His name was
VLAD TEPES, aka:
VLAD III, three times
"Voivode of Wallachia (Warlord of Wallachia)", hero of
Romania, and known by two names to the world, one actual and one fictional.
The first of these two names was, "Vlad the Impaler", because he impaled his country's Ottoman (Turkish) enemies on long sharp poles at the end of battle. Below, is a 1499 woodcut, showing Vlad III dining among his Ottoman enemies.
Like his father, Vlad II, aka: Vlad Dracul, Vlad III was a member of the "Secret Christian Order of the DRACUL (DRAGON)".
Romanian legends tells of the death of Vlad Tepes, and his body being buried with treasure. When grave robbers opened his coffin the night of his burial, it was empty, not only of the alleged treasure, but his body. Starting on that same night, and afterwards, reports of seeing Vlad III walking around his castle grounds were told by superstitious Romanian peasants.
In 1859, Wallachia joined with Moldavia, to form the "United Principalities", that in 1866, adopted the name, Romania.
Vlad III's second, and perhaps most popular name, came from the personal assistant to actor Sir Henry Irving and the business manager of London's West End, Lyceum Theatre, owned by Irving. His name was Abraham "Bram" Stoker, seen below, and the Irish author of an epistolary (a story told in letters from one character to another), as his 1897 Gothic novel, "DRACULA"! Even though Vlad III was never a VAMPIRE, Stoker's novel has colored the world's impressions of the Wallachian Prince.
The country most associated with Bram Stoker's "Dracula" is Transylvania. It should be noted that at the time the novel was written, Transylvania was part of the Hungarian Empire not Romania. It wasn't until after the First World War that Transylvania, on December 1, 1918, became part of Romania.
For my reader interested in a deeper look at Vlad Tepes. That will be found in my 2022 article "DRACULA: Vlad Tepes, Bram Stoker, and the Motion Pictures 1921 To 1992", available for you to sink your fangs into at:
http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2022/11/dracula-vlad-tepes-bram-stoker-and.html
Four-years after Transylvania joined Romania, in 1922, German film director Friedrich Wilhelm "F. W." Murnau released his unauthorized motion picture version of Bram Stoker's novel, "Dracula", under the title of "Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens (Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror)".
Nine-years later, there were actually two, 1931, "Universal Pictures", "DRACULA", feature films made, and I begin with the most known version, not directly based upon Bram Stoker's novel, but a play.
The following is from my article ""John L. Balderston: Writing Classic Fantasy, Horror, and Science Fiction Screenplays" found at:
http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2022/08/john-l-balderston-writing-classic.html
In 1927, John Lloyd Balderston, below, had become involved with another play, "DRACULA"!
Irish playwright Hamilton Deane, below, wrote a 1924, adaptation of Irish author Bram Stoker's, 1897, novel "Dracula", and turned it into a successful stage play in the United Kingdom. American publisher and stage producer Horace Liveright had acquired the rights to Deane's play.
The problem with bringing Deane's play to the United States was the colloquial language used and the references to United Kingdom sites within it.
Liveright wanted John Lloyd Balderston to rewrite the play for American audiences.
Balderston's revised version of Deane's play premiered on Broadway in October 1927, and would run for 261 performances. Playing the title character was Hungarian actor, Blaskó Béla Ferenc Dezső, using his stage name of Bela Lugosi.
His name was Carl Laemmle, Jr., below, and his father had founded "Universal Pictures" in 1912. That story is part of my article "HOLLYWOOD: Segregated Housing, Motion Picture Studios and Movie Palaces" to explore at:
http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2019/04/hollywood-segregated-housing-motion.html
"Junior", as he was known on the studio lot, convinced his father to take a gamble on filming the play "Dracula".
DRACULA premiered in Asheville, North Carolina, on February 9, 1931
John Balderston was brought to North Hollywood, California, to work on adapting the play into a storyline for a motion picture screenplay. Both
Balderston and
Hamilton Deane received on-screen credit for the screenplay in a misleading, but smart opening credit by
"Junior". This was
because of their plays popularity in both the United Kingdom and United States.
The actual screenplay writer was Garrett Elsden Fort, below, but his on-screen credit reads for the:
Play Script
This is because he turned the
Deane - Balderston play into a film workable play and script, with screenplay directions for the actors and director.
Fort did the same thing for 1931's, "Frankenstein", and wrote the screenplay for the second film in this article's title. Other screenplay work by Garrett Fort include director John Ford's, 1934, "The Lost Patrol", and director Todd Browning's, 1936, "Devil-Doll".
The screenplay, also, has six, uncredited names in three-categories.
There are four "Contributing Writers", what they actually contributed I could not locate. They are Tod Browning, Louis Bromfield, Frederick Stephani, and Louis Stevens.
Dudley Murphy was responsible for "Additional Dialogue". What exactly this was, again, I could not determine.
Max Cohen was responsible for creating any needed titles used in the motion picture, such as the opening credits.
The motion picture was directed by Tod Browning, below. My article on two of the directors other motion pictures is "Tod Browning: Lon Chaney Meets Bela Lugosi: A Tale of Two Motion Pictures" very frightening at:
http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2019/11/tod-browning-lon-chaney-meets-bela.html
The Cast of the English Language 1931, "Dracula"
Bela Lugosi portrayed "Count Dracula". Hungarian stage and Shakespearian actor Blaskó Béla Ferenc Dezső started in Hungarian motion pictures in 1917.
By the time he was given this role, Béla Lugosi had appeared in forty-five motion pictures. That included portraying "Chingachook", in a Hungarian 1920 film production of American author James Fenimore Cooper's, "The Last of the Mohicans". Just prior to this motion picture, the actor had appeared with 7th-billing, in the Jeanette MacDonald and Reginald Denny, 1930, musical romance, "Oh, for a Man! Lugosi followed this motion picture with an uncredited role of "Orizon - Magician", in the Ole Olsen and Chic Johnson, musical comedy, 1931's, "50 Million Frenchmen".
Helen Chandler portrayed "Mina Seward". Between 1927 and 1938, Helen Francis Chandler's entire motion picture career equaled twenty-seven motion pictures. By her death on April 30, 1965, at the age of 59, she would have been married three-times. Her first husband was Cyril Hume, the screenplay writer for the 1956, science fiction classic, "Forbidden Planet", her second husband was British actor Bramwell Fletcher, the assistant in 1932's, "The Mummy", that brings it to life, and her third husband was merchant seaman Walter S. Piascik. The truth be known, even when filming "Dracula", Helen Chandler was an alcoholic and that ended her promising film career. In 1950, she fell asleep smoking in her apartment and was severely burned. Her body was disfigured as a result and she continued until her death drinking.
