Lon Chaney, Jr. was as awful as I remembered. But the ones who steal this show are Robert Paige as Frank Stanley, and Louise Albritton, as Katherine "Kay" Caldwell, sister to Claire, played by Evelyn Ankers, and heiresses to the plantation "Dark Oaks," somewhere in Louisiana, outside of New Orleans.
I told you this film had a bit of "Wuthering Heights" to it, and Frank and Kay are its Heathcliff and Catherine.
Kay inadvertently sets the whole thing in motion. While on vacation in Budapest, she meets the mysterious Count Alucard. Fascinated by all things occult, she invites Alucard, (which is "Dracula" spelled backwards) to come to America to visit, and he takes her up on it.
Now, Kay really loves Frank, but has a bizarre plan. She will seduce and marry Dracula, become his vampire bride, then, with Frank's aid, destroy the Count, transform Frank into a vampire, and they can spend eternity together.
But plans go awry. Frank comprehends the evil and danger of the whole thing. But he goes along with Kay, because she tells him to destroy Dracula--either the stake through the heart, or burning his grave, before he can reach it.
Robert Paige goes about his role like one campaigning for an Oscar. There is an emotional underpinning, especially in his feigned insanity, that raises the role just above the ordinary. As for Albritton, she is stunning.
Having burned Dracula, Frank knows, that, if he truly loves Kay, he must do the same to her, setting her free. And so, out of love, he does.
This was absolutely heartbreaking, and I cried real tears!!!!!!!!!!
Thank God for this plot, and the visuals!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I get that.
ReplyDeleteI would have wept too.
I may be overly emotional, but hey it is better than being cold and unfeeling!!
The world would be a better place if more people were like us!!!
Victoria,
ReplyDeleteThank you for those kind words.
I agree with you; the world would be
a better place!