The Brute Man

1946's "The Brute Man" was a follow up to "House of Horrors," from the same producer (Ben Pivar) and director (Jean Yarbrough), plus the same star, Rondo Hatton, who filmed "The Spider Woman Strikes Back" in between (none were released until after his death in February 1946). Hatton's own back story inspired much of the plot of this low grade thriller (his last film), actually a prequel to the far superior "House of Horrors," taking place before the events of the earlier film. The Creeper stalks his victims slowly, snapping their spines in two, before befriending a blind girl (Jane Adams), who naively finds sympathetic qualities in the fiendish killer. Hatton's performance consists of wandering the dark streets from one incident to the next, while the police investigation adds up to a game of 'pass the buck.' Jane Adams had just finished playing the hunchbacked nurse in "House of Dracula," and would end her brief career with 1949's Bowery Boys horror-comedy, "Master Minds." Jan Wiley, from "The Strange Case of Doctor Rx" and "She-Wolf of London," was about to end her own brief career. Another actress of note, billed last in the credits, is Ja Nelle Johnson, a radio performer who apparently made just one other screen appearance, wife of actor George Dolenz (television's COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO), mother of singer-actor Micky Dolenz (THE MONKEES), and grandmother of actress Ami Dolenz. She gets one opening scene, and another in a later flashback, filmed when Micky was about 8 months old (November 1945). In the ultimate tribute to his mother, who kept the family stable through George's untimely death in 1963, Micky ended up recording a bedtime lullaby she used to sing, titled "Pillow Time," from the October 1969 Monkees lp, THE MONKEES PRESENT. Her credited co-author was fellow actor Matt Willis, best remembered as Bela Lugosi's werewolf servant in Columbia's "The Return of the Vampire" in 1943 (both had definitely worked at Universal).

After reading many of the other reviews for this film , I just thought I would try to say a couple of positive things about it. For one if you,re a Universal Horror film completist like myself , it's a "must have" I realize the production values are somewhat low for Universal standards , thats why they released it as a "PRC" film , but hey! they were glad to get it. Secondly , It's actually a "prequal" to the film House Of Horrors , which is really a lot better film overall , and moves at the brisker pace you'd expect a Universal Horror flick to travel at. Third , It's got Rondo. Truly an unusual character to build a film around. He is now now a minor cult icon , and the inspiration of the Rondo Awards , that honor many different aspects of Horror & Sci-fi , by allowing us to vote online..All & All , I gave this one a 5 out of 10 mainly based on my great love of the classic Universal Horror films. Take a second look some evening , watch it with House Of Horrors. It's not all that bad.

Rondo Hatton is my hero. Who cares if he wasn't a classically trained actor?! As The Creeper he tugs the heart-strings like a pro! He's got heart! He's got soul! He's got courage! He's also damned likable! Rondo is also one hell of a hero. Rondo took the crummy hand that fate dealt him and played it magnificently. He became one of the most endearing and cool anti-heroes of all B-moviedom! To experience Rondo Hatton as The Creeper is to experience pure magic! I watched horror movies as kid and always loved "the monster". A good "monster" gets my vote every damn time. The Creeper fits that bill perfectly and better than most. The Creeper is one of my all time favorite fright flick anti-heroes. GOD BLESS YOU RONDO HATTON!

Guys, the next time you look in the mirror and don't like what you see, try telling yourself that at least you're not Rondo Hatton. Hatton suffered with the congenital disease acromegaly, which, as Webster's puts it, is "chronic hyperpituitarism marked by progressive enlargement of hands, feet and face." He lived to the age of 52, being felled by a heart attack shortly after making his last film, "The Brute Man," in 1946. This is an extremely well-made little B picture, featuring fine acting by all, a compact story and some real suspense. In it, Hatton plays a former college BMOC who became disfigured after a lab accident and who, years later, begins a murder spree against all his former pals and teachers that he blames for his current condition. He also befriends a pretty, blind piano teacher, who naturally doesn't recoil automatically from the big lug's unique physiognomy. These scenes, with big Rondo and the blind woman, will likely cause most viewers to recall Frankenstein and the blind hermit in "Bride of Frankenstein" (1935), just as his later sacrifices on her behalf are reminiscent of Chaplin's for his blind flower girl in "City Lights" (1931). No, "The Brute Man" is not nearly in the same league as those two immortal classics, but still remains a fine entertainment nevertheless. "Frankenstein" makeup man Jack Pierce contributed his great talents to this film, too, making Hatton (I would imagine) even more of a sight than he was ordinarily. It's hard to feel much sympathy for Rondo's "Creeper" character, cold-blooded psycho that he has become, but somehow, we DO still feel some, to the actor's great credit. Oh, by the way, this DVD looks just terrific; an absolutely first-rate transfer from the fine folks at Image Entertainment.

Rondo Hatton was a former reporter who began acting in films in 1930 when he was covering a film being made in Florida. During the 30s and 40s he was mainly seen in small roles, often as hulks, due to his large body size and the fact the he had contracted acromegaly after being gassed during the first world war. In 1944 he was cast as The Hoxton Creeper in a Sherlock Holmes film, The Pearl of Death, and achieved brief stardom-or at least cult stardom-until his early death from a heart attack at age 52 in 1946 (he had suffered a milder heart attack the previous year as a direct result of his condition).

In this, one of his last films, not only does Hatton get the starring role, he has a great deal of dialogue and proves that he could be a good actor when given the chance. It is unusual for audiences to feel as much sympathy for a killer-especially one who has killed several times-but we do for Hatton. His scenes with Jane Adams, playing Helen, the blind piano teacher, are especially moving. Helen sees the inner man without being able to see the physical one, and although as I said he's a killer he gives the impression of a very human, tragic figure. Helen wants to touch his face, but he won't let her; this gives one a strong impression of a mirroring of the life of the actor himself. Just like the character he plays, Rondo Hatton was an athlete when younger, and excelled at football.

All of the cast play their parts well. Donald MacBride, frequently cast as the dumb cop, plays a very canny and intelligent one here, and he's ably supported by Peter Whitney-looking handsome and slim!-as Police Lieutenant Gates. The photography is well-done-especially considering the budget (or lack thereof) and there are some nice angles and lighting, especially when Hatton is prowling around the city.

Note: This film was actually made at Universal, who sold the rights to it to PRC shortly after it was completed (and Rondo Hatton died).