David Manners portrayed "John Harker". Manners was appearing on the London stage in a play entitled "Journey's End", set during the First World War. The play was brought to Broadway with Manners, his co-star, Colin Clive, and the plays director James Whale. In 1930, the three would make the motion picture version for "Universal Pictures", and then all three moved onto horror movie history. In 1932, David Manners co-starred in Boris Karloff's, "The Mummy", in 1934, he was in the Karloff, Lugosi, "The Black Cat", and the following year he had the title role in the studio's version of British author Charles Dickens's, "The Mystery of Edwin Drood", which John L. Balderston solved for the motion picture screen, because the source was an unfinished novel.
Dwight Frye portrayed "Reinfeld". It could be said that Frye had the double whammy of horror motion picture supporting roles in 1931. Besides portraying "Reinfeld" in "Dracula", he was the hunchback, "Fritz", not "Igor", in "Frankenstein". However, between those two roles, he was cast as "Wilmer Cook", in the pre-code, and considered the better version of American detective author, Daishell Hammett's, "The Maltese Falcon". My article is "DWIGHT FRYE: Overlooked Horror Icon" at:
http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2019/07/dwight-frye-overlooked-horror-icon.html
The above classic scene from "Dracula", between Bela Lugosi and Dwight Frye, has the actor mislabeled as being David Manners by the photo website, "Alamy".
Edward Van Sloan portrayed "Professor Van Helsing". Between 1916 and 1950, Van Sloan appeared in eighty-nine motion pictures, but is only remembered for four feature films. They are this picture, the same year's, "Frankenstein", 1932's, "The Mummy", and 1936's, "Dracula's Daughter".
Returning to the original play by Hamilton Deane and John L. Balderston. The website "Wikipedia", has the following undocumented information on their page about Edward Van Sloan reading:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Van_Sloan
During the 1920s, Van Sloan appeared in several plays at the 48th Street Theater on Broadway, including the 1924 stage adaptation of Dracula before accepting an offer in late 1930 (at age 48) for a part in the acclaimed Tod Browning-directed screen production of Dracula.
There are two slight problems with the above, the first is that the play only premiered on May 15, 1924, in Derby, England. Where Hamilton Deane had planned to appear in the title role himself.
It wasn't until October 5, 1927, at the "Fulton Theatre (now the Helen Hayes Theatre), 210 West 46th Street, that "Dracula" had its American premiere. The following link takes you to the "Playbill" for that production and shows Edward Van Sloan does have the role of "Abraham Van Helsing".
https://playbill.com/production/dracula-fulton-theatre-vault-0000004591
Herbert Bunston portrayed "Doctor John Seward". Bunston was also in the Broadway production of the play in this same role. As for his motion picture career, British actor, Herbert Bunston, appeared in thirty-two motion pictures between 1929 and 1935, the year the actor passed away.
Francis Dade portrayed "Lucy Weston". Dade only appeared in thirteen motion pictures between 1928 and 1933, and two shorts. Her last role was in a short as an uncredited, "Harem Girl". From 1932 until her 1958 divorce, she was married to wealthy socialite, Brock Van Every.
The Screenplay (Which seems like a stage play):
The film opens with a coach carrying passengers and among them is "Renfield". One of the coaches passengers, a young woman, is the first person heard in "Dracula". She is reading from a book and a bump in the road causes her to land in "Renfield's" lap. She's portrayed by, Carla Laemmle, a cousin of the film's producer, Carl Laemmle, Jr.
The coach arrives at a small Transylvanian village and the driver and the locals want everyone inside the inn. However, "Renfield" says he must go on to the Borgo Pass and the
"Inn Keeper", portrayed by
Michael Visaroff, questions him as to why?
"Renfield" replies that he is meeting a coach from "COUNT DRACULA" at Midnight! The villagers all cross themselves and warn him not to go at night, but he insists. The "Inn Keeper's Wife", portrayed by Barbara Bozoky, gives him a crucifix for:
Your Mother's Sake!
The two coaches meet in the "Borgo Pass", and the driver of "Renfield's" coach, tosses his bags out, turns it around, and drives a way very fast. "Renfield" looks up at the coach driver from the "Count", Bela Lugosi, and is motioned into it.
Next, "Renfield" finds himself being bounced around as the coach moves unearthly fast along the road to "Castle Dracula". "Renfield" wants to speak to the driver about the coach's speed, he looks out, instead of the driver, it appears that the horses are being guided by very large bat.
The coach stops in the ancient castle's courtyard, "Renfield" gets out, and the coach is driven away, leaving its passenger alone in the dark in front of the main castle entrance. The solicitor walks up to the front door, enters, and sees a man standing behind cobwebs holding a candle. The man introduces himself:
I am Dracula,
and welcomes "Renfield".
"Renfield" follows the Count up the staircase and seems a bit confused. He saw "Dracula" walk down the steps to greet him, but the cobwebs in had to have walked through, are still in place until he moves them aside to walk up the staircase. A dinner has been placed for "Renfield", and the Count explains he has already eaten. When the Count pours some wine for his guest, when questioned he replies:
I Never Drink - Wine!
As the paperwork for Carfax Abbey is being taken care of, "Renfield", still eating, cuts himself with a knife and "Dracula" almost looses control of his blood lust.
After all the paperwork has been completed, the Count hypnotizes "Renfield" to open a window and the solicitor faints as the same large bat flies in. Next, the "Three Brides of Dracula" appears.
Above the three wives from left to right are portrayed by Dorothy Tree, Geraldine Dvorak and Cornelia Thaw.
The wives move to the fainted "Renfield", but are waved off by "Dracula", who feeds on the solicitor himself.
Cut to the schooner, "Vesta", at sea heading for England, and "Renfield" talking to his master.
A storm pounds the "Vesta", and when the wreck reaches the shore at Whitby, the Captain is found dead tied to the wheel, the crew missing, and when the hatch is opened, an insane "Renfield".
Crates, in the ship's hold, are taken to Carfax Abbey, as they are marked for, and "Renfield" finds himself in "Dr. Seward's" sanatorium. Whose land adjoins Carfax and gives the insane (?) "Renfield" a perfect view of "Dracula's" comings and goings.
As for "Dracula", he is walking the foggy streets of London like any other foreign visitor and attends a theatre.
At the theater, the Count meets "Dr. Seward", who in turn introduces him to his daughter, "Mina", her fiance "John Harker", and family friend, "Lucy Weston".
"Lucy" is fascinated by the charming "Count Dracula", and he seems of her likewise, but with a darker fascination.
That night, "DRACULA" enters her bedroom and feasts upon her "BLOOD"!
"Lucy" is found, and "Dr. Seward" performs a transfusion, but what has caused her loss of blood is unknown to him. After noticing two tiny punctures by "Lucy's" jugular vein, "Steward" contacts a noted European authority on the occult, "Professor Van Helsing".
By this point in the picture, Tod Browning appears to have gotten around the "Hayes Office" censors, established in 1922, with what some film critics see as a subtle implied lesbian relationship between "Lucy" and "Mina", see my linked article in "Dracula's Daughter".
