like most of Universal's popular 50s catalog, this film aired on Pittsburgh's Chiller Theater four times- Dec 8 1973 (following 1960's "Psycho"), December 21 1974 (preceding 1956's "The Mole People"), June 21 1975 (preceding 1955's "Tarantula"), and March 12 1977 (following 1958's "Monster on the Campus").

"Fortunately there is such a thing as justice"

[hwg1957-102-265704 · 6/10 · 26 April 2020]

Sir Ronald Burton comes to the titular Black Castle belonging to Count Karl von Bruno because he is looking for two friends of his that are missing. It's an entertaining film with mystery, tension, romance and villainy. Richard Greene as Burton gives his patented heroic performance which he is always good at and Stephen McNally snarls nicely as the wicked count. The support cast are fine.

Unfortunately top billed Boris Karloff as Dr. Meissen is hardly in it. Mr. Karloff would have been better as the treacherous Count. Similarly Lon Chaney Jr. has only a small role as Gargon with no dialogue to speak of. The cinematography is excellent though and the detailed sets are top notch so all-in-all a watchable piece of gothic lite.

Solid Gothic potboiler, good fun

[lemon_magic · 7/10 · 5 January 2015]

My first encounter with Richard Greene was in a terrible Jesse Franco movie ('The Castle Of Fu Manchu'), but this little number revised my first terrible impression of him. He's a solid leading man and is reasonably heroic and dashing. (And likable.)

This seemed to be marketed as a Karloff showpiece, but really, Boris has a secondary (if important) role and is on camera maybe 15-25% of the time. Give him credit as a pro's pro and an actor who doesn't put his ego before the good of the film. He's a pleasure to watch, as always.

Decent atmosphere, solid acting all around, and the director keeps things moving along at a brisk clip even in the expository scenes. I wouldn't go out of my way to see it, but if it shows up on a late night feature or as part of a collection, you could do a lot worse.

As long as you don't mind Karloff's rather minor role AND that it's not really a horror story, it's pretty good.

[planktonrules · 6/10 · 10 February 2011]

Whether or not you'll like this movie probably depends a lot on your expectations. If you see that Boris Karloff is in the film and it looks like a horror film, you may well be disappointed. While it is a pretty good film, Karloff's role is rather small and unimpressive. And, while there are Gothic horror elements, I wouldn't consider this exactly a horror film--more of a weird adventure tale and romance.

The film begins with an Englishman (Richard Greene) going one an undercover mission to a weirdo Count (Steven McNally). It seems that a couple of Greene's friends have disappeared and the trail leads to the sadistic Count. This is NOT coincidental, as the missing men as well as Greene had fought with the Count and his troops in Africa and Greene correctly assumes the Count has done something to them for retribution--as he lost the engagement and his eye! Once at the Count's castle for a hunt open to various nobles, it's soon obvious that the Count is a weirdo who likes tormenting things--such as the poor panther he's kept locked up for this hunt. In addition, you notice that the Count likes tormenting his lovely wife. Did Greene get invited there in order to be the Count's next victim? See this one to find out for yourself.

While the acting is good in this film, it was odd that McNally was cast, as he usually played cops or gangsters! His playing a Count in the Austria-Hungarian Empire seemed far-fetched and he had a lovely accent...for a cop or gangster! However, despite this, the direction was good, the sets nice and atmospheric and it had a creepy conclusion worth seeing. Not a great film but quite enjoyable....just not a lot of Karloff and what you generally have is a bit bland.

Disappointing Gothic Horror Programmer!

[bsmith5552 · 5/10 · 11 October 2006]

"The Black Castle" was Universal's final attempt to return to its glory days of the Gothic horror of the 30s and 40s. One would think that with both Boris Karloff and Lon Chaney in the cast, the film would be better. Unfortunately both are relegated to small supporting roles.

Englishman Sir Ronald Burton (Richard Greene) believes his two close friends have been murdered by the evil Count Karl von Bruno (Stephen McNally..complete with eye patch). It seems that Burton and friends were responsible for driving von Bruno from Africa.

Assuming the alias of Richard Beckett, Burton secures an invitation to go to von Bruno's "black castle" for a hunting party. there he plans to gather evidence to show that von Bruno had murdered his two friends. Burton meets von Bruno's wife Elga (Paula Corday) who is trapped in an arranged marriage. The two begin to fall in love.

