Michael O'Keefe Reginald Le Borg directs this horror and mystery film from the Inner Sanctum franchise. Professor Norman Reed (Lon Chaney, Jr.) falls in love with a beautiful woman, he meets while on vacation in the South Seas. He returns to his college community to some excitement over his new book and mixed emotions about his exotic new wife Paula (Anne Gwynne). She is given a cool reception, especially from Ilona (Evelyn Ankers), who thought Reed was returning to her. Most of the town is thinking that Paula is a voodoo princess that can conjure supernatural phenomena. Jealousy, death and strange events lend to hardship for the island beauty to adjust to life among vicious suspicions. Is she actually a superstitious witch? A very strong cast also features: Ralph Morgan, Lois Collier, Phil Brown, Harry Hayden, Elisabeth Risdon and Gertrude Astor.

kevin olzak 1944's "Weird Woman" was the second of six 'Inner Sanctum' mysteries, later included in Universal's popular SHOCK! package of classic horror titles issued to television in the late 50s. An improvement on "Calling Dr. Death," based on a real novel, Fritz Leiber's "Conjure Wife," which received its best film adaptation in 1961's British "Burn, Witch, Burn" aka "Night of the Eagle," a far more sober and frightening version. This first take may be a lot more fun however, as Lon Chaney, again cast as a suave 'mental giant' irresistible to women, struggles against more clumsy dialogue and characterization, Prof. Norman Reed's calls for rationality over superstition reducing him in stature to more of a bungler before it's over. As his new bride Paula, a 'superstitious child' he found in the jungle, Anne Gwynne is faced with the most difficult role, using old world charms and medallions to ensure safety for her sadly doubting husband. In a real change of pace, Evelyn Ankers truly sinks her teeth into the role of Ilona Carr, vindictive 'woman scorned,' Norman's former lover, whose offer to continue their affair is rebuffed. Lois Collier, who debuted opposite Chaney in the still unreleased "Cobra Woman," is college student Margaret Mercer, constantly swooning over the prof, until he catches on and throws her out of his office, giving her dimwitted boyfriend (Phil Brown) homicidal ideas to avenge her honor (pity he never thought to ask her what actually happened). Elisabeth Risdon actually has the best female role as the college Dean, tossing off one pithy comment after another on the various foibles of faculty members such as Millard Sawtelle (Ralph Morgan), whose recently published book Ilona discovers to be a work of plagiarism, planting in his head that Reed also knows and plans to blow the whistle on him; the distraught man, fervently driven to succeed by his domineering wife Evelyn (Elizabeth Russell, in her only Universal horror), confesses all before committing suicide, Evelyn pointing the finger of guilt on both Norman and Paula. Appearing in one scene opposite William Hudson (both gossiping students) is Kay Harding, whose brief career included "The Scarlet Claw," "The Mummy's Curse," and "The Woman in Green." Lois Collier followed this film with "Jungle Woman," "The Naughty Nineties," "The Crimson Canary," "The Cat Creeps," and "A Night in Casablanca," later co-starring opposite Kent Taylor on television's BOSTON BLACKIE. Director Reginald Le Borg effectively builds to a surprise climax that leaves every character stunned, Evelyn Ankers remaining the shining jewel among jewels, obviously relishing the opportunity to play a black hearted femme fatale, which she would also do in "The Pearl of Death" and "The Lone Wolf in London." "Weird Woman" only made one appearance on Pittsburgh's Chiller Theater, paired Dec 22 1973 with second feature "The New Invisible Man," a 1958 Mexican remake of Universal's "The Invisible Man Returns."

MartinHafer In the 1940s, Universal Pictures made a nice series of mysteries under the umbrella of "The Inner Sanctum" films. Each starred Lon Chaney, Jr. and were nice little mystery films--especially good since they were B-movies--with a lower budget and pretensions since they were intended as a second film in a double-feature.In this film, Chaney is a Sociology professor who meets a woman on a South Pacific island. Oddly, while everyone there looks Polynesian, she looks like Rita Hayworth's sister--with very white skin and 1940s American style hair! Despite bad casting, the film mostly has to do with Chaney and his bride's life once they return to his university in the States. It's obvious that Chaney's old girlfriend is an evil shrew and she spends most of the movie treating the newlyweds horribly. In response, the bride decides to use her island magic to protect them. However, when the scientifically minded Chaney finds out, he destroys her trinkets and immediately bad things begin to happen! How all this is worked out made me very happy--as the film didn't take a cheap or easy way out and created a very good mystery with a fitting conclusion. A very good film from a very good series.By the way, this film is one of six that have been released on DVD--with three episodes on each DVD. This is from Disk 1 and also includes DEAD MAN'S EYES and CALLING DR. DEATH (a great title)--both of which are of comparable quality. I strongly recommend you see the series and if you like it, also try Columbia Pictures' WHISTLER series--as it's very similar in style.

Michael_Elliott Weird Woman (1944) ** 1/2 (out of 4) Second in the Inner Sanctum series has a college professor (Lon Chaney, Jr.) marrying a former voodoo princess (Anne Gwynne) only to have his ex (Evelyn Ankers) seek revenge. This was certainly better than the previous film but like that film this one here leaves a lot to be desired. I'm a big fan of Ankers and it was nice seeing her play the bad girl instead of the girl always being saved by the hero. She does a very good job here as does Gwynne. The ending is very effective but can't overcome slowness in the first part of the film.