"Van Helsing" arrives as "Dracula" becomes more aware of "Mina", and the two close friends are both marked to become his brides. Next, "Lucy" dies, and is buried. A week has passed since "Lucy" was buried, but now she has risen as a vampire attacking children.
It is possible that the "Hayes Office Censors" got to this even pre-code motion picture, because it is never made clear what happened, on-screen, to vampire woman "Lucy". It is presumed "Van Helsing" destroyed her vampire form and brought her to peace, but the audience does not see this.
"Renfield" has been eating the spiders and flies that come into his cell. "Dr. Seward" is stumped by this action and the solicitor's constant asking for a small kitten. However, "Professor Van Helsing" is considering "Renfield's" action as related to a vampire that has attacked "Lucy". He has "Martin", portrayed by Charles K. Gerrard, one of the sanatorium orderlies, bring "Renfield" to "Dr. Seward's" office in his attached home.
The professor's speaks softly to the apparently deranged ex-solicitor, and "Renfield" makes a slip and mentions a vampire, confirming "Van Helsing's" suspicion. Turning to "Dr. Seward", "Renfield" begs him to send him away, saying his nightly cries may be heard by "Mina" and disturb her dreams.
"Van Helsing" produces wolfsbane, an herb that will keep vampires away and "Renfield" reacts by becoming even more disturbed, as if he knows what is actually happening. He is taken back to his cell and "Van Helsing" and "Seward" continue their own discussion.
That night, "Count Dracula", first bites "Mina Steward". The following night, "Dracula" comes for a visit and "Van Helsing" and "Harker" notice he doesn't seem to cast a reflection in the mirror. To test his theory, "Professor Van Helsing" shows the Count a cigarette box with a small mirror in it. "Dracula" immediately smashes the box and his action convinces the professor that "Dracula" is the vampire behind what has been happening.
"Mina" now leaves her room and runs into the garden where she is attacked by "Dracula" and is found by "The Maid", portrayed by Moon Carroll. "John" wants to take "Mina" back to London, but the professor is against that. That night wolfsbane is placed around "Mina's" neck by "Van Helsing" and he orders "Nurse Biggs", portrayed by Joan Standing, not to remove the herb.
"Renfield" escapes his cell in the sanatorium and overhears " Van Helsing", "Dr. Seward", and "Harker" talking about vampires. He enters the room and relates how "Dracula" has promised him thousands of rats full of life and blood, if he lets "Dracula" into the sanatorium.
The Count now enters the room and tells "Van Helsing" that "Mina Seward" now belongs to him and he should return to his home country. The professor counters by telling the vampire that he was excavate Carfax Abbey and find the Count's coffin. "Dracula" next attempts to hypnotize "Professor Van Helsing", but the other takes a crucifix from his pocket and drives the vampire out of the house.
"John" now visits "Mina" on the terrace, when a large bat appears, and she seems to react to it as if it's talking to her. The bat, next attacks "Harker", who is able to drive it off.
"Van Helsing" and "Dr. Seward" come out onto the terrace to speak to the two lovers. "Harker" wants "Van Helsing" to stay away from "Mina", but she tells him their love is finished and what "Dracula" has done to her.
"Dracula" hypnotizes "Nurse Briggs" to remove the wolfsbane from around "Mina's" neck and open her bedroom windows.
Next, "Van Helsing" and "Harker" see "Renfield" running across the lawn between the sanatorium and Carfax Abbey. They follow him, and entering Carfax, the two see "Dracula" with "Mina". "John" calls out to her and "Dracula" now believes "Renfield" led them there and causes him to fall backwards, breaking his neck on the staircase.
The sun is coming up and "Van Helsing" knows that "Dracula" must return to his coffin to sleep during the day. With "Harker", the two men start a search of Carfax Abbey to find "Dracula's" coffin and "Mina". They locate the coffin, and "Van Helsing" makes a stake, from the coffin's lid, to drive through the vampire's heart. Meanwhile, "John" finds "Mina" standing in a darken corner in a trance. "Professor Van Helsing" takes his stake and drives it into the vampire's heart, not seen on-screen, and "Mina" comes out of his control, and with "John", the two walk into the morning sunlight.
During the majority of the 1930's, worldwide movie studios did not dub a motion picture from its original language into another language, but actually brought in a cast that spoke the required language and reshot the same motion picture from the translated screenplay.
While, Tod Browning shot the 1931, Bela Lugosi version, of "Dracula" during the daylight hours. The non-Spanish speaking director, George Melford, below, shot the 1931, Spanish language version of "Dracula", during the night on the same sets.
The year before, George Melford, had directed the Spanish language version of the 1930 horror mystery, "The Cat and the Canary", for Carl Laemmle, Jr. The following is an overview of his motion picture.
Screenplay writer Baltasar Fernandez Cue was hired to translate the English language screenplay into Spanish.
The following are the main characters found in Cue's Spanish screenplay,
Carlos Villarías, billed as Carlos Villar, portrayed "Conde Dracula". Cordoba, Spain, born Villarías, started his on-screen career in 1917, this was his 14th motion picture, his 91st and final film was in 1953.
Guadalupe Natalia Sullivan, billed as Lupita Tovar, portrayed "Eva Seward". The Matías Romero, Oaxaca, Mexico, born actress was married to talent agent Paul Kohner, and was the mother of actress Susan Kohner. Her on-screen acting career from 1929 through 1953, just totaled thirty-three roles.
Barry Norton portrayed "Juan Harker". Buenos Aires, Argentina, born Norton, started on-screen roles in Douglas Fairbanks, 1926, "The Black Pirate". His films were in Spanish and English, his two-hundred-and-thirty-third on-screen role was in 1953.
Compare Lupita Tovar's dress to Helen Chandler's in the same scene. This illustrates the more Latin influence on this version of the screenplay. Even with an American director and a translated English language screenplay filmed in North Hollywood, California. This motion picture was considered "A Foreign Film" by the "Hayes Office". Which meant they had no censorship authority over the production. The result was that George Melford's "Spanish Dracula" was far more sexual than what the "Hays Office" permitted the Tod Browning's "American Dracula" to be.
Pablo Alvarez Rubio portrayed "Renfield". The Madrid, Spain, born actor started his on-screen career in 1927 and ended it in 1974, with fifty-four motion pictures.
To illustrate how close both screenplays are, above, Carla Laemmle recreates the exact opening scene. She reads the book line in Spanish, but works with Pablo Alvarez Rubio and Spanish language extras in the coach opening sequence.
Eduardo Arozamenia portrayed "Van Helsing". Mexico City, born Arozamenia, was both an actor, ninety-seven films, and director, only four.
José Soriano Viosca portrayed "Dr. Seward". The Spanish born actor's film career only totaled twelve films between 1930 and 1932.
Carmen Guerrero portrayed "Lucia". Guerrero was born in Mexico City, and her film career between 1929 and 1946, consisted of only twenty-four motion pictures.
Many critics believe, this the better of the two films, which is a credit to George Melford's direction and the Latin take on the story. Together, the stagey look of the more familiar Tod Browning film is not seen as much in the Melford version.
