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      Bluebeard

      Released Nov 11, 1944 1h 13m Horror List
      100% Tomatometer 12 Reviews 38% Audience Score 500+ Ratings When seamstress Lucille (Jean Parker) accepts a job designing costumes for charismatic puppeteer and portrait artist Gaston Morrell (John Carradine), she has no idea that he is, in fact, Bluebeard, the infamous serial killer who has been terrorizing Paris. Sparks soon fly between Lucille and Morrell but complications arise when Morell's previous lover Renee (Sonia Sorel) becomes jealous and must be dealt with according to Morell's grisly custom. Read More Read Less Watch on Prime Video Stream Now

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      Critics Reviews

      View All (12) Critics Reviews
      Dave Kehr Chicago Reader Edgar G. Ulmer somehow managed to transform the absurd limitations of the scripts, budgets, and actors he was given to work with into a mad aesthetic principle. Oct 17, 2016 Full Review Chris Wicking Time Out Ulmer (Murnau's one time art director and assistant) is the most subterranean of all directors, and here turns out a triumph of mind, eye and talent. Feb 9, 2006 Full Review AV Club Rated: B+ Nov 11, 1944 Full Review Allen Eyles Radio Times This is a small miracle of polished film-making. Rated: 3/5 Oct 17, 2016 Full Review TV Guide Bluebeard is one of director Edgar G. Ulmer's best works and contains one of John Carradine's greatest performances. Rated: 4/5 Oct 17, 2016 Full Review Fernando F. Croce CinePassion A breathtakingly self-reflexive portrait Apr 29, 2011 Full Review Read all reviews

      Audience Reviews

      View All (40) audience reviews
      laurent b Despite the presence of John Carradine, and some fine sets, the movie is quite boring. Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member A somewhat ineffective thriller that is saved by a stellar lead performance by John Carradine. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/12/23 Full Review Audience Member An artist...his cravat...and a tender throat--Carradine's finest hour!! Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/22/23 Full Review Audience Member A painter/puppeteer kills his models in 19th century Paris. A dusty and lifeless serial killer relic; when John Carradine is acting (rather than over-acting) he's actually a pretty dull fellow. Hard to believe this was made by the same director who made the B-masterpieces THE BLACK CAT and DETOUR; even harder to believe that 100% positive Rotten Tomatoes rating. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 02/08/23 Full Review Audience Member It's a good adaptation of the story I've heard in the past, but I prefer the story over the film, for this has more problems. PLOT:In 19th century France, Gaston (John Carradine) is a pretty successful artist and puppeteer, well known among his community. Little does his area know that he is the notorious killer known as "Bluebeard", who strangles his victims and dumps their bodies in the river. When he murders on of his fellow puppeteers, he hires another assistant named Lucille (Jean Parker) to design costumes for his puppets. Meanwhile, the painting of his latest victim hits the gallery via his business partner, Lamarte (Ludwig Stossel), and a couple inspectors try to trace the murders back through to the artist. Will Bluebeard be caught? Will he trick and do away with his new assistant? I'll leave you there. It's a pretty good plot executed fairly well. ACTING:The performances in here were pretty great, keeping in mind the time being. John Carradine played a very respectable role of Gaston or "Bluebeard", the artist and serial killer. I'd say he played the part in a very sauve manner. The other shiners would be Ludwig Stossel as Lamarte, Henry Kolker as Deschamps, Jean Parker as Lucille, and Teala Loring as Francine. SCORE:The score was a little annoying at times and unfitting at others. It followed you through the whole film and didn't cease to keep suspense at all. This is one of those films that nearly gets drowned out by the score. OTHER CONTENT:This film was a pretty good horror film considering the time being and the plot altogether. It was pretty well thought-out, creepy, and shot with good direction. However, this film did have a good few cons. Firstly, I feel it needed a bit more character development for some of the characters. Gaston's character had a slight explanation of why he paints and kills, but I felt it needed a bit more to express their personalities better. Secondly, there is very little suspense written into the plot. The audience knows who is going to be the killer right off the bat, and the kills aren't too suspenseful at all as compared to other films of this era. It also drifts from the story I heard with this same name a time ago, so I found it a bit misleading. It can be a little confusing to some, but I think it's a pretty good horror film for the time. OVERALL,a good horror film with a well-executed plot, great performances, annoyingly unfitting score, thought-out plot twists, creepy moments, and good direction, but it need more character development and suspense, along with matching source material. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/21/23 Full Review Audience Member It's a good adaptation of the story I've heard in the past, but I prefer the story over the film, for this has more problems. PLOT:In 19th century France, Gaston (John Carradine) is a pretty successful artist and puppeteer, well known among his community. Little does his area know that he is the notorious killer known as "Bluebeard", who strangles his victims and dumps their bodies in the river. When he murders on of his fellow puppeteers, he hires another assistant named Lucille (Jean Parker) to design costumes for his puppets. Meanwhile, the painting of his latest victim hits the gallery via his business partner, Lamarte (Ludwig Stossel), and a couple inspectors try to trace the murders back through to the artist. Will Bluebeard be caught? Will he trick and do away with his new assistant? I'll leave you there. It's a pretty good plot executed fairly well. ACTING:The performances in here were pretty great, keeping in mind the time being. John Carradine played a very respectable role of Gaston or "Bluebeard", the artist and serial killer. I'd say he played the part in a very sauve manner. The other shiners would be Ludwig Stossel as Lamarte, Henry Kolker as Deschamps, Jean Parker as Lucille, and Teala Loring as Francine. SCORE:The score was a little annoying at times and unfitting at others. It followed you through the whole film and didn't cease to keep suspense at all. This is one of those films that nearly gets drowned out by the score. OTHER CONTENT:This film was a pretty good horror film considering the time being and the plot altogether. It was pretty well thought-out, creepy, and shot with good direction. However, this film did have a good few cons. Firstly, I feel it needed a bit more character development for some of the characters. Gaston's character had a slight explanation of why he paints and kills, but I felt it needed a bit more to express their personalities better. Secondly, there is very little suspense written into the plot. The audience knows who is going to be the killer right off the bat, and the kills aren't too suspenseful at all as compared to other films of this era. It also drifts from the story I heard with this same name a time ago, so I found it a bit misleading. It can be a little confusing to some, but I think it's a pretty good horror film for the time. OVERALL,a good horror film with a well-executed plot, great performances, annoyingly unfitting score, thought-out plot twists, creepy moments, and good direction, but it need more character development and suspense, along with matching source material. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/16/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

      Cast & Crew

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      Movie Info

      Synopsis When seamstress Lucille (Jean Parker) accepts a job designing costumes for charismatic puppeteer and portrait artist Gaston Morrell (John Carradine), she has no idea that he is, in fact, Bluebeard, the infamous serial killer who has been terrorizing Paris. Sparks soon fly between Lucille and Morrell but complications arise when Morell's previous lover Renee (Sonia Sorel) becomes jealous and must be dealt with according to Morell's grisly custom.
      Director
      Edgar G. Ulmer
      Screenwriter
      Pierre Gendron
      Production Co
      Producers Releasing Corporation (PRC)
      Genre
      Horror
      Original Language
      English
      Release Date (Theaters)
      Nov 11, 1944, Limited
      Release Date (Streaming)
      Jun 7, 2017
      Runtime
      1h 13m
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