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Some surprisingly touching moments (spoilers)

posted 15 years ago by Jimmy_the_Gent4
7 replies | jump to latest

This gives Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff a great chance to show why they were the top horror actors of all time.

But there are two moments that are actually quite touching,both between Karloff(as Bateman) and Irene Ware (as Jean,a very good performance)

Bateman had his face disfigured by mad doctor Vollin (Lugosi) and Jean at first screams at the sight of Bateman. Vollin later makes up a story saying Bateman can't help the way he looks,since he was tortured during the great war.
Jean than goes to Bateman and apologizes,leaving him surprised and moved by this act of kindness.

Later,she pleads with Bateman to help her escape,but he explains Vollin was the one who did that to his face and will fix it for him. In another nice moment she says "he's mad! He won't help you, I'll help you!" You really believe her in that scene and so does Bateman, since he cannot bear to see Jean murdered and he saves her in the end.

What do you think of these scenes?

[–] misspaddylee 15 years ago

I was unexpectedly moved by both of those scenes.

"Fortunately, I keep my feathers numbered for just such an emergency."

[–] Doghouse-6 14 years ago

THE RAVEN is one of my favorite "guilty pleasures," but I've always found Ms. Ware's performance rather wooden. Karloff makes the scenes you describe work.

He was always able to communicate as much - or more - with his eyes than with dialog. Watch them dart left and right as he considers the pros and cons of the ultimatum Lugosi presents him with just before he decides to save Ware. He does even more with just one eye (the other covered), conveying the excitement of seeing the new face he anticipates as Lugosi begins removing the bandages.

Poe! You are...avenged!

[–] J. Spurlin 14 years ago

I thought that moment between Irene Ware and Karloff—when she apologizes to him—was touching, too. It gave us a real reason to root for her—while in most horror stories, we only root for the heroine because she's the heroine.

...Justin Glory be, Delbert, you should eat! You're a count, for God's sake!

[–] 14 years ago

[deleted]

[–] FranLovesBetteD 8 years ago

Jean than goes to Bateman and apologizes,leaving him surprised and moved by this act of kindness.

Loved that scene, too. She didn't have to, but she felt the need and did it. He was genuinely moved by her kindness, and I want to think that her gesture finally saved her life and her loved ones.

Animal crackers in my soup
Monkeys and rabbits loop the loop

[–] The_King_of_Cool 8 years ago

Many of these horror pictures of the 30s had moments like this. The most notable would probably be Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein.

[–] FibberMcGee73 7 years ago

I love the fact that Karloff and the girl are filled with pathos, other house guests are comics and Bela is pure psychotic!!

What a fab mix! Best Universal horror ever