Dr. Meissen (Karloff), the castle physician is sympathetic to the young couples plight. He goes so far as to murder Count Steiken (John Hoyt) when he overhears Elga and Burton confess their love for each other. Burton leaves the castle with evidence he has discovered but is forced to return when Dr. Meissen informs him that von Bruno has imprisoned Elga. While attempting to rescue her he battles with von Bruno's brutish mute servant Gargon (Chaney) whom he sends into a pool of alligators.

To help the couple escape, Dr. Meissen administers a potion to them that will send them into a death like trance. von Bruno discovers the plot and....................

It's a shame that Karloff and Chaney had to suffer the humiliation of being cast in such menial roles. Both had saved the studio at different times. Karloff with his "Frankenstein" roles in the 30s and Chaney with his "Wolfman" in the 40s. For Chaney this I believe, was his final film for Universal. Karloff would make one more with the studio the following year in "Abbott & Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde".

Following this film, Universal would more or less abandon the old style Gothic horror films for the new wave of atomic giant monster films.

Great Karloff Classic Film

[whpratt1 · 10/10 · 22 May 2005]

All Boris Karloff fans will love this classic film, where Karloff is the castle physician and gives his patients excellent attention. Sir Ronald Burton,(Richard Greene), an eighteenth-century English adventurer, believes his two friends have been murdered by Count Von Bruno,(Stephen McNally) on his Black Forest estate. Arriving at Von Bruno's castle to accumulate evidence, Burton learns Von Bruno's unhappy wife Elga (Paula Corday),. and Dr. Meissen(Boris Karloff), the castle physician, are virtual prisoners. Suspecting Burton's motives, Von Bruno and Gargon (Lon Chaney Jr., ) a giant, mute scarred henchman, discover the Englishman was responsible for their being captured and tortured. You will definitely have to view this great Classic Karloff Film to enjoy the ending.

Grim and dark chiller in which a dashing adventurer confronts a sinister count

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 11 September 2020]

In 18th Century a man called Richard Beckett (Richard Greene) is invited by a nasty callous nobleman (Stephen MacNally) whose guests tend to disappear after a visit . This happens to two of Richard Greene's friends and then he decides to find out , by investigating into the ¨Black Castle¨ the rare disappearance of two of his friends who were the guests of the sinister Austrian count . This nefarious aristocrat holds his lovely wife (Paula Corday) against his will along with a goodie doctor (Boris Karloff). Terror Stalks Its Turreted Battlements... and Horror Crawls the Catacombs Beneath! This is the Night that Horror Walks on Two Feet!

Decent chiller but not enough horror movie , the film is acceptable , though sometimes being uninspired and melodramatic . In fact, more than a terror movie this one results to be a cloak and dagger thriller . The cast is pretty good , stars Richard Greene who starred a lot of adventures , he is every bit , here as a dashing and brave hero taking off an extemely villain role performed by Stephen MacNally who is nice as the evil Austrian nobleman displaying a high old time while roaming the catatombs of his cavernous castle with plenty of wild animals and crocs at the basement . The gorgeous Paula Corday is the heroine in distress , this little known actress began his short career in such movies as ¨The Body Snatchers¨also with Boris Karloff . However, here Karloff doesn't delivers the goods , and he doesn't have enough to do , it turns out to be strange to find him as a good guy . Other notorious secondareis appearing are the following ones : Lon Chaney Jr as the hulking bodyguard dispensing the scowls and the sneers , being his last horror film for Universal , Tudor Owen as a faithful servant , the regular cutthroat Michael Pate and the eternal secondary John Hoyt.

Special mention for the atmospheric cinematography in black and white by Irving Glassberg, including usual sets that show up in hundreds of Universal films , in fact it was utterly shot in studios : Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza , Universal City, California. The motion picture was well directed by Nathan Juran for Universal Pictures and it was Nominee Saturn Award Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Film. Juran was a notorious art director winning an Oscar for art direction on How green was my valley by John Ford . Then , he turned to directing in the the Fifties. Juran handled mostly low-budget Westerns and oaters such as : Law and order , Gunsmoke, Tumbleweed, as well as Sci-Fi opuses , his most famous were Attack of the 50 foot woman 1958 , The brain of the planet Arous , The deadly mantis, 20 million miles to earth . On the other hand he was also responsible for great fantasy adventures as The 7th voyage of sinbad, Jack the giant killer , 1958 . In the early Sixties he travelled Europe where he made Spaghetti Western as Land raiders . Furthermore , he directed a lot of episodes of popular TV series as Daniel Boone , Lost in space , Land of giants , Voyage to the bottom of the sea , A man called Shenandoah , The three musketeers , World of giants, among others . Rating , 6.5/10 . Better than average . The movie will appeal to weird fans and chiller aficionados .

