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The Old Dark House

  • 1932
  • Approved
  • 1h 12m
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
15K
YOUR RATING
Boris Karloff and Gloria Stuart in The Old Dark House (1932)
Official Trailer
Play trailer1:54
2 Videos
99+ Photos
Psychological HorrorAdventureComedyDramaHorrorThriller

Seeking shelter from a storm, five travelers are in for a bizarre and terrifying night when they stumble upon the Femm family estate.Seeking shelter from a storm, five travelers are in for a bizarre and terrifying night when they stumble upon the Femm family estate.Seeking shelter from a storm, five travelers are in for a bizarre and terrifying night when they stumble upon the Femm family estate.

  • Director
    • James Whale
  • Writers
    • J.B. Priestley
    • Benn W. Levy
    • R.C. Sherriff
  • Stars
    • Boris Karloff
    • Melvyn Douglas
    • Charles Laughton
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • IMDb RATING
    7.0/10
    15K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • James Whale
    • Writers
      • J.B. Priestley
      • Benn W. Levy
      • R.C. Sherriff
    • Stars
      • Boris Karloff
      • Melvyn Douglas
      • Charles Laughton
    • 201User reviews
    • 129Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 nomination total

    Videos2

    The Old Dark House
    Trailer 1:54
    The Old Dark House
    The Old Dark House - 4K Restoration Trailer
    Trailer 1:58
    The Old Dark House - 4K Restoration Trailer
    The Old Dark House - 4K Restoration Trailer
    Trailer 1:58
    The Old Dark House - 4K Restoration Trailer

    Photos133

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    + 126
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    Top Cast10

    Boris Karloff
    Boris Karloff
    • Morgan
    Melvyn Douglas
    Melvyn Douglas
    • Penderel
    Charles Laughton
    Charles Laughton
    • Sir William Porterhouse
    Lilian Bond
    Lilian Bond
    • Gladys
    • (as Lillian Bond)
    Ernest Thesiger
    Ernest Thesiger
    • Horace Femm
    Eva Moore
    Eva Moore
    • Rebecca Femm
    Raymond Massey
    Raymond Massey
    • Philip Waverton
    Gloria Stuart
    Gloria Stuart
    • Margaret Waverton
    Elspeth Dudgeon
    Elspeth Dudgeon
    • Sir Roderick Femm
    • (as John Dudgeon)
    Brember Wills
    Brember Wills
    • Saul Femm
    • Director
      • James Whale
    • Writers
      • J.B. Priestley
      • Benn W. Levy
      • R.C. Sherriff
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews201

    7.014.9K
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    Summary

    Reviewers say 'The Old Dark House' Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Curabitur pretium tincidunt lacus.

    Nulla facilisi etiam dignissim diam quis enim lobortis scelerisque
    Lorem ipsum dolorSit amet consecteturAdipiscing elitSed do eiusmodTempor incididuntUt labore et doloreMagna aliquaUt enim ad minimVeniam quisNostrud exercitation
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    Related interests

    Daniel Kaluuya in Get Out (2017)
    Psychological Horror
    Still frame
    Adventure
    Will Ferrell, Angela Grillo, and Lap-Gei Cheung in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
    Comedy
    Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    Mia Farrow in Rosemary's Baby (1968)
    Horror
    Cho Yeo-jeong in Parasite (2019)
    Thriller

    Storyline

    Did you know

    • Trivia
      This was Boris Karloff's first credited starring role. His name had been left off the Frankenstein (1931) publicity packages and only credited in the end credits of that film.
    • Goofs
      One of Gloria Stuart's elaborate earrings is missing about mid-film, it reappears for 2 close up shots and disappears again in medium and long shots.
    • Quotes
      • Rebecca Femm: [feels the fabric of Margaret Waverton's low-cut gown] Fine stuff, but it'll rot.
      • Rebecca Femm: [touches Margaret's skin above the neckline] Finer stuff still, but it'll rot too!
    • Crazy credits
      Before the Universal Pictures logo: PRODUCER'S NOTE: - Karloff, the mad butler in this production, is the same Karloff who created the part of the mechanical monster in "Frankenstein". We explain this to settle all disputes in advance, even though such disputes are a tribute to his great versatility
    • Alternate versions
      This film was published in Italy in a DVD anthology entitled "BORIS KARLOFF, IL VOLTO DELL'ORRORE: The Old Dark House, 1932 + The Black Cat, 1934 + The Walking Dead , 1936", distributed by DNA Srl. The film has been re-edited with the contribution of the film history scholar Riccardo Cusin .
    • Connections
      Edited into Pale Moonlight Theater: The Old Dark House (2015)
    • Soundtracks
      Singin' in the Rain
      (uncredited)
      Music by Nacio Herb Brown
      Lyrics by Arthur Freed
      Sung by Melvyn Douglas a cappella, with modified lyrics
      [Penderel sings the song in the car as the he and the Wavertons make their way on the washed out road]

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    FAQ7

    • Is "The Old Dark House" based on a book?
    • I watched the whole movie and never saw Boris Karloff. What role does he play?
    • How do the Wavertons come to stay at the old dark house?

    Details

    • Release date
      • October 20, 1932 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Tajanstvena kuća
    • Filming locations
      • Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Universal Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    • Gross US & Canada
      • $25,678
    • Gross worldwide
      • $34,649
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    • Runtime
      • 1h 12m(72 min)
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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