I was completely blown away by this gem from "Freaks" horror-master Tod Browning, a director I'm coming to appreciate more and more, and one who's work I'll immediately start seeking out more often. It's rare to find a film from the 1930's that's so articulately conceived, with an absorbing story line, excellent photography and wonderful special effects. Those effects by the way, are as compelling as the ones from 1933's "King Kong", though arguably in the reverse direction. Also, in some perverse way, I'm sure the story's main plot would be attractive to current purveyors of the global warming hoax. What better way to control a growing population's use of natural resources than to shrink everyone down in order to consume less. That's actually mentioned in the film as one of the principal motivations of Marcel and Malita, the inventors of the miniaturization process!
With all that, the film also assumes some deviously humorous undertones as well. Note Paul Lavond's (Lionel Barrymore) remark to a skeptical Victor Radin, his first victim - "Once you're in my shop I'll wager you'll do anything I ask". Not to be undone by the offer to Radin to become a silent partner. I found that entire conversation to be so affably malevolent that I had to remind myself to get on with the picture so as not to miss what came next.
The film also gets some great mileage from the character of Malita, with that Bride of Frankenstein coiffure and those buggy eyes. I swear, there was a point during one of the experiments when it looked like those eyes would pop right out of her head. As for the inbred half-wit peasant Lachna (Grace Ford), I don't know if it was such a good idea to shrink her down to a state of normalcy. She could probably have done a lot more damage had she remained a mental defective under the guidance of Lavond. On the other hand, there's something to be said about the notion of curing her deformity in order to punish the crimes of the three partners who framed Lavond.
Interestingly, while Lavond carries out his revenge as a criminal mastermind, he gains the viewers' sympathy relative to his relationship with the daughter (Maureen O'Sullivan) he never knew. It was somewhat surprising that that situation wasn't resolved at the finale, other than for Lorraine's memory of her father to be cleansed of the hate she felt for so long. The happy ever after ending one might have wished for is tempered by Lavond's departure into anonymity, leaving the viewer with just the slightest bit of unease that everything didn't work out just fine.
With all that, the film also assumes some deviously humorous undertones as well. Note Paul Lavond's (Lionel Barrymore) remark to a skeptical Victor Radin, his first victim - "Once you're in my shop I'll wager you'll do anything I ask". Not to be undone by the offer to Radin to become a silent partner. I found that entire conversation to be so affably malevolent that I had to remind myself to get on with the picture so as not to miss what came next.
The film also gets some great mileage from the character of Malita, with that Bride of Frankenstein coiffure and those buggy eyes. I swear, there was a point during one of the experiments when it looked like those eyes would pop right out of her head. As for the inbred half-wit peasant Lachna (Grace Ford), I don't know if it was such a good idea to shrink her down to a state of normalcy. She could probably have done a lot more damage had she remained a mental defective under the guidance of Lavond. On the other hand, there's something to be said about the notion of curing her deformity in order to punish the crimes of the three partners who framed Lavond.
Interestingly, while Lavond carries out his revenge as a criminal mastermind, he gains the viewers' sympathy relative to his relationship with the daughter (Maureen O'Sullivan) he never knew. It was somewhat surprising that that situation wasn't resolved at the finale, other than for Lorraine's memory of her father to be cleansed of the hate she felt for so long. The happy ever after ending one might have wished for is tempered by Lavond's departure into anonymity, leaving the viewer with just the slightest bit of unease that everything didn't work out just fine.