Gothic Drama.

[AaronCapenBanner · 5/10 · 22 October 2013]

Richard Greene plays Sir Ronald Burton, who goes to the "black castle" of evil Count Karl Von Bruno(played by Stephen McNally) whom he suspects of murdering his two friends. He meets the Count's attractive wife Elga, who had been forced to marry him. Naturally, they fall in love, and are aided by Dr. Meissen(played by Boris Karloff) who does all he can to help, but they are found out, leading them to take drastic actions... Lon Chaney Jr. costars as hulking servant Gargon, who tends to a pit of alligators in the Count's dungeons. Mediocre film quite similar to "The Strange Door", which also wasted Karloff in a small role, and likewise may make a suitable double-feature on a rainy day, but that's all.

Boris In The Backseat

[ferbs54 · 27 October 2011]

In the 1951 Gothic melodrama "The Strange Door," Boris Karloff played a subsidiary role, that of Voltan, the hulking manservant of the wicked Squire de Maletroit (Charles Laughton, in a deliciously evil performance). In his next film, 1952's "The Black Castle," another Gothic melodrama with horror trappings, Karloff again took a backseat, playing another grotesque servant to a wicked castle owner. In the latter film, Boris plays a medical man named Dr. Meissen, a retainer of the castle's eye-patched owner, the Count Karl von Bruno (played with relish by Stephen McNally), deep in the Black Forest. To this gloomy abode (in what appears to be the late 18th century) comes a handsome Englishman, Sir Ronald Burton (hunky Richard Greene), purportedly to go hunting on the count's estate, but in actuality seeking two comrades who he believes the count had murdered. And Sir Ronald certainly does find a lot more than he'd been looking for, in this surprisingly well-done little film.

"The Black Castle" throws quite a bit into its brief 82 minutes to ensure a good time. It is well acted by its entire cast (McNally makes for an excellent, hissable villain, although he does not seem especially Germanic; Greene is quite dashing and likable; Paula Corday is quite fetching as the count's miserably downtrodden wife) and features some striking B&W photography. Director Nathan Juran--who, later that decade, would endear himself to psychotronic-film fans by helming such wonderful entertainments as "20 Million Miles to Earth," "The Brain From Planet Arous" and the camp classic "Attack of the 50 Foot Woman"--utilizes interesting camera angles to give his film an off-kilter look, and his use of light and shadow is masterly. For a "B picture," the film looks terrific, and, like "The Strange Door," features an extremely exciting and suspenseful windup. As for those above-mentioned horror trappings, they are there in both the presences of Karloff AND Lon Chaney, Jr. (here playing Gargon, a shambling mute, and sadly underused), as well as the inclusion of an eerie leopard hunt, a dungeon filled with hungry alligators, a drug that simulates death, and a double premature burial...not to mention some nifty swordplay and assorted murders. Truth to tell, I really did enjoy this picture, and cannot understand why the "Maltin Classic Movie Guide" terms it "uninspired," or why even my beloved "Psychotronic Encyclopedia of Film" calls it "tame, dull Gothic horror." The film is hardly tame, never dull, and features some truly inspired action scenes and situations. Or maybe I'm just easier to please than some others. True, when compared to several of Boris' other "black pictures"--such as 1934's "The Black Cat," 1935's "The Black Room" and 1963's "Black Sabbath"--the picture comes off second best, but those others are bona fide horror classics. "The Black Castle" is not in that rarefied league (how many horror films are?) but remains a memorable and exciting chiller/thriller nevertheless. It is highly recommended to all genre buffs!

THE BLACK CASTLE (Nathan Juran, 1952) **1/2

[Bunuel1976 · 6/10 · 29 October 2006]

This is a watchable and entertaining, but also contrived and predictable, Gothic melodrama; an atmospheric low-budget production with the castle set especially notable, of course - with its dark, cobwebbed dungeons and handy crocodile-pit. Still, as soon as the Universal-International logo came on, I had to smile - the all-too-familiar main theme of THE WOLF MAN (1941) is heard on the soundtrack (were they honoring Lon Chaney Jr.?)!

