The Old Dark House
Directed by William Castle
Written by Robert Dillon from the book by J.B. Priestley
1963/UK/USA
Columbia Pictures Corporation/William Castle Productions/Hammer Films
First viewing/Netflix rental
[box] Agatha Femm: [Knitting] I capture time and space in my stitches. Sometimes I wonder what would happen if I stopped.
Tom Penderel: Happen? To you?
Agatha Femm: No, no. To the world.[/box]
This lackluster horror spoof bears no comparison to James Whale’s great 1932 original.
American Tom Penderel must deliver a luxury car personally to eccentric Roderick Femm (Robert Morley) in England. He accepts an invitation to visit the old dark house where his even more eccentric family lives. Many mildly funny and/or scary hijinx ensue. With Peter Bull as twins; Janette Scott as the “sane” one; and Joyce Grenfell as a knitter.
Despite the presence of some of my favorite British comic actors, this just didn’t work for me. Watch the original and have a potato!
