Why Criswell Read off Cards

Criswell read off the cue cards because they could not afford to do multipal takes. For protection they had to make sure that they got it right in one take. When Lugosi was filming Bride of the Monster, Ed wanted Bela to use the cards, but Bela Lugosi insisted he would memorize his lines. Ed Wood still insisted on the cards for protection. Lugosi made an agreement with his friend Paul Marco. He made Marco, who was holding the cards, promise not to show them to him. Marco promised and agreed not to tell Ed. Lugosi was sensational and everyone on set cheered. Even then, Lugosi, the great actor that he was, still had it.