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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
But why do their clothes shrink, too...??, December 14, 2002
This review is from: Devil Doll [VHS] (VHS Tape)
Lionel Barrymore mightily chews up the scenery in this silly horror movie about a unjustly jailed man who, upon getting paroled, seeks revenge on the crooked businessmen who brought his downfall. There are a few gimmicks here: one is his method of revenge... Using a stolen formula that allows him to shrink humans down to puppet size and control them with his mind (FDA approval pending), Barrymore sends his shrunken zombies out to murder and torment his enemies. The second gimmick is that he uses a false identity as a cover so that he can carry out these nefarious deeds, and his new identity is as an elderly woman who runs a dollmaking shop... a big chance for Barrymore to ham it up in drag. Maureen O'Sullivan plays the daughter who doesn't suspect a thing... The movie is fun in an after-school creature feature kind of way... The revenge plot is ridiculously over-complicated, but hey, I'm sure no one intended this film to be taken as high art. Nice light entertainment, very cool special effects for the 1930s.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Lionel Barrymore In One Of MGM's Rare Excursions Into Horror, November 11, 2003
This review is from: Devil Doll [VHS] (VHS Tape)
MGM, the studio with "more stars than there are in heaven" and the epitome of glamour and style in the golden years of Hollywood's heyday is not normally the studio one associates with the horror movie genre. In "The Devil Doll", however we have one of their biggest male stars (Lionel Barrymore) in a piece of very offbeat casting in a highly original story. It is of great interest to not only old style horror movie lovers but also to those intrigued by the innovative (for the time) special effects employed in this macabre little tale. A product of the genius of Tod Browning who was responsible for the classic "Dracula", starring Bela Lugosi, "The Devil Doll", was based on a quite startling (for the time), novel titled "Burn, Witch Burn". In it's transfer to the screen it acquired quite a distinguished pedigree as it boasts a screenplay that was partially adapted by the one and only Erich Von Stroheim. It tells the strange story of Paul Lavond, (Barrymore) an escaped convict who was wrongly sent to prison after being framed by his business collegues. Escaping with him is a unbalanced scientist called Marcel (Henry B. Walthall) who prior to his imprisonment was carrying out some very macabre experiments to do with increasing the world's food supply by shrinking animals to tiny size. His wife Malita (Rafaela Ottiano in a suitably over the top performance) has continued these experiments during his absense. Bent on revenge against the men who wrongly set him up, Paul after Marcel's death, takes over the secret formula that Marcel now has used on a poor retarded girl which has shrunk her to miniature size. The formula not only reduces the person's size but also makes them totally obedient to the wishes of those who control them and Paul sets out for Paris to seek his revenge on his former collegues using his "Devil Dolls" to carry out his dirty deeds. To escape detection Paul distuishes himself as an old woman "Madame Mandelip", and goes into a doll making business where under the guise of supposedly selling his "unique and very lifelike little creations" to the families of the guilty men he will be able to destroy them with no way of it being traced back to him. For example one of the men is stabbed by one of Madame Mandelip's little terrors and is doomed to spend the rest of his life in a paralised state. The final man in the guilty trio only saves himself by publicly admitting his guilt which clears the now murderous Paul of any blame at least for the original crime. In a subplot Paul also makes contact with his long estranged daughter Lorriane (Maureen O'Sullivan) in disguise as Madame Mandelip and learns of the hatred she feels for the father that supposedly ruined her and her mother's life. Even after being cleared of the original crime Paul doing the first honourable thing since he escaped, doesn't reveal his identity to Lorraine who has now found a decent man to start her own new life with. What is undoubtedly the real standout in this story are the innovative special effects employed which might look very simple by today's standards but were for 1936 outstanding in their design and execution on screen. Tod Browning's use of oversized sets and props like chairs, doors and fireplaces set against normal sized humans playing shrunken creatures is stunningly achieved and it gives this whole story a very sinister and at times quite grisly aspect. The horror element of course is very tame by today's horror standards but the film is a unique achievement in the progress of horror special effects. Of course the sterling cast really help to bolster what is essentially a "B" horror tale. Lionel Barrymore has never been more strangely cast than here and his characterisation of the old woman is certainly one of MGM's odder casting efforts. He dominates the proceedings as the macabre Madame Mandelip with her sinister mission to wipe out all "her" enemies and Barrymore helps make "The Devil Doll", memorable viewing as a result. Rafaela Ottiano complete with white streak in her hair a la "Bride of Frankenstein", is wonderful also as the mad scientist who is swept along in Paul's murderous scheme for revenge. Maureen O'Sullivan in one of her numerous MGM supporting roles in the 1930's has the largely unchallenging role of Paul's bitter daughter who never does find out the real identity of the kindly Madame Mandelip. Not to be taken too seriously Tod Browning's "The Devil Doll", makes fascinating viewing. It contains what was a very original gimmick which has been employed countless times since in various horror efforts. Here we see it in it's original form and the film really is a great curiosity piece for its special effects and unlikely performance by one of MGM's respected Barrymore clan. Come to this film prepared not to be frightened by this story and you will find it an interesting little addition to 1930's horror stories which also shows how far screen horror has come in over 60 years. Tod Browning really was a total original with his film work and as a piece of macabre cinema "The Devil Doll" has a worthy place in horror movie history.
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Amazing Lionel, January 10, 2003
This review is from: Devil Doll [VHS] (VHS Tape)
Wonderful, amazing, the best film I have ever watch (sorry for my English). Lionel s' interpretation is apoteosic, colossal, inhumane... The argument, original, the special effects unimaginable for the epoch. And the finish is able to emotion to Pol Pot or the same Milosevic. A good film is which what after you have seen too many times, you still feel terror, sadness, happiness... in some scenes. So this is a great film. ¡BRAVOOOOO!.
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