I have rarely seen a film in which one actor dominates the scenery so much. Boris Karloff as Cabman Gray, who delivers dead bodies to a doctor for illegal dissecting purposes, is a delight to see and, above all, to hear.
The first encounter with the doctors new assistant (My fee is as usual: 10 pounds"), the accidental meeting with the doctor and the assistant at the inn (he stabs a knife into a piece of bread and says to the youngster Toddy'd like to do that all over my body"), the wonderful dialogue with Joseph (one of the doctor's employees; played by Bela Lugosi), who tries to blackmail him (Well, Joseph, you shall have money. Why should you not?") are just three examples.
The eerie atmosphere of the film (a trademark of all Lewton thrillers) is much heightened by Karloff's sinister appearance. Definitely an extraordinary performance in an outstanding film.
The first encounter with the doctors new assistant (My fee is as usual: 10 pounds"), the accidental meeting with the doctor and the assistant at the inn (he stabs a knife into a piece of bread and says to the youngster Toddy'd like to do that all over my body"), the wonderful dialogue with Joseph (one of the doctor's employees; played by Bela Lugosi), who tries to blackmail him (Well, Joseph, you shall have money. Why should you not?") are just three examples.
The eerie atmosphere of the film (a trademark of all Lewton thrillers) is much heightened by Karloff's sinister appearance. Definitely an extraordinary performance in an outstanding film.