HotToastyRag We all know Charles Laughton can play someone likable, and we all know he can play a bad guy-but in The Strange Door he plays both! He's a man driven insane by jealousy and a broken heart, but he's not dark and brooding. He cracks jokes, giggles, and treats everything with a light touch that doesn't overlap into mugging or milking. In the midst of this very dark, creepy story, I found myself laughing every time he was on the screen!Charles lives in a creepy, mysterious house with his niece, Sally Forrest. He arranges for her to marry Richard Wyler, but the pair isn't very willing. Charles is very insistent that his plans get carried out, so he enlists his faithful servant Boris Karloff to help. Poor Boris! Throughout the movie, his only motivation is to be helpful, but he's ordered around by so many different people he gets confused. Despite Charles's humor and Boris's sweetness, this movie isn't really very good. It's not one I'd want to watch over and over again, but if you like old, campy, scary movies, you can rent it.

mark.waltz Not since the barn-storming days of Tod Slaughter (and his series of gruesome, cheap shockers) has there ever been such a creepy villain as Charles Laughton's Sire de Maletroit, a madman keeping his brother (Alan Napier) prisoner and arranging a sham marriage for his niece. This lacks the mustache twirling that made Slaughter's villains such a hoot and was part of Laughton's previous similar role in "Jamaica Inn". Toss in Boris Karloff as a servant, playing both ends against the middle, and you have a plethora of mediocre attempts at chills with a finale reminiscent of 1935's "The Raven".Laughton's "Snidely Whiplash" villain (who laughs like Mutley) seems to have no monetary motivation, just jealousy over the fact that he was in love with the woman his brother married. Karloff's character must be a cat, because he gets shot and stabbed, yet manages to make it through the climax. Then, there's the perennial hero and heroine (Michael Pate and Sally Forrest), thrust together, even though she's originally in love with somebody who is never seen, and he goes from a drunken playboy to noble savior in a flash. At least Universal's famous Gothic sets got some good use, if not their stock writers's imagination.

Woodyanders Cruel and cunning madman Sire Alain de Maletroit (a wonderfully robust and wicked portrayal by Charles Laughton) plots revenge against his younger brother Edmund. Alain forces brash and dashing rascal Denis de Beaulieu (a fine and likable performance by Richard Wyler) to marry his sweet niece Blanche (the fetching and appealing Sally Forrest). Alain's meek browbeaten servant Voltan (the always marvelous Boris Karloff in sturdy form) tries to help Denis and Blanche escape from Voltan's vile clutches. Skillfully directed with real style and energy by Joseph Pevney, with a constant brisk pace, a clever and compelling script by Jerry Sackheim, sharp, witty dialogue, crisp black and white cinematography Irving Glassberg, a few thrilling and well staged action scenes, a spirited score, a tight 81 minute running time, and an extremely tense and harrowing climax, this lively romp overall sizes up as an immensely entertaining picture. Moreover, it's a definite treat to see legendary cinematic giants Laughton and Karloff on screen together (Laughton's deliciously decadent presence in particular certainly keeps the movie humming throughout). There are also sound supporting contributions from William Cottrell as the cynical Corbeau, Paul Cavanaugh as the miserable, imprisoned Edmund, and Michael Pate as Alain's faithful, smoothly slimy butler Talon. A neat little film.

bsmith5552 "The Strange Door" was based on the Robert Louis Stevenson story "The Sire de Maldroit's Door". The film appears to have been an effort by Universal to revive its profitable Gothic horror genre of the 30s and 40s. Unfortunately, the film has the look of a "B" movie and Director Josph Pevney was unable to rein in star Charles Laughton's hammy performance.Alan de Maledroit (Laughton) lures unsuspecting tavern rogue Denis de Beaulieu (Richard Stapely) to his castle after framing for a murder. de Beaulieu enters the castle through the strange door of the title, a door that seems to open and close on its own without benefit of a handle or lock.de Maledroit plans to force the young man to marry his young niece Blanche (Sally Forrest) and by selecting the most reprehensible character he could find, hopes to avenge her mother's rejection of him years earlier. Blanche's mother had died in child birth after marrying her father Edward, Alan's brother. Edward (Paul Cavanaugh) unbeknown st to Blanche, has been imprisoned in Alan's dungeon these many years. Only Edward's loyal servant Voltan (Boris Karloff) remains loyal to him.As luck would have it, the young couple do actually fall in love. The marriage takes place but Denis feigns drunkenly in order to escape the castle with the aid of an old acquaintance Count Grasson (Alan Napier). However, Grasson is murdered and the newly weds are imprisoned in the same dungeon as Edward. Only Voltan stands between the mad de Maletroit and freedom. Can they escape?Had Laughton's performance been controlled by a stronger director, this could have been a much better film. Karloff as usual, is better than his material in a largely supporting role. I can picture him in the de Maledroit role and bringing much more depth and horror to the role. The set pieces evoke memories of Universal's earlier horror successes. The strange door of the title has little to do with the plot other than to trap de Beaulieu in the castle.Others in the cast include William Cottrell as Corbeau, de Maledroit's assistant and Michael Pate as Talon another of de Maledroit's thugs. Laughton and Karloff had first appeared together in "The Old Dark House (1932). Followed by "The Black Castle" (1952) before the studio abandoned Gothic horror for the giant insect cycle.