The cast list looks impressive on paper but on-screen it's a different thing altogether: Richard Greene is too cheerful a leading man under the circumstances; Stephen McNally a ripe enough villain (though, clearly, no match for Charles Laughton in THE STRANGE DOOR [1951]); Paula Corday makes a lovely damsel-in-distress; Michael Pate and John Hoyt appear as McNally's grinning, leering henchmen (the former practically repeats his role from THE STRANGE DOOR - is that typecasting or what?); but the worst-off are the two 'horror' stars, who had brought in so much money for the studio back in the day: Boris Karloff spends the first half lurking about the place doing nothing of consequence and only comes to the fore towards the end, while Chaney is even more wasted by essaying the giant/mute/dim-witted/brutish 'caretaker' part (or, to be exact, keeper of the dungeons) - how quickly he slid after ABBOTT & COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN (1948)!!

The villain's obsession with hunting recalls the Count Zaroff of THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME (1932) and - though I can't be certain about this - I also feel that the scriptwriter was partly inspired by J. Sheridan LeFanu's "The Room In The Dragon Volant": not only does Greene hide under the identity of one Richard Beckett (as the hero of that short story is called) but he 'cheats' death - with Karloff's help - in the exact same manner (though LeFanu has the villains administer the drug to the hero in order to get rid of him)!; incidentally, I had read the story some years back and loved it so much that I even wrote (with my twin brother) a screenplay adaptation of it!!

Lukewarm horror/adventure hybrid

[Leofwine_draca · 6/10 · 8 December 2020]

THE BLACK CASTLE is a late-stage Universal horror flick, although despite some amusing plot ingredients it plays more like a straight adventure yarn. Richard Greene - TV's Robin Hood - and a token blonde head off to stay at a gothic castle, where he has a vendetta with the sinister, one-eyed and apparently urbane owner. What follows is a tale of murder and madness, but those expecting something full-bodied will be disappointed by this film's tame look and feel. On the plus side, the acting is pretty good, and there are two horror titans in the cast, but both are wasted in nothing parts. Lon Chaney Jr. has what amounts to a cameo at most as hulking mute manservant, while Boris Karloff gets more screen time as a genial doctor, but more should have been made of their presence.

A most unofficial mission

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 16 January 2015]

In a story set in the Black Forest of 18th century Germany Richard Greene is entrusted with a most unofficial mission by his government. Two friends of his and people of some standing disappeared in the Black Forest while guests of one eye Count Stephen McNally.

McNally is a power unto himself in his region and unless there is tangible proof the Holy Roman Emperor will not intervene. When Greene goes to the area he finds McNally every bit as sinister as his reputation which proceeded him.

Boris Karloff is in this film in a role similar to what he played in The Strange Door, a retainer of McNally the way he was with Charles Laughton in another film. He's a doctor in this one.

Though Karloff is the biggest name here, the conflict in the film is between McNally and Greene. McNally is both shrewd and cruel and as high and mighty as any member of the nobility of that time was. Perks without responsibility is his motto.

Good thing that Richard Greene got to the small screen. He was backup Tyrone Power over at 20th Century Fox and never rose to the ranks of top stardom. His years as Robin Hood on television finally made him a first class star.

The Black Castle will have enough Karloff to satisfy his fans, but this one is a good and evil story and the opposites are rarely as spelled out as they are in The Black Castle.

Lesser Talked About Universal Classic

[Reviews_of_the_Dead · 6/10 · 22 March 2023]

This is a movie that I discovered thanks to Letterboxd when searching for ones that were from 1952 and horror. What I didn't realize until settling in was that this featured Boris Karloff and Lon Chaney Jr. As well as being a lesser talked about Universal film. This would be one of the last ones to come out from my understanding. I was quite intrigued to see what we would get here.

Synopsis: man investigates the disappearance of two of his friends who were the guests of a sinister Austrian count.

To give a bit more of information from the synopsis, the man who heads to Austria on invitation to hunt is Sir Ronald Burton (Richard Greene). He assumes the name of Richard Beckett. What we learn is that he was stationed in Africa and it is there he met Count Karl von Bruno (Stephen McNally). The two didn't meet, but I take it their soldiers fought a battle. Richard is going to his castle in the Black Forest to go on a hunt. Accompanying him is his servant, Romley (Tudor Owen).

