I may have seen this title in some list of Karloff's work, but I had never seen it before, and it was something of an eyeopener.
Even though it was made by Columbia which was not quite a major studio, and often prone to productions on a shoe string, this one has some striking work in it - right from the crane shots at the opening, and the frequent use of shots in mirrors, which ties into the theme of twins.
The picture allows Karloff to play two different characters : a charming, but somewhat trusting good guy, and a hated tyrant, a lout and what we would call now days a serial killer. With both characters there are some flashes of excellent work by Karloff.
What weakens the picture is some of cheapness in the production - the use of familiar sets, the characters dashing about in the "badlands" of Austria, the less than excellent music accompanying the action (a few times it's wildly inappropriate) and some of the accepted acting practices of the 30's.
Still if you've never seen it before it's worth studying for seeing Karloff given the opportunity to truly stretch his acting muscles - showing his strengths and his limits.
Even though it was made by Columbia which was not quite a major studio, and often prone to productions on a shoe string, this one has some striking work in it - right from the crane shots at the opening, and the frequent use of shots in mirrors, which ties into the theme of twins.
The picture allows Karloff to play two different characters : a charming, but somewhat trusting good guy, and a hated tyrant, a lout and what we would call now days a serial killer. With both characters there are some flashes of excellent work by Karloff.
What weakens the picture is some of cheapness in the production - the use of familiar sets, the characters dashing about in the "badlands" of Austria, the less than excellent music accompanying the action (a few times it's wildly inappropriate) and some of the accepted acting practices of the 30's.
Still if you've never seen it before it's worth studying for seeing Karloff given the opportunity to truly stretch his acting muscles - showing his strengths and his limits.