Redwarmin This movie is the proof that the world is becoming a sick and dumb place

ClassyWas Excellent, smart action film.

Tyreece Hulme One of the best movies of the year! Incredible from the beginning to the end.

Kamila Bell This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Wuchak Released in 1944, "Bluebeard" stars John Carradine as a puppeteer in Paris who, apparently, kills young women on the side.This is one of the dullest 'horror' movies I have ever seen. It took me three nights to try to watch it and I still had 20 minutes to go. I fell asleep on all three attempts and don't plan on finishing it anytime soon. I always finish movies with few exceptions and this is one of those exceptions. It's just too dull to finish! The leading lady is a babe (Jean Parker), Caradine is charismatic and the puppet sequences are well done, even amazing, but these are the only positives that come to mind. This movie spends more time wrapped around the investigation of a painting, clothing for puppets, and droll dialogue than anything interesting."Bluebeard" was shot in B&W and is old as dirt, but this wouldn't matter if the story were actually entertaining. There are a lot of ancient movies that stand up to this day because they're great, like "King Kong" (1933), "Tarzan and His Mate" (1939) and "The Wizard of Oz" (1934). Needless to say, "Bluebeard" doesn't rank with them.The movie runs 72 minutes.GRADE: D

kevin olzak 1944's "Bluebeard" was a huge success for Poverty Row's PRC, exceeding their expectations by doing standout business in such unlikely places as Chicago and Detroit! Director Edgar G. Ulmer had originally intended this as a Boris Karloff vehicle for Universal ten years earlier, finally granting character player John Carradine the star status he was rarely given (one year after their first collaboration, "Isle of Forgotten Sins"). The forlorn puppeteer Gaston Morel finds himself unable to resist the urge to kill by the memory of an angelic-looking beauty whose portrait became his artistic masterpiece, only to later discover her to be a loathsome, ungrateful prostitute, cruelly laughing in his face. Carradine's heartfelt confession to girlfriend Jean Parker is filled with compassion, even as he incriminates himself, unwilling to paint his beloved ("every time I painted her, I had to kill her again"), preferring to work with puppets made of wood ("I could take my fury out on them, I couldn't kill wood"). No other Bluebeard commanded the screen like Carradine's, and none came off as more sympathetic either, not even George Sanders in 1960's "Bluebeards Ten Honeymoons." The most notable cast member is 23 year old Sonia Sorel, future bride of John Carradine (divorced by 1957), mother of Christopher (the architect), Keith, and Robert Carradine; a prominent member of John's Shakespeare company, her undistinguished screen career included two more efforts for director Ulmer, "Strange Illusion" and "Club Havana." It's no surprise that John Carradine favored this performance as his personal favorite, while "Captains Courageous" remained his favorite film, opposite screen legends Spencer Tracy and Lionel Barrymore. "Bluebeard" made three appearances on Pittsburgh's Chiller Theater- May 4 1974 (preceded by 1957's "Beginning of the End"), June 14 1975 (followed by 1960's "Gorgo"), and Jan 28 1978 (followed by 1955's "Tarantula").

Cosmoeticadotcom Film director Edgar Ulmer was, in some ways, a pre-Sam Fuller Sam Fuller. Most of his career was spent toiling for B film production companies and producers. Yet, he has a reputation, like Fuller, of producing, if not great films, films that are certainly better than they should be, given the little money spent on them. Case in point is 1944's Bluebeard (a film whose producer Leon Fromkess would later work with Fuller), made by PRC, a 'poverty row' studio. As evidence, watch the really well wrought puppet show scene, wherein an engaging opera scene is shown. This 72 minute, black and white film is filled with such moments, including a very good performance by John Carradine, an actor second to only the great Vincent Price in B film excellence in his art form.Unfortunately, the film also has many moments that truly define it as a B film, in the sense that it is a second rate film- this includes some poor acting from many of the female characters that end up being murdered by Carradine's character. There are also the sort of nonsensical things that make up films not so well thought out. Given that Bluebeard was a character from a classic 17th Century French short story about a wife killer, it makes little sense that the residents of Paris, France (where the film was set) would so self-consciously refer to the killer by that term, since his crimes connect more closely to those of Jack The Ripper (the film is set during the Victorian Era). Also, while the film is ostensibly set in Paris, a poster is put up about town that is written in English, not French.There is, as example, an excellent performance by Nils Asther, as Inspector Lefevre, best seen in the courtroom scene where models and prostitutes are brought in to see if they recognize the painting style of the Duke's painting. None do, but Asther's suavity and wit make the scene work. Also, despite being filmed entirely on sets that do not resemble Paris, and having mostly mediocre actors, Ulmer does a very good job of creating an effective German Expressionistic type mood, resembling mostly The Cabinet Of Dr. Caligari. Credit can go to unbilled cinematographer Eugen Schüfftan.But, three things, especially, set this film apart from most B films of its day (excepting the terrific Val Lewton produced films of the 1940s). The first is the puppet opera. One has to go almost a quarter century, to Ingmar Bergman's Hour Of The Wolf for a scene of similar power that features puppets. Another, as stated, is Carradine. In a sense, like Vincent Price, he is, at first blush, not an actor of seeming De Niro-like chameleon abilities. But, like Price, his eyes tell all. In a moment, he can veer from contained rage to pathos to humor, than back to a slightly less contained rage. He has a similar angularity that also makes his body seem puppet-like, which makes the depth of his face all the more effective, as it often stands in counterpoint to his body's stiffness. The third excellent element, also mentioned, is Nils Asther as Inspector Lefevre. Aside from his court scene, there is a scene where he is bantering with the two sisters tied to Morell. Asther really walks the line between improper lusting and clever roué wit. In another scene, with Lamarte, he plays his art interest even with his detective skills, and shows multiple levels in his character. In looking up the actor, it seems he had a brief career. Too bad, because he has a quality, at least in this role, that few actors exhibit: the ability to both inhabit and transcend a character.For these three reasons, Bluebeard is a film that, while not great, and, really, not even a classic B film in the sense that schlock like Robot Monster is, is still a film that cineastes should watch, and Edgar Ulmer is a film director whose canon I will definitely be exploring in the future. Join me.

catfish-er I'm working my way through the Horror Classics 50 Movie Pack Collection and BLUEBEARD is one of the movies in the set.The two leads are really the only redeeming qualities about this film, as the print is awful, the sound unbearable; and, the score heavy-handed. John Carradine, as Gaston Morrell (the puppet master) is fantastic. His performance as the tortured painter/perpetrator is great. While not outright evil, nor with guile, he manages to stir up sympathy; and, hope for restoration.With a bit of schizophrenia surrounding his relationship with his models; and, his one great love, Carradine displays his considerable talent. Jean Parker, as Lucille (the seamstress) is charming as well. By the way, she was an absolute delightful in ONE BODY TOO MANY, so you might want to check that one out as well.Teala Loring played her sister; and, is cast as some sort of "tough" called in by the Police Inspector. However, since the film is set in Paris, her brash New York accent throws off what would have been otherwise a very good performance; it strains credulity. The rest of the cast is abysmal.The plot is rather thin; but, there are elements of interest to hold your attention through the whole 70 minutes.