The British noble Sir Ronald Burton (Richard Greene) decides to search his two best friends that have disappeared after visiting Count Karl von Bruno (Stephen MaNally),an evil and powerful man who lives in the Black Castle. Sir Burton travels undercover with another identity, since he fought against Count von Bruno in Afrika with his two missing friends and the count lost one eye in a battle. When he arrives in the castle, he is invited to hunt in the Black Forest around the castle with the count,.while he looks for evidences that the count has killed his friends. Later, he and the count's wife, Countess Elga von Bruno (Rita Corday),fall in love for each other and with the support of Dr. Meissen (Boris Karloff),Sir Burton and the countess try to escape from the claws of Count von Bruno. "The Black Castle" is an excellent movie from a romantic time, with action, romance, mystery and even horror. The story is gripping, and is a great entertainment for any audience. My vote is nine.

Title (Brazil): "O Castelo do Pavor" ("The Castle of the Fear")

Whether or not you'll like this movie probably depends a lot on your expectations. If you see that Boris Karloff is in the film and it looks like a horror film, you may well be disappointed. While it is a pretty good film, Karloff's role is rather small and unimpressive. And, while there are Gothic horror elements, I wouldn't consider this exactly a horror film--more of a weird adventure tale and romance.

The film begins with an Englishman (Richard Greene) going one an undercover mission to a weirdo Count (Steven McNally). It seems that a couple of Greene's friends have disappeared and the trail leads to the sadistic Count. This is NOT coincidental, as the missing men as well as Greene had fought with the Count and his troops in Africa and Greene correctly assumes the Count has done something to them for retribution--as he lost the engagement and his eye! Once at the Count's castle for a hunt open to various nobles, it's soon obvious that the Count is a weirdo who likes tormenting things--such as the poor panther he's kept locked up for this hunt. In addition, you notice that the Count likes tormenting his lovely wife. Did Greene get invited there in order to be the Count's next victim? See this one to find out for yourself.

While the acting is good in this film, it was odd that McNally was cast, as he usually played cops or gangsters! His playing a Count in the Austria-Hungarian Empire seemed far-fetched and he had a lovely accent...for a cop or gangster! However, despite this, the direction was good, the sets nice and atmospheric and it had a creepy conclusion worth seeing. Not a great film but quite enjoyable....just not a lot of Karloff and what you generally have is a bit bland.

The Black Castle does end too abruptly, and while haunting at times the music does sound too stock and occasionally too lively, seven composers were on board and it sounds like it. However, the sets and photography are beautiful to look at and fit the Gothic atmosphere wonderfully. The scripting is smart and sharp, as well as intelligent, very little if anything came across as awkward or too padded out. The story is never dull and keeps the attention throughout, complete with a truly exciting leopard hunting scene. The atmosphere conveyed is not scary as such(some viewers today may find it tame),creepy is a more appropriate word and it does work in bringing some chills and ghoulish thrills up the spine. Nathan Juran's direction is solid, nothing mind-blowing but he doesn't undermine anything in any way. The cast are fine as well, their roles are on the clichéd side but even that doesn't take away from the fun. Richard Greene is a very likable hero, and Rita Corday is eerily beautiful and passionate. Stephen McNally is genuinely sinister and seems to be having a whale of a time, while Boris Karloff brings great command, menace and sympathy to an intriguingly ambiguous role and Lon Chaney Jnr is appropriately creepy if like Karloff deserving of much more screen-time. Overall, creepy, atmospheric and entertaining, not masterpiece-status but very enjoyable stuff and not one to be avoided. 8/10 Bethany Cox