The Greed of William Hart

Under an hour in length, this film about two bodysnatchers named Wally Hart and Mr. Moore(obviously meant to be Burke and Hare)showcases the immense talent of British ham Tod Slaughter, one of the truly forgotten kings of horror. It is weak in plot development, and it has little action, but the film does a good job creating the atmosphere of the poor and wicked in Edinburgh during a time when bodies were needed for medical use. A lot more could have been done with the film, but taken as it is, it is entertaining just as a vehicle in which to see Tod Slaughter cackle and gesture about. It is not Slaughter's best, however, but he does have moments as an amoral ressurectionist who kills for money with no compunction or moral barrier at all. The rest of the cast is average at best, and the film suffers from a very evident low budget. This was one of Slaughter's last "big" films. It is a shame that he was never given a budget for a film that would have made him more popular with audiences today. So few people have seen his films, and this film seems to be somewhat obscure. I recommend the film based on his presence(not performance).

Surprising to find this was filmed in 1948, it has that same very slow pacing of the pre-war classic horrors such as the incomparable Dracula in 1936. It is very much in the tradition of Victorian stage melodrama and there was no greater exponent and resurrectionist of the genre than Todd Slaughter, florid theatrical actor-manager and famous ham who here makes his last film outing. Surrounded by some excellent character actors - Henry Oscar and Aubrey Woods, the normally OTT Slaughter is more confined but perhaps more effective. In a way this is a film noir - for reasons perhaps of economy, exteriors are all studio bound at night but in portraying the dingy canyon like lanes of Edinburgh works very well. The production is rather stagey - but stage melodrama was Slaughter's speciality. The plot is wordy but quite involving and genuinely grim

Not exactly a must-see but for those interested in the more curious British films certainly well worth watching. Thanks yet again to Talking Pictures TV for screening it

A 6.5

Now whilst this not on a par with Val Lewtons The Bodysnatchers,it has a lot going for it,despite the pennypinching production.Of course Todd Slaughter is the chief attraction.Enjoyable ham cut from the bone.

Atmospherically lit but studio-bound and talky. Having made several Old Mother Riley films with Arthur Lucan, Tod Slaughter must by comparison have seemed to director Oswald Mitchell like a Method actor; and although he cackles diabolically a couple of times his performance actually seems rather subdued set beside his thirties villains and Robert Newton's Bill Sykes the same year.

Aubrey Woods as poor 'Daft Jamie' came fresh from playing Smike the previous year in Cavalcanti's 'Nicholas Nickleby'; while it would be another twenty years before Eddie Malin became a familiar face on TV as Walter Tattersall in 'Nearest and Dearest'.

HORROR MANIACS (aka: THE GREED OF WILLIAM HART) is a very-thinly veiled version of the Burke and Hare story. None other than Tod Slaughter plays the exceedingly loathsome Hart (aka: Burke), and Henry Oscar is the equally odious Moore (aka: Hare). It's the same basic setup about murder and graverobbing for fun and profit. Hart and Moore are in the employ of the fiendish Dr. Cox / Knox (Arnold Bell), who benefits from the deadly duos nocturnal work.

This is another perfect vehicle for Mr. Slaughter, who never disapoints. His gleefully eeevil portrayals are legendary. Here, he's almost matched by his two demonic costars. Almost, since Mr. Slaughter still manages to outdo his fellow ghouls.

Another classic Tod Slaughter film...