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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