They head out with this information as well as the name 'The Green Man'. This turns out to be a tavern. They are brought there by the count's coachmen. It is at this place they draw the attention of two friends to Count von Bruno, Count Steiken (John Hoyt) and Count Ernst von Melcher (Michael Pate). A fight ensues with Richard besting them both. Romley points out that he should hide his ring as that could give him away.

This duo then goes to the castle and meets with Count von Bruno. He is an arrogant man that enjoys pushing buttons. He is married to Countess Elga (Rita Corday). There doesn't seem to be much love there as Count von Bruno is counting a Therese Von Wilk (Nancy Valentine). Richard is smitten with the countess. This uneasy visit turns deadly when they hunt a leopard from Africa. Count von Bruno rigs it to hunt with Richard. This is just the start of an uneasy friendship that hinges on hiding the truth.

That is where I'm going to leave my recap as this doesn't have the deepest story. Where I want to start is that I was shocked to see that this was a Universal movie. It is more that I just never heard of it until now. What hurts it is that it came so late in their run and doesn't necessarily do anything new. I don't mean to say that as a negative, but I believe that is why it fell into obscurity.

Where I want to start is delving a bit more into our set up. What I find interesting here is that this movie shines a bad light on these European powers. There is legit imperialism as to how Ronald knows Count von Bruno. They both were stationed there for their specific country in Africa and went against each other. Hearing this made me pause since around the time this was made, I'm sure there were sentiments about hating these powers for doing what they were on foreign soil, but I do not know how outspoken they were aside from those being oppressed.

Then going from there, I want to shift over to our villain as I think he is the more interesting character. Count von Bruno is ruthless. He feels like Prospero from The Masque of the Red Death, just toned down for the 1950s. He is a man who likes to partake in pleasures. This could be from importing a leopard and hunting it in the Black Forest. He is married to the beautiful Countess Elga but wants Therese. He is jaded due to his first wife passing away. That does make him a bit sympathetic, but not much. There is a torture chamber in the castle as well. I do wish they did a bit more with it there. This feels like a movie that just came out a bit before the times to make it more effective. I'll give credit to McNally for his portrayal as the count.

With that fleshed out, let me go over to our heroes. I don't want you to think that Greene does a bad job or that Ronald aka Richard is a bad character. The problem that I had was that it is generic. He feels like the golden boy who is there to do the right thing. He does fall for the countess and flirts with her. She is neglected though so it is fine. I also don't blame her. This just came out in an era where our hero needs to be as close to perfect as possible without depth. He puts his life on the line, but it feels more like he supposed to.

Where I want to go then would be to the acting. I'd said my piece on Green and McNally. What is wild are the best actors are minor characters. Karloff is Dr. Meissen who works for Count von Bruno. He wants to help Ronald and Elga to escape. The other is Chaney who is Gargon. This character is a bit of a hunchback who is used a lackey for the count. They both just take over the scene when they're on screen. Hoyt and Pate are good villains. Valentine is attractive in her minor role. I'd say other than that, Owen, Henry Corden, Otto Waldis and the rest of the cast are fine to round this out for what was needed.

The last thing to then to go into would be with the filmmaking. This is shot well. They don't do anything out of the ordinary with the cinematography though. The setting is interesting with this castle. There are elements of 'Old Dark House' films, but they don't utilize it enough for my liking. We don't get a lot in the way of effects, but it also isn't that type of movie. The soundtrack also fits for what was needed without standing out.

In conclusion, this movie is fine. It comes out late in the classic Universal run and doesn't do much to set itself apart. I think that is why it is forgotten. It also comes out too early to go farther enough with elements like the torture chamber properly. We get a solid villain with Count von Bruno. The best performances are the side characters played by Karloff and Chaney. This is just a solid movie. It doesn't do enough though and becomes a bit forgotten to me. I would still recommend it, if you enjoy older cinema, especially the Universal classics.

My Rating: 6 out of 10.

Sometimes your friends are too hard to find.

