Rotten Tomatoes
Cancel Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

Mystery of the Wax Museum

Play trailer Poster for Mystery of the Wax Museum 1933 1h 17m Horror Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
93% Tomatometer 14 Reviews 63% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
Ivan Igor (Lionel Atwill) is the sculptor at a famous wax museum in London. When his partner, Joe Worth (Edwin Maxwell), burns down the museum for the insurance money, Igor is trapped inside. Years later he re-emerges in New York as the curator of a new wax museum, which boasts incredibly lifelike statues. When model Joan Gale (Monica Bannister) goes missing, however, reporter Florence Dempsey (Glenda Farrell) follows the clues to Igor's museum, where she discovers a terrible secret.
Watch on HBO Max Stream Now

Where to Watch

Mystery of the Wax Museum

Critics Reviews

View More
Alan Jones Radio Times Oct 15
4/5
Lionel Atwill stars in this golden era fright classic as the mad sculptor re-populating his burnt-down museum with wax-covered murder victims. Go to Full Review Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review 02/18/2022
3.5/4
However shocking the film may have been at the time, it has grown not only as a cult object to be cherished by genre aficionados, but as a work that improves with the addition of contexts that underscore its distinct place in film history. Go to Full Review Mattie Lucas From the Front Row 06/17/2020
3/4
With no musical score to guide the audience, we're often left adrift in Igor's madhouse, conjuring up some truly haunting imagery that has been beautifully restored on the new Blu-Ray from Warner Archive. Go to Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy 05/30/2020
3/4
Mystery of the Wax Museum is notable for a handful of reasons, including the involvement of director Michael Curtiz before he became Warner's top go-to guy (Casablanca, Yankee Doodle Dandy). Go to Full Review Pare Lorentz Vanity Fair 06/05/2019
Had the director kept his story under control The Wax Museum might have been a good horror production. Go to Full Review Tim Brayton Antagony & Ecstasy 10/25/2014
7/10
One of the punchiest, most watchable '30s horror films made anywhere outside of Universal. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More
Harry H. @Movies10 Oct 19 1933 was a great year for movies you got King Kong, The Invisible Man an this film. See more Laura S Sep 29 Fantastic movie! Curtiz is really underated for his horror stuff. I hope this will eventually get more attention. Someday. See more Ray L 11/21/2024 Saw the Vincent Price version, never heard of this version, I enjoyed this 1933 film See more S R @ScottR 06/02/2024 An impressive early horror movie that set standards for the genre. I saw it reference to TCM's highlighting it as influential. It was a bit cheesy, but entertaining. Saw on DM. See more Matt B 01/31/2024 Excellent early 30s horror thriller, done in a 2 strip technicolor process that gives the film an eerie atmosphere. Atwill is an excellent warped antagonist and highly prolific and talented Michael Curtiz does a commendable job directing. Watch it!! See more Alec B 01/10/2024 Wonderfully creepy and I appreciate that the fast talking dame reporter is the actual hero of the movie. See more Read all reviews
Mystery of the Wax Museum

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW

Cast & Crew

View All

Michael Curtiz

Director

Lionel Atwill

Ivan Igor

Fay Wray

Charlotte Duncan

Glenda Farrell

Florence Dempsey

Frank McHugh

Jim

Gavin Gordon

George Winton

More Like This

View All
Doctor X 83% 49% Doctor X Watchlist Murders in the Zoo 71% 55% Murders in the Zoo Watchlist Freaks 95% 88% Freaks Watchlist The Most Dangerous Game 100% 73% The Most Dangerous Game Watchlist The Devil Doll 79% 71% The Devil Doll Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More
View All

Mystery of the Wax Museum

Mystery of the Wax Museum (1933) Mystery of the Wax Museum (1933) Mystery of the Wax Museum (1933) Mystery of the Wax Museum (1933) Mystery of the Wax Museum (1933) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Ivan Igor (Lionel Atwill) is the sculptor at a famous wax museum in London. When his partner, Joe Worth (Edwin Maxwell), burns down the museum for the insurance money, Igor is trapped inside. Years later he re-emerges in New York as the curator of a new wax museum, which boasts incredibly lifelike statues. When model Joan Gale (Monica Bannister) goes missing, however, reporter Florence Dempsey (Glenda Farrell) follows the clues to Igor's museum, where she discovers a terrible secret.
Director
Michael Curtiz
Producer
Henry Blanke
Screenwriter
Don Mullaly, Carl Erickson
Production Co
Warner Brothers/Seven Arts
Genre
Horror
Original Language
English
Runtime
1h 17m
Most Popular at Home Now