Lon Chaney, Jr.

Even by B movie standards this one was pretty cheesy. However … I found it mildly entertaining and a good example of Hollywood exoticism and colonial attitudes in the 1930s. But for me the most interesting aspect was seeing a young, almost svelte Lon Chaney Jr. exuding a goodly amount of confidence and easygoing charm. We can only guess what would have happened to his career if he’d had more of these kind of roles. But the film is especially fascinating in that it also gives us, via the ruffian character he also plays, a foreshadowing of the grotesques, villains and various offbeat characters he would play throughout his career. I rate Scream in the Night a respectable six stars.