A young man inherits a mansion in a Florida swamp from an uncle he never knew he had. When he, his assistant and the estate's executor arrive at the house, the audience catches sight of someone crawling in the window, though the house is supposed to be unoccupied. As the house staff begins to arrive they sense a strange presence in the house, and when a young woman no one knows runs into the house to escape a knife-wielding psycho, the occupants realize they may be in danger from both outside and inside the house.
Cinematography
Expressionist shadows that do the heavy lifting.
Acting
Francis X. Bushman Jr. emotes like his life depends on it.
Director
Bennett Cohen
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Francis X. Bushman Jr. was Hollywood royalty—his father was the era's biggest matinee idol, making this a nepo baby horror debut.
This was part of a 1920s boom in 'old dark house' films that defined horror's visual language before sound arrived to ruin the shadows.
US
