The Monkey's Paw

A once-in-a-lifetime cast includes late appearances by Milton Rosmer and Hay Petrie (the former soon retired and the latter soon died) and early ones by Sydney 'Taffler' (sic) and Alfie Bass. A young Megs Jenkins is ironically made up to look older here than she did in the seventies; while Michael Martin Harvey, who here plays your friendly neighbourhood poacher, was promoted by director Norman Lee the following year to the lead in 'The Case of Charles Peace'.

It looks good, and passes it's short running time agreeably enough. But as several previous reviewers have already noted devotes very little time to W.W.Jacobs' spine-chilling short story of 1902 itself (beautifully parodied in 2005 in the 'South Park' episode 'Marjorine'), clutters up the story with a gratuitous flashback structure; and even adds a little coda having at last given us the famous final act, just in case we'd found it all a bit too scary!

Based on the classic short story, THE MONKEY'S PAW concerns the Trelawne family, their need of money, and the result of the paw's entry into their lives. As the story goes, it's supposed to grant three wishes to anyone who simply holds it and asks. Of course, the devil truly is in the details!

After the first wish, we're already dreading the second!

True to the original tale, "Be careful what you wish for", "Don't tempt fate", and "Be satisfied with what you have" are the main ideas.

Though there is some padding, the added story line actually reinforces the idea of the paw's alleged occult powers, as well as the Trelawne's desperate situation. The sparse production takes nothing away from the horror that unfolds.

The short story scared the hell out of generations. This movie does it justice...

Minor British chiller about a monkeys' paw talisman that can grant three wishes but comes with a heavy price. Just watched it on the channel Talking Pictures. It is very crackly and the print looks older than 1948 but that does add a certain element of charm. Despite it's short running time the first 30 minutes do drag somewhat, however it does build to a quite impressively eerie climax. I recognized Meg Jenkins, who starred in the fantastic Wurzel Gummidge kid's TV series some 30 or so years later. Also filmed in 2013, which wasn't a bad effort either.

Norman Lee takes W. W. Jacobs' classic short story and transforms it into a second feature.

One of the strengths of the short story is that it is a short story; there is no fat on it, leaving the reader to put the real horror into the story: the failure of the first wish; the hint at what it is knocking, unseen, at the door; the tragic necessity of the third wish. It all takes place in the reader's imagination, the elaborations of what the reader thinks is terrifying. Instead, in order to bring this to an hour's length, there is effectively, a forty-minute prologue; first we are introduced to a seller of curios. Then we see various wares; then the monkey's paw, and finally, the story. Lee paces it very well, and adds a platitudinous epilogue, but the story, although still interesting, is weakened. With Milton Rosmer, Megs Jenkins, and a lot of art direction by Victor Hembrow and George Ward.

I read the review of the English production. It matches one which was filmed for the TV series, LIGHTS OUT as well as the one for SUSPENSE. This story is the reason that so many short horror and mystery stories broadcast on radio in the 1940's should be brought back by the mega film producers of today.

A fine half hour show, broadcast weekly would spellbind their audiences. Hitchcock's, "Hands of Mr. Ottermole" and "Banquo's Chair" were this kind of remake. The fabulous, "Lamb for the Slaughter" was great, but it made murder into a light comedy fantasy.

No major staging, no great sets, just ordinary actors in fear and terror trying to get some advantage from this curious monkey's paw was so powerful. The classic radio show and subsequent motion picture 'Sorry, Wrong Number" should make people see the power of the short story.

Those jokes about three wishes from a genie in a bottle make light of the potential terror from getting what you wish for, with an amulet made from a monkey's paw.