About the only real difference in this production and the Browning film, is the ending. "Van Helsing" drives a stake into "Dracula's" heart, "Eva" comes out of her trance and goes out into the morning sun with "Juan". However, "Van Helsing" is seen saying a prayer over the body of poor "Renfield". The screenplay writer adding a more Catholic ending with "Van Helsing" saving the soul of the solicitor.
The following are a few scenes from the Spanish "Dracula":
One last point, the Spanish language version does use footage of the original three vampire brides with long shots of Bela Lugosi, and the same of Dwight Frye's "Renfield".
Bram Stoker's, "Dracula", may be the widest known vampire story turned into motion picture's, but he wasn't the first Irish author to tell a classic vampire tale. The other Irish author was Sheridan Le Fanu, below, and his Gothic tale was about a female vampire named "Carmilla", published in 1872, twenty-five-years before "Stoker".
DRACULA'S DAUGHTER released on May 11, 1936
The story behind the filming of "Dracula's Daughter" is a little convoluted, and starts at "Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer", with the purchase of a missing Chapter from Bram Stoker's novel, entitled
"Dracula's Guest", first published in a 1914 collection entitled, "Dracula's Guest and Other Weird Stories".
The following comes from my above linked article about screenplay writer John L. Balderston:
When Bram Stoker's novel "Dracula" was published in 1897, one chapter was deleted either by the author, or the publisher. In 1914, that missing chapter was published as "Dracula's Guest". In 1933, David O. Selznick negotiated a contract with Bram Stoker's widow, Florence Stoker, to turn that chapter into a motion picture. Selznick immediately ran into problems with the studio's lawyers out of their fear that the Laemmle's would sue over the use of the character "Dracula", which they still held the rights too.
Meanwhile, David O. Selznick hired John L. Balderston to write a story treatment based upon "Dracula's Guest". Which in Selznick's contract with Florence Stoker, had an approved alternate title of "Dracula's Daughter".
John L. Balderston's name does appear in the final film credits for writing the story. However, pertaining to that original story treatment, although the publication date is incorrect and refers to a later re-issue. The following comes from the website for the "American Film Institutes Catalogue" at: https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/6644
- - -According to modern sources, the film Dracula's Daughter was also loosely based on the 1872 British novel Carmilla by Sheridan Le Fanu, - - -
Balderston's treatment expanded upon the
Bram Stoker short story and definitely added much of
Le Fanu's novel to his created character. Who became the motion picture's title,
"Dracula's Daughter".
Continuing from my above linked article:
John Lloyd Balderston's treatment made it very clear that "Dracula's Daughter" was a lesbian. Who enjoyed torturing male victims and they in turn, under her control, enjoyed being tortured. There was a scene of the "Countess's" chambers with the whips and straps she might be using on her male victims, although they would not be shown in use.
----------
David O. Selznick, depending upon the source you read, either sold John Lloyd Balderston's treatment to the Laemmle's in October 1934, or September 1935. Which ever date you choose, those Horror film historians agree that Selznick knew Universal Pictures wanted to make a sequel to 1931's, "Dracula", and he held the means for a tidy profit on his investment.
At Universal Pictures, Carl Laemmle, Jr. assigned the other playwright who had worked on the 1931 feature, Garrett Fort, to rewrite Balderston's treatment into a screenplay that would pass the "Hays Censorship Office".
Garrett Fort's name appeared in the final credits for writing that revised screenplay.
Also credited with writing the screenplay is the name Oliver Jeffries. This was Carl Laemmle, Jr. giving an inside the industry credit to his studio's competitor, David O. Selznick, below, in a fictitious name for acquiring the original story and hiring Balderston.
The motion picture was directed by journalist turned movie director, Lambert Hillyer. Who is credited with taking silent movie cowboy actor William S. Hart, and turning him into a very rich western movie star. Hillyer had just directed Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi and Francis Drake in 1936's, "The Invisible Ray", and followed this motion picture with the auto racing movie, 1937's, "Speed to Spare".
The Main Cast:
Otto Kruger portrayed "Dr. Jeffrey Garth". Kruger's film career included the Wallace Beery and Jackie Cooper, 1934 version of Scottish writer Robert Louis Stevenson's, "Treasure Island", portraying "Dr. Livesey", Edward G. Robinson's, 1940, "Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet", director Alfred Hitchcock's, 1942, "Saboteur", and detective writer, Raymond Chandler's, 1944, "Murder My Sweet".
Gloria Holden portrayed "Countess Marya Zaleska (Dracula's daughter)". It has been said that Holden's "exotic" role influenced vampire writer Anne Rice, and the feature film is directly mentioned in Rice's, 1988, "Queen of the Damn". Among her other roles saw Holden portraying "Alexandrine Zola", in 1937's, "The Life of Emile Zola", starring Paul Muni, in 1939, she was in director Tod Browning's, "Miracles for Sale", starring Robert Young, and Douglas Fairbanks Jr's, 1941, version of French author Alexander Dumas's, "The Corsican Brothers".
Irving Pichel portrayed "Sandor". Pichel was both an actor and director, and would eventually be blacklisted by the "House Committee on Un-American Activities", and like many leave the United States to work overseas. Among his work as an actor is director Cecil B. DeMille's, 1934,"Cleopatra", the Bette Davis picture's, 1938, "Jezebel", and 1939's, "Juarez", for director John Ford, he narrated 1941, "How Green is My Valley", 1943's, "December 7th", and 1949's, "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon". Among his work as a director was Alan Ladd in 1946's, "O.S.S.", he directed Fred MacMurray and Frank Sinatra, in 1948's, "Miracle of the Bells", and in 1950, Irvin Pichel directed producer George Pal's, science fiction classic, "Destination Moon" and was the narrator of the "Woody Woodpecker" cartoon segment.
Above left to right, Irving Pichel, Gloria Holden, and Otto Kruger
Marguerite Churchill portrayed "Janet Blake". Churchill has the distinction of being the first actress to play opposite Marion Mitchell Morrison, under his new name of John Wayne, created by director Raul Walsh, for the 70mm "Grandeur" western, 1930's, "The Big Trail". The story of that motion picture makes up my article, "JOHN WAYNE, WILLIAM FOX: Grandeur and 'The Big Trail" found at:
However, her total film roles through 1952, only totaled twenty-eight feature films.
Above Marguerite Churchill and Gloria Holden.
Edward Van Sloan portrayed "Professor Van Helsing". Van Sloan had just appeared in the drama, 1936's, "Road Gang", starring Donald Woods, 1953's, "The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, and followed this motion picture with 1936's, "Sins of Man", starring Jean Hersholt and Don Ameche.
Nan Grey, billed as Nan Gray, portrayed "Lili". Grey was a contract player for "Universal Pictures" and found herself in several Deanna Durbin musical comedies, but also, besides this film, in a couple more horror entries. She was "Lady Alice Barton" in the 1939, "Tower of London", and, "Helen Manson" in 1940's, "The Invisible Man Returns".
