Great idea in principle. I loved the way Paul Lavond (Lionel Barrymore) used the 'dolls' (actually shrunken people with paralysed brains) to take revenge on his former associates. Good special effects, too. On the downside: while Barrymore's disguise as an old woman looked good, I found his artificially high-pitched voice unconvincing and after the first few minutes highly (and increasingly) irritating. Also, I am not sure the sub-plot that involves his mother and daughter (Lucy Beaumont and Maureen O'Sullivan) contributes much to the story. Something that gives Barrymore a bit of 'human interest' is probably neccessary, but given the way this sub-plot is handled it felt like an add-on and a distraction. I would also have liked to learn more about how the people turned into 'dolls' felt about being subjected to that kind of treatment. Still, all in all this is a nice horror flick, and enjoyable enough for the about 80 minutes it takes.
Review of The Devil-Doll
