1951's "The Strange Door" is something of a throwback to the Gothic horrors of previous decades, except that it comes from Universal, which rarely did such pictures (1939's "Tower of London" and 1940's "The House of the Seven Gables" instantly come to mind). Reuniting Charles Laughton and Boris Karloff 19 years after 1932's "The Old Dark House" (James Whale English Gothic),Laughton especially has a field day, alternately menacing and comical, and always fun to watch. Karloff is sadly reduced to a tongue-in-cheek servant role, quietly speaking his lines while rolling his eyes with great frequency. The château was used as a torture chamber during the Middle Ages, featuring a dungeon full of armor and weapons, plus a cell where the walls come together (Lugosi made use of one in 1935's "The Raven"). Richard Stapley (later Wyler) makes little impression as the hero, but Sally Forrest captures the eye as the endangered beauty (even lovelier in "Son of Sinbad" with Vincent Price, where she dances in a skimpy harem outfit). Laughton's sadistic nobleman is ably supported by a terrific supporting cast of rogues ("villainy binds men together!"),with William Cottrell, whom I've never seen in anything else, Morgan Farley, and Hollywood newcomer Michael Pate, who earns a piece of mutton for his handling of a bribe (he later starred as the vampire gunslinger in Universal's 1959 "Curse of the Undead"). Paul Cavanagh and Alan Napier have smaller roles, but are welcome faces nonetheless. This eternally underrated little 'B' features music cues from "The Wolf Man," "Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man," and "House of Frankenstein," and was followed a year later by a similar Gothic, "The Black Castle," also featuring Karloff and Pate.

The Strange Door (1951) is released by Universal Pictures, it's directed by Joseph Pevney and stars Charles Laughton, Boris Karloff, and Sally Forrest. Based on the short story, The Sire de Maletroit's Door by Robert Louis Stevenson, it comes with much horror credentials. However, and in spite of it constantly being tagged a horror film, The Strange Door is more a Gothic thriller tinged with madness and all round nastiness.

The story is a solid one as Laughton's Sire Alain de Maletroit plots revenge against his younger brother, Edmund {Paul Cavanagh}, revenge that comes in the form of imprisonment down in the family dungeon for 20 years. Not content with that, Maletroit, after telling her that her father is dead, makes Edmund's daughter, Blanche's {Forrest}, life a misery. Culminating in a forced marriage to scallywag Denis de Beaulieu {Richard Stapley/Whyler)}who has been duped and trapped in the Maletroit castle. But Maletroit hadn't planned for Blanche & Denis to hit it off, and also lurking in the shadows is servant Voltan {Karloff}who is loyal to the imprisoned Edmund.

This is very much an acting piece, both Laughton & Karloff could overact with the best of them, but the results were never less than entertaining. Such is the case here as Pevney creates a moody Gothic atmosphere in the shadowy Maletroit home, and then, lets his actors run with Stevenson's genesis source. There's much dastardly talking and the odd perky moment dotted along the way, but really it's only the lead actors that keep the piece from stagnating. Particularly at the midpoint when the good old romantic thread starts to be pulled.

Still it's a recommended film for sure, for its sets {Universal rarely fails to deliver here}, mood and its two scene stealing lead actors. Just don't go in expecting an outright horror film is all. 6.5/10

A minor but irresistible Gothic melodrama with a rampant star performance by Charles Laughton (though he gets little to do in the second half - in fact, the film sags a bit during its latter stages). Boris Karloff's role is a good one, though clearly supporting Laughton rather than co-starring; actually, too much time is devoted to the rather insipid romantic leads (Richard Stapley and Sally Forrest) - though the supporting cast (including character actors such as Paul Cavanaugh, Michael Pate and Alan Napier) is adequate enough.

The plot itself is quite intriguing - leading up to a satisfying climax that's strikingly similar to the one in another Karloff film, THE RAVEN (1935). Of course, THE STRANGE DOOR reunites Karloff with Laughton almost 20 years after THE OLD DARK HOUSE (1932) - as in that film, they engage in a fisticuff at the end - and also returns the actor to Robert Louis Stevenson territory (albeit in a non-villainous role) after his unforgettable turn in THE BODY SNATCHER (1945). Despite the obvious low-budget (a fact that is betrayed, more than anything else, by having its entire score comprised of themes from previous studio efforts - including the nth revamp of the instantly recognizable cue from THE WOLF MAN [1941]!),the film is crisply shot in black-and-white and, in spite of the rather pedestrian direction, it makes the most of its limited sets.