Gilbert Emery portrayed "Sir Basil Humphrey". Emery had been on-screen acting since 1921, and among his other notable films is the classic 1932 version of author Ernest Hemingway's, "A Farewell to Arms", starring Helen Hayes and Gary Cooper, the classic 1935 version of "Magnificent Obsession" starring Irene Dunne and Robert Taylor, 1937's, "The Life of Emile Zola", and producer and director Cecil B. DeMille's, 1938, "The Buccaneer".
The Screenplay:
My reader should have notice that this motion picture was released five-years after "Dracula". However, it opens with "Professor Van Helsing" driving the stake into the count's body and was made as a direct sequel to the earlier motion picture. "Universal Pictures" wanted Bela Lugosi to be in the coffin for the scene, but he refused and a terrible looking wax dummy was used. However, that was the only thing wrong with the picture.
After having destroyed "Dracula", while standing by the coffin in Carfax Abbey, two Whitby Police Officers, "Sergeant Wilkes", portrayed by E. E. Clive, and "Constable Albert", portrayed by Billy Bevan, stumble upon the scene and arrest the professor for murder. The police officers have also found the broken-neck body of "Renfield" and believe "Van Helsing" was responsible for that murder too.
Unseen by the three is a woman, "Dracula's Daughter", implied as apparently having observed the ending to the 1931, "Dracula", and never seen by "Van Helsing", "Harker", or "Mina".
"Van Helsing" finds himself in Scotland Yard, and in front of "Sir Basil Humphrey", explaining that he indeed destroyed "Dracula", but that as the vampire has been dead for over 500-years. He cannot be charged, in 1936, with murder.
Instead of hiring a lawyer, "Professor Van Helsing" contacts one of his star students. Who is now a prominent London psychiatrist, "Dr. Jeffery Garth". Who just happens to be a close friend of "Sir Basil".
The bodies of "Count Dracula" and "Renfield" are at the Whitby police station awaiting transfer to London. "Sergeant Wilkes" leaves the station to meet an officer from Scotland Yard at the train station, and "Constable Albert" is left in charge of the bodies. Enter a woman dressed in black and with a scarf covering the lower half of her face.
The mysterious woman shows "Constable Albert" her ring and he sits down in a chair in a trance.
"Sergeant Wilkes" and "Scotland Yard Detective Hawkes", portrayed by Halliwell Hobbes, find "Constable Albert" in his trance, they touch him, and he falls over to the floor. They also find that the box which contained "Dracula's" body is now empty.
The mysterious woman is the tormented "Countess Marya Zaleska". Who is trying to rid herself of the vampire curse, her father, "Count Dracula", placed upon her.
As portrayed by Gloria Holden, the "Countess" is a sympathetic character, and the Carl Laemmle, Jr requested revised screenplay, of John L. Balderston's somewhat sadistic and overly sexual original by Garrett Fort, plays to that end. While holding just a hint of Sheridan Le Fanu's, "Carmilla". This feature film was made just two-years into the new, and harder, "Motion Picture Production Code", being enforced by Joseph Breen of the "Hayes Office". For my reader interested in the history of motion picture censorship. I give examples in my article "CENSORSHIP Protecting (?) America's Morality in Motion Pictures 1923 to 1971" found uncensored at:
It was the "Countess" and her manservant "Sandor" that removed her father's body and now the audience watches her burn it. In her hope that his total destruction will release the curse place upon her. "Countess Zaleska" ritually tosses salt on to the pyre, as the old texts mention, and watches her father's body burn to ash.
However, "Sandor" knows better, and starts to discourage "Marya's" thoughts of freedom from vampirism. "Sandor"says that even now, when he looks into her eyes, he still sees only "DEATH"!
The "Countess" soon gives in to her thirst for blood, and seeks victims in the London fog.
Next, she attends a society party attended by "Janet Blake", the secretary of psychiatrist "Dr. Jeffrey Garth", also in attendance. "Garth" is always, playfully, antagonistic towards "Janet", not realizing she loves him. Speaking with "Dr. Garth", "Countess Zaleska", is told offhandedly, that he believes any person can defeat their cravings by confronting them. The "Countess" believes this may be the answer she's been looking for to overcome her father, along with "Dr. Garth's" modern science.
Above right, is Marguerite Churchill quietly steaming over Otto Kruger's obvious fascination with Gloria Holden. On her left, portraying "Lady Esme Hammond", is Hedda Hopper. Whose career started to drastically change the year before this motion picture. When Hopper agreed to start writing a "Gossip Column" for "The Washington Herald", for $50 dollars a week, equal to $1,134 dollars as of this writing.
After the party, the "Countess" asks "Sandor" to find a model for her painting. This is where that small influence from Sheridan Le Fanu is still found, but in a means of getting around the "Hays Office".
"Sandor" finds "Lili" at a bridge contemplating suicide and asks her to come with him. She is standoffish, but he explains it not for him but his mistress. "Sandor" promises the young woman food, warmth, and money, "Lili" agrees and goes with the servant to the "Countess".
"Countess Marya Zaleska" has been fighting off her urges as instructed by "Dr. Garth", and it seems to be working. She explains to her model that she wants her naked for the painting and "Sandor" will not be present. "Lili" starts to undress:
However, "Countess Marya Zaleska" cannot resist her vampire urge anymore, and attacks "Lili".
"Lili" has survived the attack, was found on a London street, and taken to the hospital. "Dr. Garth" is called in, because the patient is non-responsive. He now uses hypnosis to force "Lili" to remember what happened to her.
"Lili" does remember, and "Dr. Garth" receives enough information pointing at "Countess Zaleska". However, being forced to remember the evenings events through hypnosis, has caused "Lili" to suffer a heart attack, and she dies as "Garth" looks on. While, in her London home, "Countess Zaleska" now realizes there is no cure for her vampirism and orders "Sandor" to kidnap "Janet Blake" and take her to Castle Dracula in Transylvania.
In Transylvania, "Sandor" reminds the "Countess" of her promise to make him a vampire, but is coldly told she will not transform him. She plans to turn "Dr. Garth" and make him her vampire partner.
"Sandor" wants to get even with "Countess Zaleska" and approaches "Janet Blake", who is on a couch in a trance. In his hand, "Sandor" holds one of his wooden arrows and contemplates plunging it into the young woman as a means of eliminating the "Countess's" hold on "Dr. Garth", but turns away.
"Dr. Garth" arrives at Castle Dracula and is met by "Sandor", who guides him to the "Countess".
"Dr. Garth" is next taken to "Janet", who he now realizes he loves, and "Countess Marya Zaleska" makes her desires known.
"Dr. Garth" volunteers to be turned into "Zaleska's" partner, IF she releases "Janet. It is agreed too, but suddenly, a wooden arrow from "Sandor's" bow penetrates "Countess Zaleska's" heart. "Sandor" is shot dead by "Scotland Yard Detective Hawkes", who with "Professor Van Helsing", followed "Dr. Garth" to Transylvania. "Countess Marya Zaleska" dies in "Dr. Jeffrey Garth's" arms, as "Janet Blake" comes out of her trance.
