"The Body Snatcher" **** (out of ****)
Well, it's October, and just like I did last year, I will continue to review classic horror films throughout the month.
Last year I started things off reviewing Val Lewton and Jacques Tourneur's classic "I Walked with A Zombie" (1943), one of the all time great "B" horror films. I also reviewed the team's other films; "Cat People" (1942), their first film together, and "The Leopard" (1943), their final film. And so again, this year I'll start things off with another Val Lewton production, "The Body Snatcher" (1945).
I'm a big fan of Val Lewton and his films. His works rank among my favorite things to watch. Whenever I'm down and have fallen out of love with cinema, Lewton can restore my faith again. Becoming familiar with his films I feel is the mark of a true film lover. If you haven't seen any of the films he produced you have no idea what kind of joys you are missing out on, and you can't consider yourself a true filmbuff if you aren't willing to explore these films.
Lewton, who was born in what is now the Ukraine, is one of the few producers who is given artistic mention above the director. Directors came and went but Lewton's films always had the same artistic look and feel. Leading many to believe Lewton had a strong hand in the directing of each of these films. His first films with Jacques Tourneur, are often considered his best. Those three films are among the most influential horror films of all time. Lewton's style was to minimize screen violence (can you imagine such a thing done like that today!) and instead play more on our imagination. Lewton's films are always shot in the dark. We see lurking shadows everywhere. And it is from the perspective of shadows we see the violence. I cannot recall a murder actually happening in front of the camera in any of Lewton's films.
After Tourneur left RKO's "B" division, Lewton started working with other filmmakers. I reviewed his "Ghost Ship" (1943) last year, I stated Tourneur's input was clearly missed. Not all the credit belongs to Lewton. Next Lewton started working with Robert Wise. The two worked on three films together; "Mademoiselle Fifi" (1944), the sequel to "Cat People", "The Curse of the Cat People" (1944), which I have also reviewed, and this film, "The Body Snatcher".
Of all the films Lewton made post-Tourneur, I would say "The Body Snatcher" was his greatest artistic achievement, certainly Robert Wise deserves some of the credit for that. "The Body Snatcher" is an excellent example of a genre study in mood and atmosphere. The film is shrouded in darkness creating an eerie feeling. But at the same time also manages to create a great Victorian literary feel to it. The film is based upon Robert Louis Stevenson's short story. Perhaps best known for writing "The Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde". These two elements combined completely enthralled me into the story. Also credit must be given to cinematographer Robert De Grasse, who also shot "The Leopard Man", which had some of the best cinematography in one of Lewton's films. But De Grasse was a highly versatile cinematographer, who also shot the great, Oscar winning Ginger Rogers vehicle "Kitty Folye" (1940).
"The Body Snatcher" tells the story of a well known and respected doctor, Dr. MacFarlane (Henry Daniell, best known for roles in Chaplin's "The Great Dictator" (1940) and "Jane Eyre" (1944), which served as the inspiration for "I Walked with A Zombie" ). Dr. MacFarlane has given up performing surgeries, in order to teach medicine to students. However the doctor complains that he rarely in given the opportunity to demonstrate to his students on actually subjects instead of reading text to them. So, Dr. MacFarlane has employed dubious means to achieve his end. He has hired the services of John Gray (Boris Karloff) to dig up freshly buried bodies for him to study on. This, we learn, has been going on for years, and Gray uses this information on MacFarlane as a form of blackmail.
When we first meet each of these characters, Gray, a cabman, brings Georgia Marsh (Sharyn Moffett) and her mother (Rita Corday) to the doctor. The child is unable to walk after a carriage accident which killed her father and left her crippled. They have been told by countless doctors that the only man who can help them is MacFarlane. But MacFarlane refuses, stating his obligation to his students. However his young assistant, Donald Fettes (Russell Wade) takes pity on the girl and her mother, and urges the doctor to reconsider.
At this point in the film it seems the story will be about a young, innocent, naive man (Fettes) who soon learns the man he admires so much (MacFarlane) is not the hero he thought he was but is inside a tortured soul and a dark past. Of course we have seen that movie before where the student must overcome the teacher. Hitchcock often did similar stories. So that aspect of "The Body Snatcher" may not be the most interesting to viewers. And to be completely honest it really wasn't to me either. But the way Lewton and Wise go about telling the story is interesting and worth your time seeing.
We learn a lot about MacFarlane and his past through whispers here and there. We learn about his association with his maid, Meg (Edith Atwater) and a lurking servant, Joseph (famous Hungarian actor Bela Lugosi). But I won't reveal those secrets here.
"The Body Snatcher" doesn't really have the feel of a "B" movie. It seems much more polished but Lewton still uses his old tricks. Plus with Boris Karloff in the lead, I would imagine the film had a mass appeal. Though, again, I cannot imagine it was made on a large budget.
Most, if not all, movie fans know Karloff for his role in "Frankenstein" (1931) as "The Monster". So with him in this movie, you expect certain traits. You know there is going to be something sinister about his character. Karloff was also in "The Bride of Frankenstein" (1935) which some people even believe was superior to the original. I have reviewed both films on this blog. And he was in "The Mummy" (1932) and appeared in seven films with co-star Bela Lugosi. This was their final film together. Sadly Lugosi's part doesn't amount to much and seems more like a throw away performance.
But the appearance of both men makes the film special since Lugosi is also known to horror fans for his role as "Dracula" (1931), which I have also reviewed, and for a memorable performance as Ygor in "Son of Frankenstein" (1939), which was the basis for the Mel Brooks comedy "Young Frankenstein" (1974).
Karloff and Daniell probably come off looking best among the actors. Both men hold their own. Though it is because of Karloff most people will watch this movie. And it is a memorable performance. I would consider it among his best. Especially when you consider what kind of roles he took on after this, mostly poking fun at his reputation. He appeared in a Roger Corman film, in what was a silly good natured spoof.
Also for a "B" film the screenplay is surprisingly good, written by Philip MacDonald and Carlos Keith (which is actually Lewton himself). Most "B" films have terrible dialogue which does not sound realistic, "The Body Snatcher" doesn't suffer from that.
I would also like to point something out. I'm afraid when I describe Lewton's films as "B" horror films I'm giving readers the wrong impression. When you think "B" movies perhaps you are thinking of Ed Wood type of films. I can assure you Val Lewton's films are nowhere near that quality. These are masterful examples of the power of imagination. These films have artistic merit. If they were really such awful films I probably wouldn't review them and there is no way I would give them the amount of stars I do.
Will "The Body Snatcher" or any of Lewton's films scare you? Probably not. I'm not sure Lewton's films are so much about scares and chills as they are about mood and atmosphere. But they are still fun to watch. And I have to say Robert Wise here really proves himself. I wasn't impressed with his work on "The Curse of the Cat People" but here he seems to have come into his own. He developed more confidence perhaps or it could simply be he and Lewton were working with much better material this time around.
For it's wonderful atmosphere, artistic vision and literary quality "The Body Snatcher" is one of the masterpieces of cinema.
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