Sunday, 14 August 2016

50 Condemned To Live ( 1935 )


This  vampire  film  has  a  decent  premise  but  it's  so  badly  filmed  - the  director  seems  to  have  glued  his  cameramen  into  a  fixed  spot - and  woodenly  acted  that  it's  difficult  to  watch.

Paul  Kristan  ( Ralph  Morgan )  is  a  Professor  of  something  or  other  who  is  highly  respected  by  the  townsfolk  and  engaged  to  the  local  young  beauty  Marguerite. Unfortunately  he's  prone  to  nocturnal  wanderings  during  which  young  women  end  up  dead. Suspicion  falls  on  his  hunchbacked  assistant  Zan ( Mischa  Auer ) .

Maxine  Doyle  ( as  Marguerite )

Sex :  Marguerite  wears  a  white  nightgown  in  which  her  large  breasts  hang  free  but  the camera  never  comes  close  enough  for  a  good  look.

Death : Survives


Marguerite  was  a   former  vaudeville  dancer  who  had  a  brief  film  career  in  the  thirties. She  married  a  director  of  Westerns  and  her  career  petered  out  in  bit  part  roles. She  died  in  1973  aged  58.

Heidi  Shope   ( as  Anna )

Sex : No

Death :  Anna  opens  the  door  to  the  vampire  and  is  slain  by  him.


Heidi  was  born  in  Switzerland  and  made  only  two  films  in  1935, in  both  of  which  she  is  called  Anna. She  died  in  1995  aged  89.

Barbara  Bedford  ( as  Martha  Kristan )

Sex : No

Death :  Dies  ( off screen )  shortly  after  giving  birth  to  Paul, presumably  from  blood  loss


Barbara  had  been  a  prominent  actress  in  the  silent  era  but  her  voice  wasn't  thought  to  match  her  looks  when  talkies  came  in. Nevertheless  she  hung  around  and  played  many  uncredited  roles right  up  to  1945. She  died  in  1981 aged  78.

Marilyn  Knowlden  ( as  Maria ) 

Sex : No

Death : Survives


Maria's  only  function  in  her  one  scene  is  to  underline  what  a  good  guy  the  Professor  is.  The  only  real  reason  for  including  her   is  that,  now  aged  90, she's  the  first  person  featured  here  that  is  still  alive  at  the  time  of  writing.


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