"Dracula's Daughter" is part of my look at the ladies of the night. My article may not be for everyone, but is "Female Vampires of the Silver Screen 1927 - 1960: Edna Tichenor to Annette Vadim" to lure my reader at:
The last "Universal Pictures" feature film needs my reader to understand a little of the background of the brother's who made it. That can be found in more detail within my article "CURT and ROBERT SIODMAK: Horror and Film Noir" at:
SON OF DRACULA first released in Mexico on October 20, 1943
The original story was by Curt Siodmak, born with the German spelling, Kurt Siodmak.
Among his work is the screenplay for 1941's, "The Wolf Man", and this poem that he created, that some people argue is an actual Transylvanian poem:
Even a man who is pure in heart
And says his prayers by Night
May become a wolf
When the wolfbane blooms
And the autumn moon is bright.
Along with 1943's, "Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman", with the revised werewolf poem to:
Even a man who is pure in heart
And says his prayers by night
May become a wolf
When the wolfbane blooms
And the full moon is bright.
Curt Siodmak also wrote the screenplay for producer Val Lewton's classic, 1943's, "I Walked with a Zombie", and as a novelist, 1942's, "Donovan's Brain", which became the 1953, Lew Ayers, science fiction motion picture, and 1945's, "The Beast with Five Fingers", and the screenplay for that novel, among other works.
The director was brother, Robert Siodmak, known for his film-noirs.
Robert's film-noir's included his "Academy Award Best Director" nominated, 1946 version of author Ernest Hemingway's, "The Killers", that introduced Burt Lancaster and co-starred Ava Gardner. Also, in another film genre starring Lancaster, portraying "Captain Vallo", Robert Siodmak directed
1952's, "The Crimson Pirate". Considered, on the record, by producer Jerry Bruckheimer, and star
Johnny Depp, of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" film series, to be both the inspiration for, and according to the two, affectionally, "Captain Jack Sparrow's", great-grandfather.
The actual screenplay was written by Eric Taylor. Taylor wrote the screenplay for Curt Siodmak's story for the Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi, 1940, "Black Friday", he was one of the screenplay writers on the mystery comedy, 1941's, "The Black Cat", and wrote both 1942's, "The Ghost of Frankenstein", and 1943's, "The Phantom of the Opera".
The Main Cast:
Lon Chaney portrayed Curt Siodmak's play on Bram Stoker's classic character as "Count Alacard". As many know that's "Dracula" spelled backwards. Chaney had just been seen in the Robert Paige, "B" western, 1943's, "Frontier Badmen", and followed this film with the "Inner Sanctum Mystery", 1943's, "Calling Dr. Death". Lon Chaney has the distinction among classic horror actors for portraying "Dracula", "The Wolf Man", the "Frankenstein Monster", and "The Mummy". My article is "LON CHANEY, JR: OF MICE AND WEREWOLVES" at:
http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2016/05/lon-chaney-jr-of-mice-and-werewolves.html
Robert Paige portrayed "Frank Stanley". Paige started out using the name David Carlyle, because studio executives felt his last name would be confused with leading actor John Payne. His voice was heard as a singer dubbing the singing voices for several other actors. Over his movie career, Robert Paige worked for "Warner Brothers", "Columbia Pictures", who was the studio that changed his name, and he finally found his home at "Universal Pictures". Robert Paige made the move to television in 1950, still appearing on the motion picture screen. Later, he became a newscaster for ABC's, Los Angeles Channel 7. His movies included 1953's, "Abbott and Costello Go to Mars", a misleading title, because they actually went to Venus. Also, in 1953, he co-starred in the excellent crime-thriller-film-noir, "Split Second", with a group of people held by criminals in the middle of an Atomic Bomb test site, and directed by actor Dick Powell.
Louise Allbritton portrayed "Katherine Caldwell". Allbritton started appearing on-screen in 1942, and prior to this motion picture. She had appeared in the slapstick comedy, 1943's, "Crazy House", and followed this feature film, co-starring with Robert Paige, in the romantic-comedy, 1944's, "Her Primitive Man". From March 4, 1954 through July 1, 1955, Louise Allbritton starred in the completely forgotten television, "NBC Daytime Serial", "Concerning Miss Marlowe". That is known for introducing actor Efrem Zimbalist, Jr.
Evelyn Ankers portrayed "Claire Caldwell". Ankers, the wife of actor Richard Denning, was a regular in "Universal Pictures" horror. In a comic turn, she was in 1941's, "Hold That Ghost", starring Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, and in that same year. She was in "The Wolf Man", in 1942, Evelyn Ankers was "Elsa Frankenstein", in "The Ghost of Frankenstein", and in 1943, she was also in comedians Ole Olson and Chic Johnson's, "Crazy House". My article is "Evelyn Ankers and Her 1940's Horror Films From Universal Pictures" at:
Above sisters Evelyn Ankers and Louise Allbritton.
Frank Craven portrayed "Dr. Harry Brewster". Craven acted in thirty-eight motion pictures, directed two, wrote eighteen screenplays, and was a legitimate stage producer. He originated the role of "The Stage Manager, Mr. Morgan" in playwright Thornton Wilder's, 1938, "Our Town", in 1940, Craven recreated the role in the motion picture version.
J. Edward Bromberg portrayed "Professor Lazlo. Josef Bromberger was born in Temesvar, Kingdom of Hungary, was a founding member of two legitimate New York City stage groups, the "Civic Repertory Theatre", and the "Group Theatre". His first on-screen appearance was in the Ronald Colman, Claudette Colbert, and Victor McLaglen, 1936, "Under Two Flags". Bromberger portrayed Basil Rathbone's co-villain, "Don Luis Quintero, in 1940's, "The Mark of Zorro", and "Amiot", in 1943's, "The Phantom of the Opera".
Above on the left is Frank Craven, and on the right is J. Edward Bromberg. Between them is the dead body of "Tommy Land", portrayed by the uncredited Charles Bates.
Pre-Screenplay:
Many viewers of "Son of Dracula", don't like, or understand the motion picture. It is very dark and not like any other "Universal Pictures" horror feature of the 1940's, or those from "Columbia Pictures". Such as the same year's, "Return of the Vampire", starring Bela Lugosi, or 1944's, often overlooked, "Cry of the Werewolf", starring Nina Foch. Who would portray Charlton Heston's Egyptian mother in Cecil B. DeMille's, 1956, "The Ten Commandments".
The following from my above linked article, relates to the German film style, Siodmak Brother's wanted to re-create in the motion picture.
In 1925 Robert, who had also started writing novels, was hired by director Curtis Bernhardt as a film editor and scenarist. In 1926 Kurt and another reporter, his future wife from 1931 until his death 42 years later, Henreitta Erna Baroness de Perrot, were sent to interview director Fritz Lang. Lang agreed to their request, but only if they both became extras on a motion picture he was shooting titled "Metropolis".
