Second outing for Hatton as The Creeper

rosscinema

Universal Studios wasn't making that many horror films by the mid 1940's and that's due to the fact that audiences tastes were starting to change but they were always keeping their eye open on the next popular character and they thought they could make some money from "The Creeper" but it just wasn't meant to be. Story starts with the starving sculptor Marcel De Lange (Martin Kosleck) who after receiving nothing but scathing attacks by art critics decides to attempt suicide but while at the river he finds a disfigured man near death and takes him back to his studio.

*****SPOILER ALERT***** Marcel nurses and befriends this brutish man (Rondo Hatton) in exchange that he sits for a sculpture to be made of his head but it doesn't take long for Marcel to discover that his model is actually "The Creeper" who's hobby is snapping the spines of women. Marcel also convinces him to kill the critics who have been so vicious in their critique and tells him that they are the reason that they have no money for food. Lt. Larry Brooks (Bill Goodwin) at first thinks the murders might have been committed by painter Steven Morrow (Robert Lowery) but his girlfriend (and another art critic) Joan Medford (Virginia Grey) knows this isn't true but her snooping leads to Marcel and the realization that he's harboring a murderer.

This film is directed by Jean Yarbrough who was a good and active director and while this won't exactly go down in the books as a huge success he did make a film that has become a cult favorite. There are many things to point out that don't make much sense but two stand out for me and the first would be the inappropriate title. Most of the film takes place in the studio and while I think this also serves as Marcel's living quarters it's definitely not a house. Marcel and The Creeper sit around hungry nibbling on old bread and potatoes and I thought...why doesn't The Creeper take the money from his victims? Is that beneath him in terms of morals? Marcel couldn't even feed his cat! Grey plays her character as forever chipper and annoyingly wisecracking but while she gloats about her job by the end of the film she's ready to give it up and get married. The film ends with The Creeper getting shot but his death is not announced and Goodwin shouts "Let's get this man to a hospital". It's obvious that Yarbrough and others at Universal wanted to keep this character available for sequels but only one was made (The Brute Man) because Hatton who suffered from the disease Acromegaly died shortly afterward. Hatton disliked intensely being exploited by the studios in this manner but he was a remarkable presence on film and in his own way made an indelible mark in cinema.

score 7/10

rosscinema 23 February 2005

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw1027206/