[michaelRokeefe · 7/10 · 20 February 2017]

A Universal-International classic starring Richard Greene as Sir Ronald Burton, who is searching for two of his friends at the rambling Austrian estate of Count von Bruno (Stephen McNally), who hides the fact he is displeased with the British government for setting natives against him in colonial Africa. Burton fears that his friends are victims of Bruno, who is obviously planning something dark for Burton. Count Bruno's henchmen stand in the way of the daring Burton, who wants to runaway with nonetheless, the Countess Elga von Bruno (Paula Corday).

A costume drama directed by Nathan H. Juran. Released in Sweden ten days before its American debut, Christmas 1952. Kudos for cinematography by Irving Glassberg. The very talented cast also features: Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney, Jr., Michael Pate, John Hoyt, Tudor Owen and Nancy Valentine.

The Black Panther....

[simeon_flake · 7/10 · 16 February 2020]

Boris Karloff and Lon Chaney Jr., together again in a Universal programmer, hooking in the matinee audiences & the modern day viewer like me. Of course, both roles by the legends are rather small compared to the real principles, Richard Greene, Paula Corday and Stephen McNally.

But--given that the 3 main characters are fleshed out well & the lead couple is very likable, I found myself engaged throughout. "The Black Castle" is a good film with much to offer, even if someone was just watching for the presence of the venerable horror stars....

Seen It All Before

[boblipton · 4/10 · 1 October 2023]

Richard Greene wonders what happened to cause two of his friends to disappear, so he gets himself invited to one-eyed Stephen McNally's castle for a leopard hunt to see if that's who done them in. He also falls in love with McNally's beautiful wife, Paula Corday and she with him. With the aid of doctor Boris Karloff can they wreak revenge, or will the increasingly unhinged McNally do them all in?

The story is a mishmosh of all sorts of thriller elements, with a pit full of crocodiles under an Alpine castle, drugs that cause lovers to fall into a deathlike torpor, and McNally cackling to beat the band by the end, besides the leopard of course. Irving Glassberg's cinematography is quite lovely roving over the Universal store room in the horror section, but the undistinguished Nathan Juran can't direct his cast out of the derivative script. With Lon Chaney Jr, Michael Pate, and Tudor Owen.

Excellent Movie

[claudio_carvalho · 9/10 · 13 May 2005]

The British noble Sir Ronald Burton (Richard Greene) decides to search his two best friends that have disappeared after visiting Count Karl von Bruno (Stephen MaNally), an evil and powerful man who lives in the Black Castle. Sir Burton travels undercover with another identity, since he fought against Count von Bruno in Afrika with his two missing friends and the count lost one eye in a battle. When he arrives in the castle, he is invited to hunt in the Black Forest around the castle with the count,.while he looks for evidences that the count has killed his friends. Later, he and the count's wife, Countess Elga von Bruno (Rita Corday), fall in love for each other and with the support of Dr. Meissen (Boris Karloff), Sir Burton and the countess try to escape from the claws of Count von Bruno. "The Black Castle" is an excellent movie from a romantic time, with action, romance, mystery and even horror. The story is gripping, and is a great entertainment for any audience. My vote is nine.

Title (Brazil): "O Castelo do Pavor" ("The Castle of the Fear")

"To get out of here you must be . . . dead . . . "

[boscofl · 7/10 · 21 October 2022]

Before fully indulging in the science fiction craze of the 1950s Universal-International took one last stab at gothic horror with The Black Castle. The film is a treat for fans of that beloved genre as it recycles familiar musical cues, presents a scenery-chewing villain, and features two terror icons, Boris Karloff and Lon Chaney, in supporting roles. While not breaking new ground it delivers on the familiar tropes of the genre and should keep a viewer glued to the screen for its 82 minutes.

Set in the eighteenth century Black Forest the film begins ominously on the grounds of a windswept castle where two apparently dead people, Sir Ronald Burton (Richard Greene) and Countess Elga von Bruno (Paula Corday) are about to be nailed inside their coffins. However, they are merely in some sort of catatonic state and prepared to be buried alive. In a flashback we learn Sir Ronald had been invited to the mysterious castle by Count von Bruno (Stephen McNally), a sadistic nobleman whom Sir Ronald believes murdered his two friends. Under the guise of Richard Beckett he hopes to find evidence of this crime while not arousing von Bruno's suspicions as to his true motives. Sir Ronald encounters an assortment of menacing folks including Counts Steiken and von Melcher (John Hoyt and Michael Pate), von Bruno's hulking mute manservant Gargon (Lon Chaney), and the mysterious Dr. Meissen (Boris Karloff). While attempting to steer clear of these guys he falls for von Bruno's charming wife Elga who is a virtual prisoner of the Count. Pretty soon Sir Ronald discovers proof his deceased friends were in the castle but before he can act on this knowledge he is found out by von Bruno and imprisoned. Fortunately he has a surprise ally among von Bruno's inner circle . . .