In 1927 Robert received his first on screen credit as the film editor on "Bezwinger der 1000 Gefahren (The Island of 1000 Dangers)". The following year he wrote the titles for the silent film "Die Durchgangerin (The Passage Women)" known in the United States as "The Runaway Girl". After Robert worked on two more silent films the two brothers came together on a motion picture.
"Menschen an Sontag (People On Sunday)" was a documentary style feature based upon the reporting of Kurt Siodmak. It was co-directed by brother Robert. The other director was Edgar G. Ulmer, (1934's "The Black Cat" starring Karloff and Lugosi and the classic 1945 film noir "Detour" starring Tom Neal and Ann Savage). The screenplay was by Billy Wilder using the name Billie Wilder (1950's "Sunset Boulevard", 1957's "The Spirit of St. Louis" and "Witness for the Prosecution"and 1959's "Some Like It Hot").
The motion picture was co-directed by Fred Zinemann (1952's "High Noon" and the following years "From Here to Eternity"). Zinemann, as did Kurt Siodmak, received no on screen credit as a director.
The co-producer of this motion picture with Ulmer was Robert and Curt's cousin Seymour Nebenzal (Co-produced "M" with Fritz Lang, 1933's "Das Testament des Dr. Mabuse", also with Lang, and the overlooked American remake in 1951 of "M"),
This once forgotten 1930 motion picture had some of the future names of the American movie industry within it. All of the names I mentioned, including Fritz Lang, would take their families and flee Germany. As Adolph Hitler came to power, because each one of them was Jewish.
For "Son of Dracula", the brother's reached back into their German cinema experiences and three silent horror films of the German expressionist period of their youth, 1915's, "The Golem", 1920's, "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari", and 1922's, "Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror".
To get the proper atmosphere, director Robert Siodmak, with the backing of producer Ford Beebe, also the second-unit-director on "Son of Dracula", made very specific choices for the crew including cinematography.
The cinematographer assigned to the picture was George Robinson, a perfect fit to what Robert Siodmak wanted to create. Robinson was the director of photography on both, 1936's, "The Invisible Ray", and "Dracula's Daughter". Plus both 1939's "Son of Frankenstein" and "Tower of London", 1942's "The Mummy Tomb", and 1943's "Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman".
The main set decorator was Russell A. Gausman. Gausman had worked on the sets for the 1925, "Phantom of the Opera", 1931 "Dracula" and 1932's, "The Old Dark House". He designed sets for both 1939's, "Son of Frankenstein" and "Tower of London". In 1940, Russell Gausman had designed the sets for "The Invisible Man Returns", "Black Friday" and "The Mummy's Hand". In 1941, it was for "The Black Cat" and "The Wolfman", and in 1942, "Ghost of Frankenstein", "The Night Monster", directed by Ford Beebe, and "The Mummy's Tomb". Also in 1943, was "Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman" and "The Phantom of the Opera".
Russell A. Gausman had to turn a portion of the back lot of "Universal Pictures", North Hollywood, California, into a Louisiana Bayou, with an old Civil War mansion.
Special effects were by John P. Fulton, 1932's "The Mummy", 1935 "The Werewolf of London", 1939 "Son of Frankenstein", and in 1940, he worked on "Black Friday" and "Man-Made Monster". Along with 1941's, "The Wolfman" and 1942's, "The Ghost of Frankenstein".
One last point, Robert Siodmak directed the screenplay not as the typical horror production, but as a definite film-noir. Thereby creating the only known Horror Film-Noir, but that also explains a lot about the confusion.
An Overview of the Siodmak Brother's Homage to German Horror Cinema:
Let's get something clear here, unlike the "Daughter of Dracula", in which "Countess Marya Zaleska", is the actual daughter of the vampire. Even though we never know for sure who her mother was, or how she was cursed. In "Son of Dracula", his relationship to the vampire is never made clear and it appears he is Bram Stoker's, "Dracula". The title of the film therefore, becomes confusing to the viewer, but according to Gary D. Rhodes, in 2019, for the website "BearManor Media". Writing about motion picture scripts at:
https://www.bearmanormedia.com/products/scripts-from-the-crypt-9-son-of-dracula-hardback?_pos=2&_sid=44c4317fe&_ss=r
Within three weeks of the premier of Tod Browning's Dracula (1931), Universal presented three titles for follow-ups to the Hays Office. These included The Modern Dracula, The Return of Dracula and The Son of Dracula. No notes exist regarding the possible story content of any for these films.
The Siodmak Brother's were given a title and without any direction and Curt went to work on a story. His finished story was entitled the more appropriate, as you will see, "Destiny", but the "Universal Pictures" executives stuck with the 1931 submitted title of "Son of Dracula".
The screenplay opens at the railroad station, almost just a shack for the railroad employees, and to permit people to stay inside waiting for the next train. The audience sees "Frank Stanley" and "Dr. Brewster" speaking about the luggage, more like crates, for "Court Alucard" piled on a cart. They ask the railroad employee where the "Count" is and are told no one got off the train.
Looking them over, "Dr. Brewster's" notices a plague reading
"Alucard", but at an angle, so that it reads
"Dracula". "Brewster" seems to know the second name, but from where, he doesn't remember.
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While, "Frank" and "Dr. Brewster" were waiting at the train station, back at the family plantation from the pre-Civil War Period, "Dark Oaks", the "Caldwell sisters", were discussing "Katherine's" apparent obsession with the occult. Something she seemed to never have prior to meeting, supposedly on a European vacation, the Hungarian, "Count Alucard".
A grand dinner party for "Count Alucard" had been planned by the family with local guests, but after being given the news from "Frank" and "Dr. Brewster" of his apparent non-arrival. "Katherine" seems very concerned.
The party ends late into the night and the "Count" has yet to appear and "Katherine" has become more worried about what happened.
Below, left to right, are Robert Paige, George Irving portraying "Colonel Caldwell", Louise Allbritton, and Evelyn Ankers. Behind them near the doorway is Jess Lee Brooks, portraying "Stephen, the Valet".
"Frank" and "Katherine" are outside the house talking about the evening and the missing "Count Alucard". "Frank" speaks to their future, but they are being watched.
"Count Alucard" has been watching the two from when they came outside, and now approaches with his deepest apologies for being so late.
"Katherine" introduces him to her father, her sister, visiting "Dr. Brewster" and, of course, her fiance "Frank". When offered a late dinner, the "Count", mentions having eaten earlier. After a while, the "Colonel" excuses himself and goes to upstairs to smoke a cigar in his bedroom. There he has a visitor in the form of "Count Alucard", who seems to have just materialized behind "Colonel Caldwell".
Not coming back downstairs, the "Colonel" is found lying on his bed by his valet, who calls for "Claire", she is in turned followed upstairs by "Dr. Brewster".
