Dragonwyck

Gene Tierney is invited to stay with Vincent Price and his family at the Dragonwyck castle. When she arrives she is enamored by the new lifestyle in which she will live. Mysterious things begin to stir within the family. Price becomes equally enamormed with Tierney, his wife becomes suddenly ill, his daughter shows no love for either parents, and the mysterious tower all play an important part in this tangled web. A must see for anyone who likes suspense!

This is a rare case where the movie adaptation is more enjoyable than the novel it was based on. I liked Vincent Price immensely in this movie; he is creepy yet seductive, and I can readily imagine a young woman getting caught in his web without realizing the danger. He adds much more nuance and subtlety to the character of Van Ryn, who in the novel came across as just a scary guy to be avoided at all costs. I wish it would come out on video - it's definitely an enjoyable "rainy day" movie.

Although "Dragonwyck" is not a perfect film (one could quibble regarding it's over-long length), it certainly succeeds as a showcase for period atmosphere and melodrama. Gene Tierney is pretty successful in projecting a character who evolves from a wide-eyed innocent to disillusioned spouse of a cold, meglomaniac addict. Walter Huston (father of John), was a fine old-school character player, and he scores big points in his too-brief scenes as Tierney's reverent but irascible father. Best of all is Vincent Price, in a role that presages his tormented Poe characters in films fifteen to twenty years hence. Price totally inhabits the persona of Van Ryn, symbolizing his proud, gallant strength, and ultimately portraying his pathetic disintegration into weakness, drug addiction, and murder (just like any self-respecting Poe character!!). The film's cinematography and music go a long way toward making this undeservedly forgotten Fox film a winner, one that deserves a pristine DVD release.

Gene Tierney, Vincent Price and Walter Huston and Joseph L Mankiewicz were reasons enough to maintain interest in seeing Dragonwyck. While I had no problem with any of them, I did have a fair lot of issues with the film. The film is overlong and is rather ponderously paced. It further suffers from some clumsy scripting, a consequence of trying to cram too many different genres, and a story that has some suspense but suffers from the fact that it doesn't go anywhere for a bit of the time and the ending underwhelmed also. However, the production values are simply gorgeous, and the score is resolutely haunting. Mankiewicz's direction is solid. Gene Tierney looks beautiful and is adorable and touching. Walter Huston, Anne Revere and Jessica Tandy give terrific support. The best asset is the performance of Vincent Price, one that is devilishly handsome, sometimes frightening and always commanding. All in all, Price makes a deeply flawed movie worth watching. 6/10 Bethany Cox