It’s all about the atmosphere. Young nurse Betsy Connell (Frances Dee, 1935’s BECKY SHARP) takes a post in Haiti to look after Jessica Holland (Christine Gordon, MISSION TO MOSCOW), the wife of wealthy mine owner, Paul Holland (Tom Conway, FALCON’S BROTHER). Betsy meets Paul on the ship to the island and likes his honest and mysterious manner.
Paul’s half-brother Wesley Rand (James Ellison, THE GHOST GOES WILD) doesn’t think as much of Paul as Betsy does, especially when he’s indulging his habit of consuming large quantities of alcohol. The men’s mother Mrs. Rand (Edith Barrett, 1944’s JANE EYRE) is a doctor who helps the native people. Jessica is… well… a zombie. Nothing seems to cure her and Paul likes the fact that Betsy doesn’t believe in hocus pocus. But things will change.
The setting, wonderful black & white photography and pitch-perfect pacing set a truly eerie tone for the film. The story pulls one in with well-defined characters, some of which have mysterious secrets. The film is like REBECCA with zombies. Another interesting thing is that the film portrays voodoo in a fairly straight-forward manner. Mrs. Rand is key to how the film presents the native culture. It’s never with aghast or repulsion, just with a strange newness. I was greatly surprised with the film and can see why it has gained a well-respected cult status over the years.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
