THE DEVIL DOLL

US, 1936, 78 minutes. Black and white.
Lionel Barrymore, Maureen O’ Sullivan, Frank Lawton, Rafaela Ottiano, Lucy Beaumont.
Directed by Tod Browning.

The Devil Doll is one of several films from director Tod Browning during the 1930s. His films of that era stood out as horror films which have become classics. They include the original Dracula with Bela Lugosi as well as the controversial film Freaks.

Lionel Barrymore gives a very interesting performance in this film, as a French banker imprisoned for seventeen years on Devil’s Island who escapes and comes back to Paris for vengeance as well as a reconciliation with his daughter who believes in his guilt. While in Paris he disguises himself as an old woman, Madame Mandilip. Barrymore carries off this cross-dressing disguise with some aplomb. Maureen O’ Sullivan is his daughter.

However, he escapes with a convict who has been experimenting with reducing creatures, animal and then human, to miniature size. They are then frozen but can be warmed into activity – and controlled by the mind of the maker. The banker then decides to use such dolls in order to wreak his revenge on the bankers who framed him. And this is what happens.

The special effects are very interesting for the mid-1930s with the way that the miniatures were photographed and superimposed on the action.

While the film is very much of the 30s, somewhat dated in presentation and style, nevertheless it is one of the interesting films from this period, a period which was developing the horror genre in Hollywood from the Dracula movies, Frankenstein movies and variations on the Devil Doll themes.

1. The 1930s, the development of horror films? The appeal to the imagination? Themes of terror, themes of vengeance?

2. The work of Tod Browning? His career, skills, interests?

3. MGM production, black and white photography, the Devil’s Island sets, the Paris sets? The musical score? The expressionist style in lighting and framing?

4. The plausibility of the plot? The genre and its conventions? The use of special effects for the miniatures to make its impact?

5. Paul Lavond, his past, his work at the bank, his being framed, found guilty, leaving his mother behind, his daughter thinking he was guilty? Seventeen years at Devil’s Island? His life, bitterness, character, wanting vengeance, planning the escape?

6. Life on Devil’s Island, the convicts, the guards, the oppression?

7. The escape, the pursuit, his escaping with Marcel? The dogs and the guards? Marcel and his quest, coming to his house?

8. The house, Malita and her love for her husband? Her intensity? Working with him, the experiments, the reducing the animals, the success of the experiments? The girl and her being reduced?

9. Marcel’s death – his intentions to help humanity? His wife continuing his work? Lavond and his using it for his own purposes?

10. The transition to Paris, Malita going with Paul? The house, the experiments? Paul disguising himself as Madame Mandilip? The nice old lady, genial? His manner as Madame? In the neighbourhood, getting known? The contrast with his life in the house and the experiments? His relentlessness? Dominating Malita? Malita wanting to honour her husband?

11. The three bankers, their characters, talking together, their reputations, the growing fear with the return of Lavond? The first one disappearing, Lavond’s treatment of him? The capture of the next? The vengeance? The miniature, in his disguise, trying to sell the dolls as toys? The dog and its coming to life? The doll, in the house, the mind control? Her going to the businessman’s room, paralysing him?

12. Madame going to the laundry, watching her daughter at work? His visit to his mother? The police visits? His daughter, her bitterness? Her friendship with Toto? Talking over her life with him? Her hatred for her father?

13. Paul visiting his mother, his mother not revealing the truth to the police?

14. His vindication, his innocence of the bank fraud? His telling Toto, arranging for Lorraine to come to the Eiffel Tower? The meeting, her change of heart? Kissing her goodbye?

15. His disappearance – vindicated? But the morality of his vengeance?