After a casual examination of "Colonel Caldwell", "Dr. Brewster", sadly states that he had a heart attack and died. "Dr. Brewster" has either overlooked, or didn't think much about seeing two bite marks on the "Colonel's" neck. Probably common from some insect within the Louisiana swamp area the plantation house is located.
The following day, "Judge Simmons", portrayed by Samuel S. Hinds, calls the sisters to a reading of their father's will. In attendance are "Katherine" and "Claire", along with "Frank" and "Dr. Brewster", who has to fill out the death certificate in the judge's chambers.
The judge states that "Colonel Caldwell" came to him and recently changed his will. In the original will, both "Claire" and "Katherine" were to split all the families monies evenly and the proceeds from the sale of the planation. The changes now give all the families monies to "Claire", and "Dark Oaks" to "Katherine". "Claire" cannot understand this changes and believes for some reason their father has shorted "Katherine" out of her proper inheritance. However, it turns out that it was "Katherine's" request to their father, because for some unstated reason, she just wants the old decaying plantation house and property.
"Katherine" continues and now shocks everyone present, by announcing she will not be marrying "Frank", but will be marrying "Count Alucard". That same night, "Katherine", enters the Louisiana swamp around "Dark Oaks" and visits a Hungarian gypsy known as"Madame Queen Zimba",
portrayed by Adeline De Walt Reynolds. She had been previously warned, before "Count Alucard's" arrival by "Zimba", to not allow him to come near the plantation as he is evil. To tell the "Count" to return to his native soil. Now, "Madame Queen Zimba" warns "Katherine" of the danger of marrying "Count Alucard" as she plans.
Suddenly a giant bat enters the tent frightening the voodoo queen. She tells "Katherine" to leave and "Madame Queen Zimba", becomes the next victim of the vampire.
That same night, "Frank Stanley" goes to "Dark Oaks" to stop the woman he has loved since childhood from marrying "Count Alucard". This leads to a confrontation between "Frank" and the "Count", and "Katherine" stops the vampire from killing "Frank".
However, "Frank" pulls out a pistol and shoots the "Count", but the bullets seem to have just gone through "Alucard". A stunned "Frank Stanley" looks on as his bullets now kill 'Katherine". Who was standing several feet directly behind "Count Alucard".
In shock, "Frank" runs from "Dark Oaks" and goes to "Dr. Brewster" and tells him what he's done. "Brewster" tells "Stanley" to remain at his house and he goes to "Dark Oaks" to see what really happened.
There "Stephen", who is the only person seen during daylight hours at "Dark Oaks", takes the doctor up to "Katherine's" room. Where "Dr. Brewster" finds "Katherine" alive in bed and "Count Alucard" by her bedside. The couple inform the doctor that during the daylight hours they will be engaged in Scientific Experimentation and unavailable, but the couple always welcomes visitor's at Night!
Meanwhile, "Frank" leaves "Dr. Brewster's" house and goes to "Sheriff Dawes", portrayed by Patrick Moriarity, to confess he murdered "Katherine". "Dr. Brewster" arrives and attempts to convince the "Sheriff" that he saw her alive at the plantation only a short while ago.
"Dr. Brewster" states that "Frank" is in shock after having been told his longtime love won't marry him. "Sheriff Dawes" has his deputy, "Jack", portrayed by Jack Rockwell, accompany him and "Dr. Brewster", as they go to "Judge Simmons's" house with "Frank" to discuss what they should do?
Above left to right standing, Patrick Moriarity, Jack Rockwell, Robert Paige, Frank Craven
at the door, and seated Samuel S. Hinds.
It has become daylight and the group decides to search "Dark Oaks", but before going to the main house. They come to the old family mausoleum and entering it, find "Katherine Caldwell's" dead body. Apparently, confirming her murder by "Frank Stanley".
"Frank" is arrested and taken to the jail at the Sheriff's station. "Sheriff Dawes" has "Katherine's" body moved to the county morgue, however, that night "Count Alucard" enters and removes her body to a secure location on the plantation.
"Dr. Brewster" still cannot understand finding "Katherine's" dead body. After having his meeting with her and the "Count".
The audience now comes to a little fun Curt Siodmak has with Bram Stoker's novel. They see "Dr. Brewster" reading "Dracula", not as a novel, but a factual report of a real incident that happened in Victorian, England.
"Dr. Brewster" next contacts "Professor Lazlo", the name of the real professor of the occult that Stoker changed, for his protection, to "Professor Abraham Van Helsing".
At the jail, "Frank" has a visit from "Claire Caldwell". Who is trying to believe his story of accidentally shooting her sister.
"Professor Lazlo" arrives in Louisiana, at the end of his multiple plane flights from Europe. "Lazlo" meets with "Dr. Brewster" and agrees with his theory of a vampire. What he doesn't know for certain is which vampire "Brewster" has been dealing with. That is until "DRACULA" materializes in "Dr. Brewster's" office.
"Dracula"
acknowledges the vampire hunter, "Professor Lazlo", but warns both men that their actions would be feeble against him. He then attacks the professor, who pulls a crucifix out of his pocket and repeals
"Count Dracula".
Meanwhile, "Katherine" materializes inside "Frank's" jail cell.
After telling "Frank" that she drank just a little of his blood for nourishment.
The audience gets the unexpected reveal. Everything that has been occurring is part of "Katherine Caldwell's" plan. Phase One, had been to go to Europe and find "Count Dracula" and convince him to cross the Atlantic to Louisiana, and "DARK OAKS".
Phase Two, was to get "Dracula" to turn her into a vampire. So, she could turn her true-love, "Frank" into a vampire, and they could live forever on the plantation. The reason she got her father to change his will.
Now comes Phase Three, she wants "Frank" to escape jail and "Destroy Count Dracula".
"Katherine" tells "Frank" the location of the "Count's" coffin and what needs to be done.
Lastly, "Katherine" informs "Frank", that he will find her coffin in the plantation house's hidden playroom. That they would go to as children. After "Katherine Caldwell" leaves the jail.
"Frank Stanley" is truly going crazy, but he figures a way to escape the jail and does.
"Frank" now goes into the swamp area of the plantation and the old tunnel ruins he was told about, but the "Count" isn't in his coffin. The "Dracula" now returns and approaches "Frank" from behind.
"Count Dracula" starts to attack "Frank Stanley", but freezes in place as he realizes "Frank" has already set his coffin on fire and the sun is coming up. The vampire in panic forgets killing "Frank" and starts fighting the fire to save his coffin, but "Frank" attempts to stop him.
In the end the vampire is beaten by the morning sunlight!
After destroying "Count Dracula", "Frank" goes to the hidden playroom in the daylight and sets fire to the coffin-bed containing his love, once, "Katherine Caldwell", as "Dr. Brewster" comes in.
I end by quoting a line from the
1931, "Dracula", as the wolves howl frightening "Renfield":
Listen to them. Children of the night. What music they make.
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