One of the better films in Universal's INNER SANCTUM series of mysteries to star Lon Chaney, and based on the novel CONJURE WIFE. As a suave and calculated writer of a recent book about dispelling false superstitions, Lon is married to a lovely young girl named Paula (the adorable Anne Gwynne) whom he first met at a voodoo ritual on an island some years ago and who is still interested in the occult, magic, and strange rituals. When all sorts of odd occurrences and deaths transpire, the blame is laid at the feet of the "witchy" Paula, much to her husband's chagrin.

This installment benefits from a good cast. Anne Gwynne has always received my vote for the most attractive of the '40s Universal babes, and Evelyn Ankers (THE WOLF MAN, THE GHOST OF FRANKENSTEIN) is a close second and earns extra points in this one for portraying a baddie this time around, much against type. Elizabeth Russell turns in a strong and compelling performance. Director Reginald LeBorg makes good use of dark, windy nights and eerie atmosphere to nice effect. The subject was tackled again later for the 1962 British film BURN WITCH BURN. *** out of ****

If you ever want to drive somebody temporarily crazy, try speaking to them in the loudest or deepest voice whisper, that you can muster. It's especially effective if they have a slight hangover and is more effective than nails down a chalkboard. That's the effect of Lon Chaney Jr. in the series of psychological thrillers that Universal made six of in the mid 1940's. Back then, they were considered creative in the technical achievements they helped advance, practically film noir like, but the plots are over the top, melodramatic and often silly. This entry starts off with promise but then quickly becomes a twisted example of hatred and bigotry.

One note Chaney is a college professor who marries the exotic Anne Gwynne much to the chagrin of the bitchy Evelyn Bankers. This could have been called "Voodoo Woman" (to play on a double bill with Monogram's "Voodoo Man", released the same year),for that is the subject of this entry. It's a fairly decent programmer featuring a great supporting cast (aming them Ralph Morgan, Elisabeth Risdon and Elizabeth Russell) as the uppity college faculty and their spouses who are polite on the surface towards Gwynne but consider her "weird". I find it funny that co-eds have crushes on Chaney, and some of the college kids look as if they should have graduated years before.

As the intrigue grows over Gwynne's presence on campus (including a sudden death where another character starts repeating to Chaney and Gwynne over and over, "Murderer!"),the script just melts down into silly serial like antics. Chaney discovers Gwynne with her voodoo gadgets and this leads to an apparent subterfuge against the new bride. As Chaney continues to whisper (while hitting a punching bag and visualizes jungle drums),the plot takes wilder twists, with Elizabeth Russell (the nasty aged wife in "The Corpse Vanishes") ranting and raving at Gwynne and acting quite ridiculous. This just becomes laughable by the last two reels, and from there descends quickly down. The civilized women prove themselves to be far weirder than Gwynne, completely missing the point of the title.

In the 1940s, Universal Pictures made a nice series of mysteries under the umbrella of "The Inner Sanctum" films. Each starred Lon Chaney, Jr. and were nice little mystery films--especially good since they were B-movies--with a lower budget and pretensions since they were intended as a second film in a double-feature.

In this film, Chaney is a Sociology professor who meets a woman on a South Pacific island. Oddly, while everyone there looks Polynesian, she looks like Rita Hayworth's sister--with very white skin and 1940s American style hair! Despite bad casting, the film mostly has to do with Chaney and his bride's life once they return to his university in the States. It's obvious that Chaney's old girlfriend is an evil shrew and she spends most of the movie treating the newlyweds horribly. In response, the bride decides to use her island magic to protect them. However, when the scientifically minded Chaney finds out, he destroys her trinkets and immediately bad things begin to happen! How all this is worked out made me very happy--as the film didn't take a cheap or easy way out and created a very good mystery with a fitting conclusion. A very good film from a very good series.

By the way, this film is one of six that have been released on DVD--with three episodes on each DVD. This is from Disk 1 and also includes DEAD MAN'S EYES and CALLING DR. DEATH (a great title)--both of which are of comparable quality. I strongly recommend you see the series and if you like it, also try Columbia Pictures' WHISTLER series--as it's very similar in style.