BEFORE I HANG

US, 1940, 62 minutes, Black and white.
Boris Karloff, Evelyn Keyes, Bruce Bennett, Edward van Sloan.
Directed by Nick Grinde.

Before I hang is a B-budget horror thriller, a vehicle for Boris Karloff. It is interesting for Boris Karloff fans to see him as he normally looked, an opportunity to see him play a normal character. He does so with great bearing and dignity.

However, this film about a life serum to preserve youth is actually a horror film and echoes the Frankenstein story. In this case, Karloff is the equivalent of Frankenstein as well as becoming the monster – and a chance to see him do his horror turn.

The film opens with Karloff as Doctor John Garth, in court for mercy killing. However, he was experimenting with hormones and serums for stopping the ageing process. When he is sent to prison, he has three weeks to live but is allowed to continue his experiments with the help of a sympathetic doctor. When a criminal is executed, he uses some of the blood from the criminal to experiment on himself. At this stage, his death sentence is commuted to life. What happens is that the blood takes over the doctor and there is a kind of Jekyll and Hyde story, with the doctor murdering his associates.

Evelyn Keyes and Bruce Bennett are in support as the doctor’s daughter and her fiancé. However, their acting is not particularly strong, rather stilted.

The film is interesting in its themes – especially as interpreted in 1940. The director, Nick Grinde, had a twenty-year career from the late 20s to the mid-40s. He directed only B-budget films and programmers.

1.The impact of the film? Science fiction? The touch of horror? 1940? Vehicle for Boris Karloff?

2.The title, the death penalty, the mercy killing, execution, the changing of execution to life sentence? The final irony of Doctor Garth’s crimes?

3.The black and white photography, the strong emphasis on the contrast between black and white? Stylish photography? For photographing Boris Karloff, in the court, in his laboratories, during the killings?

4.The issues of a serum for the fountain of life? The explanation of the ageing principles and death? Trying to stop the ageing process?

5.The laboratories, the 1940s style? The serums? Blood? Injections?

6.Boris Karloff as Doctor Garth, in court, the explanations, the testimonies against him? His condemnation? His dignified speech? In jail, the warden and his sympathy, Doctor Howard and his willingness to help? The setting up of the laboratory? The pressure of time?

7.The experiments, getting the blood from the criminal, the injection? Doctor Howard to analyse Doctor Garth after his death? Training Doctor Howard, the notes, the explanations?

8.Martha, her relationship with her father? With Paul, his support? The changing of the sentence to life?

9.The effect of the blood on Doctor Garth, the Jekyll and Hyde story, his killing Doctor Garth, his going to visit his friends, trying to persuade them to have the serum? His behaviour at the meeting, their leaving? Martha and her anxiety? His going to see them separately, the killings?

10.The effect on Doctor Garth, his guilt, his being responsible, his needing to die?

11.The popularity of this kind of blend of science fiction and moral fable in the 30s and 40s? Impact now?