John Carradine delivers the strongest performance of his career in this taut, suspenseful version of the Bluebeard legend. Carradine is the nefarious Gaston, an artist and puppeteer in 19th century Paris who strangles lovely young models when they fail to meet his exacting standards of perfection. Gaston’s new model, Lucille, learns of his shocking secret and bravely vows to bring him to justice.
Bluebeard (1944) starring John Carradine, Jean Parker
Gaston Morrell: Lucille, I want to tell you something no other living person knows…
… which is the reason why the artist feels compelled to murder his models. An eerie, compelling performance by the great John Carradine.
Product Description
Scream great John Carradine (The Black Sleep, House of the Long Shadows) stars in this eerie film noir version of the oft-told Bluebeard legend. Carradine is masterful as the dastardly Gaston, an artist and puppeteer in 19th-century Paris with a ghastly penchant for strangling lovely young models and surreptitiously slipping their bodies into the Seine. Gaston’s latest model, Lucille (Jean Parker, Black Tuesday), learns of his shocking secret and bravely vows to bring him to justice. Directed by the master of the strange and the spellbinding, Edgar G. Ulmer (The Black Cat, The Man from Planet X), who sustains a steady level of suspense throughout this most sinister of love stories. A dread-soaked dream for connoisseurs of classic horror and noir! Co-starring “the male Garbo” Nils Asther (By Candlelight).
Cast of characters
- John Carradine (Captain Kidd; Les Miserables (1935)) …. Gaston Morrell
- Jean Parker (Little Women (1933); Lady for a Day) …. Lucille
- Nils Asther (Night Monster) …. Inspector Lefevre
- Ludwig Stössel (The Man I Married; House of Dracula) …. Jean Lamarte (as Ludwig Stossel)
- George Pembroke (Invisible Ghost) …. Inspector Renard
- Teala Loring …. Francine
- Sonia Sorel …. Renee
- Henry Kolker (Mad Love; Holiday) …. Deschamps
Trivia
- John Carradine’s favorite performance.
- Film debut of Sonia Sorel (married to John Carradine from 1945 to 1957).
- A “bluebeard” is a type of serial killer; specifically, it is a man who murders his wives or lovers. This type is named after the fictional Bluebeard.
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