The Black Raven (1943)
Directed by Sam Newfield
Starring George Zucco, Wanda McKay, Noel Madison, Robert Livingston, Bryon Foulger, Charles Middleton, Robert Middlemass, I. Stanford Jolley, Glenn Strange

Because I grew up watching a lot of old movies on TV in my early teens, seeing titles like this always gives me a feeling of nostalgia. Almost like I’m a kid again watching these, always hoping for something dark and sinister. And while The Black Raven is really just a mystery melodrama, a couple of the cast ties it into the horror genre which makes it even more fun.

George Zucco plays Bradford, known to the underworld as the Raven, who runs a out of the way motel called The Black Raven, near the Canadian border. During the night, all sorts of guests arrive that are somehow all connected. The first is an old partner of Bradford that escaped from prison and now wants revenge on him. Then there’s another gangster on the run, as well as a young couple that are trying to get across the border so they can be married, because the young woman’s father, a corrupt politician, won’t allow it. Of course, he then shows up at the hotel as well! Then throw in a bank thief, a bumbling sheriff, and Bradford’s dim-witted helper Andy, and it’s going to be a night full of thrills.

This was directed by Sam Newfield who helmed 279 films in his career. This was a guy that cranked them out making from a dozen to up to twenty films in a single year. So intense and unique filming styles aren’t something you’re going to see here. Shoot and move on. These types of films, especially from Producers Releasing Corporation, or PRC, sometimes known as Poverty Row, were meant to be done quickly and move on to the next one. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t entertaining. I will say it is the cast that really sets this higher than it should be.

For me, one of the two highlights of the film is Zucco, which I’ve always found so enjoyable. He usually doesn’t do much other than glare at people here and there but just has this presence that hits with me. The other is Glenn Strange playing Andy, Bradford’s bumbling assistant at the hotel. While Strange is best known for taking on the role of Frankenstein’s creature in the later Universal films, he usually doesn’t have many actual good character roles or is covered up in some sort of makeup. Here he is given a pretty decent role, which he does exceptionally well. Andy might not be the smartest character, but Strange really brings him to life and is just a joy to watch on screen. Sure, it’s a little over-the-top, but I found it a lot of fun and shows he could actually act.

The rest of the cast is filled with a lot of contract players that appeared in a ton of different films in the ’30s and ’40s. Wanda McKay started in the ’30s with a bunch of uncredited roles before getting to be headliner. She did appear in a few genre credits, such as Bowery at Midnight (1942), Voodoo Man (1944), and The Monster Maker (1944), but mainly appeared in just about every other genre. Noel Madison, who plays the gangster Bardoni, was actually one of the founding members of the Screen Actors Guild. He started on the stage, usually playing distinguishing characters or those of some high standards. But when he moved to film, he got typecast as a gangster or some sort of thug. He eventually left movies and went back to the stage, even becoming a director there. Charles Middleton, who plays the clueless sheriff, has over 200 credits in a career that only lasted 29 years. He is best known for appearing as Ming the Merciless in three Flash Gordon serials from 1936 to 1940. But then even topping that, Byron Foulger who plays the would-be bank robber, had just under 500 screen and TV credits in his 36-year career. He appeared alongside Boris Karloff in The Man They Could Not Hang (1939) and The Man with Nine Lives (1940), as well as other titles like Man Made Monster (1941) and House of Horrors (1946). Always a face you recognize but not sure who he is.

These are one of the reasons these older films are still entertaining to me. No matter what film or genre these actors appeared in, they gave it their all, and that alone gives is charm.

This release came from Film Masters who always had such a great track record in their releases. This was states that it was restored in HD, but the quality, while isn’t bad, it is just okay. And there are also no extras on the release. In the past, Film Masters’ releases always had some very informative and entertaining featurettes, but none of that here. Also, whoever did the subtitles did a terrible job, with multiple times where they are off from what is being said in the dialogue.

Thanks to AV Entertainment for getting us this review copy, which you can purchase through their site HERE.

None the less, if you are a fan of these types of films, fans of Zucco and Strange, than I would say you will definitely enjoy this one.