The Black Castle is a straight-forward tale with an "everything but the kitchen sink" mentality containing elements of horror, romance, action, suspense, and mystery. The hero is the vehicle that transports us through the story; as written Sir Ronald is impossibly charming, witty, noble, and intrepid as he combats some pretty dastardly villains. Count von Bruno is a bloodthirsty and decadent host who runs his province to suit his whims and surrounds himself with morally bankrupt cohorts. With such a strong premise of good vs evil established the film is further stuffed with some entertaining set pieces including a sword fight, a leopard hunt, and a suspenseful race-against-the-clock finale. The title structure is a richly depicted devil's playground with its own crypt, a dungeon complete with torture devices, and an alligator pit.

Director Nathan Juron is given the keys to an unholy kingdom by the studio and manages to juggle all the elements effectively. He encourages full blooded performances from his cast to augment all the familiar trappings of a standard Universal horror film: foreboding location, claps of thunder, howling winds, and a potpourri of stock musical cues. Fans will recognize snippets from The Wolf Man, Ghost of Frankenstein, and especially House of Frankenstein among many others that give the film a 1940s feel.

Topping the cast is Richard Greene who serves as a discount Errol Flynn with a splash of James Bond as he tosses off quips to diffuse dangerous situations and coldly seduces Elga for his own ends until his conscience gets the better of him (which, curiously enough, nearly costs them their lives). Greene is certainly acceptable in the role and transitions satisfactorily from charming rogue to savvy detective. Stephen McNally delivers a ferocious performance as the savage Count von Bruno; he is convincingly cordial when required to be but cracks in that facade are always present until he plunges into complete lunacy by the end. McNally carries the film and when he goes over-the-top the narrative is all the better for it. As his timid wife Paula Corday makes herself both sympathetic and desirable while Michael Pate is despicable as von Bruno's main parasite von Melcher. In fact, when viewing their relationship through a modern lense one could easily interpret homosexual undertones. Other performers of note in smaller roles are Tudor Owen as Sir Ronald's faithful manservant Romley and Henry Corden as Fender.

As far as iconic horror stars Boris Karloff and Lon Chaney go, neither receive adequate screen time and are sadly underused. Chaney in particular is wasted as Gargon, a role that could have been played by anyone and is superfluous to the story. Reduced to portraying a menacing mute character Lon lumbers around (usually accompanied by the Monster theme from Ghost of Frankenstein) and does McNally's bidding including possibly raping Miss Corday in an unsettling scene. Karloff fairs better as Meissen while ultimately being integral to the plot. He does have a particularly effective moment when he is examining the fallen body of Count Steiken: unbeknownst to everyone he is responsible for the man's death which he conveys by a sly smile only the audience is privy to.

The Black Castle is a nice bit of nostalgia for a genre that was receding into memory by 1952 while sci-fi began to take center stage. The film is immensely entertaining with much to recommend; particularly the performance of Stephen McNally and the appearances of both Karloff and Chaney who are always welcome additions to any cast. The 1940s horror milieu is effectively recreated by Nathan Juron and one can imagine this film coming out in 1939 with either Karloff or Bela Lugosi dominating the cast as the wicked Count von Bruno. In sum this movie deserves attention from Universal fans.

An embarrassment of hokum.

[mark.waltz · 3/10 · 20 April 2013]

Give a movie character an eye patch, hump, menacing eyes or a thick accent, and you've got the villain du jour, so sinister in his methods and so obviously evil that no human element remains. Stephen McNally is a murderous count, Richard Greene the hero out for justice, and Paula Corday the fragile heroine in the middle. Red herrings played by Boris Karloff and Lon Chaney Jr. (Tor Johnson must have been busy doing Shakespeare) add to the silliness. The only thing missing is Abbott and Costello providing comic relief which is something this film desperately lacks. The only interesting horror twist is a plot development involving premature burial that is wrapped up too easily without comeuppance for the villains in a satisfactory manner. The nadir for me came when they identified an obvious panther as a leopard.