Le croque-mort s'en mêle

Highly recommended to those with a devilish sense of humour. Vincent Price is wonderfully evil as the desperate undertaker. Peter Lorre is disgusting but lovable as the assistant caught between Price's evil ways and his lovely (opera-punishing) wife (played with gusto and terrible audibility by Joyce Jameson). Boris Karloff (who never seems to get his medicine) is excellent as JJ's elderly father.

Honours go to their demanding landlord, Basil Rathbone, who.... well, watch the film and find out.

The alcoholic director of the Hinchley & Trumbull Funeral Parlor Waldo Trumbull (Vincent Price) is a cheater that has married Amaryllis Trumbull (Joyce Jameson) in a marriage of convenience to get control of the business of her father Amos Hinchley (Boris Karloff). Trumbull has been using the same casket for more than thirteen years, dumping the corpses in their graves to resell the coffin. He also blackmails his only employee Felix Gillie (Peter Lorre) that had robbed a bank and is an abusive husband, threatening to poison his father-in-law and not allowing Amaryllis to sing. Gillie has a crush on Amaryllis and loves to hear her singing.

Trumbull owes more than one year of rental of his premise to Mr. John F. Black (Basil Rathbone) and he has no client. So he decides to improve his business killing Mr. Phipps (Buddy Mason) to get a new client. However his wife Mrs. Phipps (Beverly Hills) flees to Europe with all her possessions and does not pay for the funeral service. When Mr. Black duns his debts, Trumbull decides to kill him to make some money and resolve his financial problem. But Mr. Black is epileptic and his family wants to keep his body in a crypt instead of burying him in a grave. During the night, the Cemetery Keeper (Joe E. Brown) hears a cry and releases Mr. Black from the coffin in the beginning of a tragic night.

... "Comedy of Terrors" is a very funny comedy of black humor. The veterans Vincent Price, Peter Lorre, Boris Karloff and Basil Rathbone have incredibly comic performances. The movie begins hilarious before the credits and I laughed and repeated many scenes so funny they are. It is impossible to list the best scenes since there are many of them. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Farsa Trágica" ("Tragic Farse")

French born Jacques Tourneur, is the director behind stylish horror-classics like "Cat People", "I walked with a zombie" and "Night of the demon"! He made "The comedy of terrors" 20 years after "Cat People", and shows a director with great sense of comedic timing! The cast is wonderful, with a devilishly funny Vincent Price, in maybe a career best, as the drunken scrupulous undertaker! Boris Karlof is great fun as his aging father in law, and Peter Lorre equally funny as Prices partner! Also starring is the wonderful Basil Rathbone as the rich landlord who never dies, and Joyce Jameson as the undertakers neglected wife.

This is maybe the greatest gothic comedy ever! Perfect casting, directing, cinematogrophy and editing! A great classic, and a must see!!!

Fun horror/comedy with an exceptional quartet who provides much fun : Price , Karloff , Lorre and Rathbone . Amusing , delightful film produced by American International , James H. Nicholson-Samuel Z. Arkoff , with a monumental team of terror all-star-cast as Price , Lorre and Karloff . This supreme adventure in terror and humor based on the novel and screenplay by Richard Matheson deals with two deranged undertakers (Vincent Price and Peter Lorre) who take bad ways to insuring their continued employment , a Funeral Parlor called ¨Wichley and Trumbull¨. A lugubrious undertaker who hasn't had any customers in a long time is obligated the pay one year's back-rent by his landlord (Basil Rathbone) . Then the wickedest undertaker Waldo Trumbull and his unfortunate , frog-like associated named Felix Gillie to get money and both of whom begin killing people in order to get new clients . The couple goes to a mansion in Winkle Road inhabited by an old man and carry out their objective . There also appears Price's chalk-white father-in-law (Boris Karloff) aged about 90 , but refusing to die and leave Waldo the Funeral Parlor . Trade is so bad that Waldo and his underling have to go out and boost business by killing his immortal landlord . It gets funnier when our two friends pitting wills against the relieved landlord . And the end takes place a funny duel between Price and Rathbone.

This is more of a satire than a true terror movie , it is immaculately staged , stylishly realized , very literate , rich in atmosphere , confidently made and plenty of eye-popping scenes . May be one of the most successful terror farces ever realized with a considerable all-star-cast and original invention . Terror has strangely been more skillfully spoofed than in this agreeable horror/comedy Jacques Tourneur directed and realized in glorious fashion . The movie is shot in the same style as the successful adaptation Edgar Allen Poe series , the cycle of ¨Tales of Terror¨, and especially ¨The Raven¨ also with the trio Price , Lorre , Karloff directed by Roger Corman and produced by James H. Nicholson and Samuel Z. Arkoff . That's why it packs usual Corman's striking scenarios including lugubrious mansions , colorful atmosphere , shrieks come from gloomy coffins and gleeful gallery of ghoulishness . Glimmer and brilliant cinematography in magnificence color by the series usual , Floyd Crosby . Frightening and atmospheric musical score fitting to humor and horror by Les Baxter .

The flick based on Richard Matheson's screenplay playing to the spectator in amusing fashion . In spite of his poverty-budget horror is deemed a minor cult and gave enough profit from minimal inversion . The motion picture is produced by American International (James H. Nicholson , Samuel Z. Arkoff) in a low budget and well directed by the classic director Jacques Tourneur in his final feature along with 'Curse of the demon' . Jacques was an expert on terror cinema (Cat people , Curse of the demon , I walked with a Zombie , Leopard man) and adventures (Martin the Gaucho , Flame and the arrow , The pirate woman , City under the sea) . Despite the excessive satire most children and adults will like this enormously fun film . 'Comedy of terrors' is a sensational black comedy that maintains its classicism and reaching impressive dimensions . It will appeal to youngsters and adults who swallow whole and sit convulsed in their armchair and, of course, Vincent Price , Karloff , Lorre fans.

The cast are the high point of this interesting and fun little film. Vincent Price steals the show and is brilliant, and he is supported wonderfully by Peter Lorre whose character spends a lot of time being demeaned by Price and Basil Rathbone, who is a very suave and charismatic actor and his "what place...is THIS?!" is iconic. I was a little disappointed in Boris Karloff, I love him, I liked his character, I liked what he did with it, what let me down in regards to him is that I would have loved to have seen much more of him. My only other complaint is the short length which probably accounts for why the ending was as hectic as it was, otherwise this is a very good film. The cast of course are wonderful, but there is also a deliciously witty and bleak script, a fun story, skillful photography, nice minimalist production values, efficient direction from Tourneur and an interesting sending up of past horror clichés. All in all, I like this film. 8/10 Bethany Cox