Karloff was fresh from his career-making performance in a closely preceding James Whale horror classic, Frankenstein. Karloff receives top billing in The Old Dark House as well, although in truth he has a supporting role without any lines.
How others will see it. A quirky horror film, The Old Dark House has a dose of humor, and a dash of romance, in addition to its weirdness and horror. The movie is certainly agreeable to me, but its very age works against its general acceptance. Although expertly restored, the film has artifacts and the soundtrack has tape hiss. Those who expect widescreen, perfect color, and blasting Dolby stereo sound would rather watch something 'up to date.'
However, historians of horror films or quaint early talkies, and fans of Whale, Laughton, Douglas, or Karloff, will see its charms.
How I felt about it. It certainly is an odd movie. Horace Femm (Ernest Thesiger) is the gracious, elderly, and cowardly host, but the real power in the household is his shrewish sister Rebecca (Eva Moore). The 'butler' Morgan (Karloff) is mute but able until he drinks, then he becomes a violent madman. This strange household has two additional residents, a 102 year old invalid patriarch (played by a sixty year old woman, Elspeth Dudgeon, under heavy makeup), and a knife wielding pyromaniac (Brember Wills), kept under lock and key.
The wacko residents are decidedly more interesting than the five young adult visitors. The vulnerable and pretty women are mere stereotypes, but since they are nice to look at and can act, no one is likely to complain, not even myself. The men, however, have little to do aside from protecting and/or romancing the women. Porterhouse (Laughton) is a blustering bore, and Philip (Raymond Massey) is humor-impaired. Douglas has the best role of the three (he is the redeemer of Gladys' virtue) but is also less interesting than the nuthouse tenants of the Femm mansion.