La venganza del monstruo

This Paramount film has the kind of outlandish plot often found in minor studio cheapies of the same period: Phillip Terry's sister (Ellen Drew) foolishly falls for a gangster and ends up sold into "white slavery." Her brother tries to rescue her but ends up getting framed for murder by the mobsters. Convicted and sent to die in the electric chair, his body ends up stolen by mad scientist George Zucco, who puts his brain in the body of a gorilla. The gorilla now with Phillip Terrys brain, escapes and proceeds to kill off the mobsters one by one. Along the way his dog instinctively knows the gorilla is his (hers?) old master and tags along on his murderous rampage of vengeance. If one view this film ignoring the outlandish plot, this actually a very well made film with good Paramount production values, good stylish direction by Stuart Heisler, good atmospheric photography, and good performances by most of the films cast. Charlie Gemora's gorilla costume is more realistic looking than the cheesy moth eaten suits worn by George Barrows or Ray Corrigan in minor studio pictures. Also Gemora manages express real feelings and emotions underneath that gorilla suit. Also Gemora's gorilla actually walks and gestures like a real gorilla. THE MONSTER AND THE GIRL is an incredible film and is recommend if you are looking for something really outlandish but not trashy.

OK, so it's about a human brain transplanted into an ape's body -- it's still a unique, original and stylish film. Director Stuart Heisler treats it all very seriously and the cast does a great job. It's beautifully shot and lit -- and there's even a sub-plot about white slavery and prostitution that's shocking for the time. A first-rate job by all concerned.

Ellen Drew plays a woman tricked into prostitution by Robert Paige and a group of gangsters after leaving a small town for the lights and allure of the big city. Drew's brother comes to her rescue and is instead set up in a murder by the gang led by Paul Lukas. Phillip Terry(her brother) is given the death penalty for his innocence and is executed. Right now you must be thinking...is there a monster? Oh yes! Just before the execution takes place, scientist George Zucco asks Terry is he can have his brain after he is killed. Zucco receives Terry's consent and transplants the brain of Terry into a giant gorilla that will seek payback from the gang of thugs and the attorney that sent Terry to his death. This is certainly not your typical monster film from the 40's. It opens with Drew narrating and then we are immediately thrust into the courtroom. We see everything through the testimony of the witnesses. Very innovative, and well-done. The story gets ridiculous midway, but the director Stuart Heisler never for one moment takes the material as anything less than serious. This attitude really allows the film to work. The story also sheds light on what was at the time a very scandalous subject....prostitution. We are never told what actually happens in so many words with regards to Drew's shame, yet we know through subtle means. The gang is truly repulsive. Each of the actors in it are extremely good playing men with no souls. Gerald Mohr, Paige, Lukas, and Marc Lawrence(isn't he always playing a thug?) do very well also in their obvious demises to come. The rest of the acting in this film is pretty good too. Onslow Stevens has a small part as the prosecuting lawyer. And George Zucco is always a treat to watch. I never have seen him give a bad performance. And the ape?" Not bad...looks fairly realistic..I have seen far worse. A good all around film from Paramount. They sure don't make em like this anymore and ain't it a shame!

Scot Webster is looking for his brother-in-law who mysteriously left his wife and left her in at the hands of a racketeer and his mob. Webster is later set up with the murder of a mob enemy, convicted and set to die, but swears revenge on those who set him up. He donates his brain to science and it is later put into an ape, which proceeds to carry out Webster's venegance. The plot sounds pretty good for its genre, but the Webster's trial takes up a little too much time plus the scenes with the ape just seem to be lacking the excitement that this movie should generate. 5 out of 10.

This one's weird in the best way. Starts off like some kind of urban drama about a small town girl (Ellen Drew) who comes to the big city and, as often happens in films, finds herself forced into prostitution. Her brother (Phillip Terry) comes to the city to rescue her and winds up framed for murder. This was all interesting enough but the movie really kicks into high gear when it becomes a horror movie as "mad" scientist George Zucco transplants Drew's brother's brain into the body of an ape. The ape brother then seeks revenge against the men who turned his sister into a hooker and framed him for murder.

Really good cast for this little B gem. George Zucco is always worth the price of admission but you also have Paul Lukas, Joseph Calleia, Robert Paige, Onslow Stevens, Marc Lawrence, and Gerald Mohr! Also Edward Van Sloan in an uncredited part as the warden. This is a pretty amazing lineup for a little-known B horror flick. The bad guys are so completely rotten you can't wait to see them get theirs from the killer ape. Speaking of killer apes, that's often a particularly anemic subgenre of horror. This one's exceptional of its kind. The ape suit is really good. Just compare it to "The Ape" or "The Ape Man," made from around the same time, and you'll see what I mean.

Seedy subject matter mixed with fun horror staples -- the mad scientist and the guy in an ape suit. Very cool stuff. If you're a fan of old school B horror and gangster pictures you should like this one a lot.