kevinolzak Review of The Strange Mr. Gregory

The Strange Mr. Gregory (1945)

Seen on Pittsburgh's Chiller Theater in 1964

[4/10 · 23 November 2013]

1945's "The Strange Mr. Gregory" was pretty much the end of the line for Edmund Lowe, who had only six more supporting roles ahead of him, and a short-lived TV series, FRONT PAGE DETECTIVE. Coming off top-billing in "Dillinger" (despite Lawrence Tierney playing the title role), he returned to Monogram for this Poverty Row retread of past glories ("The Spider," "Chandu the Magician"), playing a self-satisfied mystic who comes undone after becoming obsessed with the beautiful young wife (Jean Rogers) of a fellow magician (Donald Douglas). His mastery of yogism enables him to simulate death, so he uses it to frame his rival, then poses as his own brother to pursue the unresponsive wife. Among the veteran cast, 70 year old Frank Reicher typically stands out as Gregory's faithful retainer, whose shocking murder is akin to Bruce Wayne killing Alfred. "The Strange Mr. Gregory" has remained in relative obscurity, making two appearances as the second feature on Pittsburgh's Chiller Theater, on Dec 19 1964 (following "The Beast with a Million Eyes") and July 6 1968 (following "The Man from Planet X").