Rather maddening movie that starts off as a first-rate suspenser. Traumatized by a high seas sinking, Leslie seeks to recover by visiting her nearby aunt and uncle in their bayou country mansion. But once there, strange things like voices in the night, haunt her. Everyone in the mansion is kind to her, but something's amiss-- but what and why. Good thing Dr. Grover's around to furnish comfort.
Oberon is first-rate as the afflicted girl, her eyes expressing the inner torment in convincing style. Suspense builds as her condition wavers inside the darkened house, while outside lurk the dark waters of a treacherous bayou. It seems poor Leslie's tormented by mysterious forces on all sides.
It's a first-rate cast, especially Bainter as the kindly aunt. Trouble is the suspense is squandered by a murky screenplay that is good at setting things up but flounders at playing them out. But then the script is the result of six writers, a cumbersome number, at best. Then too, the climax falls flat, being much too lengthy and too talky to peak the suspense. It was also a mistake, I think, to insert a reveal scene too early so that the mystery part is lost. Better to leave us guessing til the end in usual suspense fashion. It also looks like the narrative flaws were simply too many for ace director De Toth to overcome with his edgy skills.
Thus, the overall result represents a squandered opportunity, even though it fortunately remains an Oberon showcase.
Oberon is first-rate as the afflicted girl, her eyes expressing the inner torment in convincing style. Suspense builds as her condition wavers inside the darkened house, while outside lurk the dark waters of a treacherous bayou. It seems poor Leslie's tormented by mysterious forces on all sides.
It's a first-rate cast, especially Bainter as the kindly aunt. Trouble is the suspense is squandered by a murky screenplay that is good at setting things up but flounders at playing them out. But then the script is the result of six writers, a cumbersome number, at best. Then too, the climax falls flat, being much too lengthy and too talky to peak the suspense. It was also a mistake, I think, to insert a reveal scene too early so that the mystery part is lost. Better to leave us guessing til the end in usual suspense fashion. It also looks like the narrative flaws were simply too many for ace director De Toth to overcome with his edgy skills.
Thus, the overall result represents a squandered opportunity, even though it fortunately remains an Oberon showcase.