The Man in Black (1950)

Too much of everything

I wanted to but couldn't!

It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

THE MAN IN BLACK is an early mystery thriller effort from Hammer Films that feels like a variant on the 'old dark house' theme. It's worth a look thanks to a winning performance from Sid James, long before he became typecast in the horror genre. James plays a wealthy but ailing figure whose wife and stepdaughter seem to be constantly plotting against in order to get their hands on his fortune. He dies during a spooky seance so the focus of their attention falls on his fragile daughter. This low budget film is packed with twists and turns, the most crucial of which is rather obvious for any fan of British cinema. The cast is excellent though and features superbly poisonous turns from Betty Ann Davies and Sheila Burrell alongside plenty of creepy incident.

Although on IMDb this is tagged as a horror movie as well as a thriller - it is not a horror film. It's a thriller, very film noir(ish). The seance might be the only real impression this a horror film. Sure there is a man speaking in a "spooky voice" in the beginning of it, a man simulating his own death through yoga, a woman seemingly going insane, ugly step-mom and step-sister trying to drive her mad but the film is a thriller... maybe with some over/under tones of horror.I will have to agree this movie is similar to Gaslight (1944) It's sorta a rehash of it but with the mystery removed. Gaslight the better film but this one isn't all that bad.This film helped Hammer to pave it's way into the horror genre and is worth a watch but not a film to go out of your way to find.5/10

Basically this film is a rehash of Gasslight,with a will making conditions right for a plot to send the daughter mad.Why a father would want to put such a condition in a will is rather unclear.in fact much of this film is hazy and unclear.It is always clear that Sid James is playing 2 characters.However one has to assume that he is in league with the doctor who pronounces him dead at the séance.Far too much of this film,for budgetary reasons takes place off screen.Sometimes it is extremely confusing so too often events are referred to rather than witnessed Also the second wife and her daughter are really no more than caricatures.Hammer and Sid James would both get much better.

Possible spoiler ahead Interesting thriller (not really a horror film)based on a radio series which was popular in the late 40's. Valentine Dyall, who was known to radio fans as The Man in Black appears briefly at the beginning and intones a sinister narration as we are introduced to the venal 2nd wife and sister of a sick millionaire played unexpectedly by Sid James. James modifies his usual rasping delivery to such a degree that he's not instantly recognizable as the millionaire. His second wife, her daughter and her sometimes lover are a truly repulsive trio of villains as they conspire to drive the dead millionaire's daughter, (who's due to inherit the estate) mad in order to have her committed and take the estate for themselves. The poor girl's only real friend is the one person her father trusted, the drunken yet loyal boatkeeper Hodges. This has some clever and amusing twists especially as the bodies pile up and just as quickly disappear. Gradually it comes to seem the girl may have some supernatural assistance. This is all pleasantly entertaining until the climatic seance which I found a bit of a disappointment. Considering this was a Hammer production, the film-makers could have played with our and the character's perceptions a bit. This wouldn't have changed the outcome but could've provided a more exciting resolution. Overall a decent time passer with good moments.