La loba de Londres

What a swizz! Not only does this film clearly not take place in London, but there isn't a she-wolf to be seen. Instead, this creaky potboiler utilises a plot that must have seemed trite even way back in 1946: a pretty young heiress, Phyllis Allenby (June Lockhart), believes that she has fallen victim to the lycanthropic Allenby curse unaware that her 'aunt' Martha (Sara Haden) is actually trying to drive her insane so that she can a) lay claim to the family fortune, and b) set up her own daughter Carol (Jan Wiley) with Phyllis's fiancé Barry (Don Porter).

If you can't guess what is happening after Martha has given Phyllis her umpteenth warm drink to help her sleep, then you really should consider giving up watching films and take up something less taxing on the brain, like basket weaving perhaps. As mysteries go, this one is pretty easy to solve, and offers little in the way of genuine excitement or tension. Thankfully, the lovely June Lockhart (who would go onto play Maureen Robinson on the classic sci-fi series Lost in Space) is easy on the eye and helps the time pass a lot less painfully than it might otherwise have.

As it is always marketed as a horror film, and part of the Universal Classic Horror Films, the disappointment it causes in horror fans is very understandable. "She-Wolf of London" is not, despite its name, a horror movie in the classic sense of the word, it is more a typical "whodunit" mystery and an ancestor to the psychological thrillers of today.

In London, a mysterious series of murders is creating fear in the population and confusion in the police department as people speak of a killer werewolf. The news create shock in young Phyllis Allenby (a beautiful young June Lockhart), who beliefs she is the responsible as an ancient family legend states that the Allenby clan is cursed with Lycanthropy, the werewolf's curse. She isolates herself and denies watching everyone, even breaking her relationship with her boyfriend Barry Lanfield (Don Porter). Her aunt Marta Withrop (Sara Haden) takes advantage of this and tries to force her daughter Carol (Jan Wiley) to marry the wealthy Barry.

All this interesting plot gives room to a lot of development, sadly, the movie doesn't move too far away from the established formula and therefore we don't have a lot of chance to get empathy for the characters. This is its main problem, since what we have are two-dimensional characters and a lot of potential wasted.

The sets are outstanding and the movie is brilliantly photographed, the trademark of the Universal Studios at that time without a doubt; nevertheless, this technical features does not help to improve a movie that feels incomplete or undeveloped. The pacing is slow and the very few things happen making the experience boring and tiresome at times.

The acting is above average, but with so few development there are not many things to do with that material. June Lockhart looks amazing and beautiful, but her character is not fully explored in the script and she has no real chances of showing her talents. A real shame, since she as the main character should be the focal point of the movie.

Don Porter is unconvincing as the hero and his performance feels a bit wooden. Same thing with Jan Wiley. Nevertheless, Sara Haden does an outstanding job and truly gives a lesson of acting in her performance. Along the technical aspects, her acting is probably what makes the movie worthy.

Overall an average movie that also suffers from bad marketing, since it is really not a horror movie, but a classic "whudunit" mystery that while entertaining, it is really nothing impressive. 5/10. Quite average time killer.

... that was released at the tail end of the Universal horror film cycle, from director Jean Yarbrough.

Wealthy heiress Phyllis Allenby (June Lockhart) thinks she might be a werewolf when people start getting murdered at night in the park across from her home. She believes this because of the legendary "Allenby Curse" that says the Allenbys are cursed to walk the earth as werewolves. What survivors there are talk of a woman in the form of a wolf who attacked them. Phyllis takes to her bed, refusing to see her fiance, wealthy attorney Barry Lanfield (Don Porter). Phyllis tries all sorts of things to keep awake all night so that she can't "fall into a trance" and attack people, but she always does fall asleep and awakens the next morning with muddy slippers and even blood on her hands at times, with stories in the newspapers of yet another attack in the park. Her fiance gets tired of being kept away from her and decides to watch Phyllis' house to see what is happening. He sees a a woman come out the front door, walk to the park, and shortly thereafter a man is attacked, but the woman gets away. It might not be Phyllis - three other women live in that house besides her. So what goes on here? Watch and find out.

There are all kinds of "tells" in this one that makes the course of the film not much of a surprise, and June Lockhart plays this much too passive to be an effective possible killer. Also, I will tell you that you never actually see this creature on the loose. Don't expect Lon Chaney Jr.'s Wolf Man.

What this film does well is make good use of Sara Haden. She spent years on contract at MGM playing the spinster aunt in the Andy Hardy series and other similar roles. This movie gives her a chance to break out of that.

The other good thing this film does is explore the concept of regret, in middle age, of not marrying for practical reasons in one's youth versus going for the guy who gives you a hormonal rush and is perhaps penniless. The thing is, if you went for the sturdy practical guy you did not love, you'd wind up calling the mailman by his first name and you'd still have a tragedy on your hands.

I'd mildly recommend this one. There are worse ways to spend your time.

"She-Wolf of London" is an okay film for what it is. I imagine that horror fans were disappointed, asking "Where's the Werewolf?" (Why Jack Pierce is credited as the makeup man in the opening credits I don't know, since I can't see any place in the film where his special makeup talents were employed.) The story: In Victorian London, a series of murders takes place in a public park, where the survivors report being attacked by a female werewolf. A young woman, Phyllis Allenby (June Lockhart), suspects that she might be a werewolf in question. Supposedly, it is a family curse, "the curse of the Allenbys." Phyllis wakes up in the morning to find blood on her clothes and dirt tracks on the floor of her bedroom.

More, I won't say, since it will spoil the mystery for those who haven't seen the movie.

"She-Wolf" is more of a Gothic thriller than a monster movie. It has elements of George Cukor's "Gaslight," and Hitchcock's "Rebecca" and "Suspicion." If they had spent a bit more exposition time on the plot, it might have been a classic thriller. Nevertheless, it still does okay as a nice, eerie, foggy-gaslit melodrama.

When watching the She – Wolf of London, don't expect to see a female version of the Wolf Man, This should not be classed with the Wolf Man, Frankenstein, Dracula, the Mummy or any of their offshoots. It's an enjoyable movie but it should be considered not so much a horror movie but more of a mystery. If you are looking for a good horror movie, this isn't it. The acting is good, sets are good, plot a bit weak. It's a good chance to see June Lockhart playing a major role early in her career. I found that the movie did keep my interest but the horror factor never really came into play. Although it wasn't what I expected, I still enjoyed it. It certainly isn't a must see movie, but it isn't a waste of your time either.