Stage actor Tod Slaughter brings his customary flair to this starring film debut, which begat a series of cult classics that showcased the wonderfully hammy actor to great effect. Here, he plays the utterly dastardly Squire William Corder, who has been carrying on with young maiden Maria Marten (Sophie Stewart). When she reveals that she's pregnant, he decides to cover his tracks by murdering her! But Carlos (Eric Portman), the very English gypsy who dotes on Maria, suspects what a cad his rival really is.
Although obviously shot on a very low budget, "Murder in the Red Barn" is great fun for anybody who loves this sort of trashy Gothic melodrama. Director Milton Rosmer shows a fair bit of style, and the film has a solid pace (clocking in at *less* than an hour long), plenty of amusements, and some excellent atmosphere. The supporting cast (also including Dennis Hoey as the gambler to whom Corder will end up owing 6,000 pounds) brings plenty of their own gravitas, but Slaughter is the guy whom you'll remember the most. He truly appeared to be having great fun himself playing these rather over-the-top characters.
If you enjoy this one, be sure to check out other TS classics such as "The Face at the Window", "Crimes at the Dark House", and his most famous, "Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street".
Seven out of 10.
Although obviously shot on a very low budget, "Murder in the Red Barn" is great fun for anybody who loves this sort of trashy Gothic melodrama. Director Milton Rosmer shows a fair bit of style, and the film has a solid pace (clocking in at *less* than an hour long), plenty of amusements, and some excellent atmosphere. The supporting cast (also including Dennis Hoey as the gambler to whom Corder will end up owing 6,000 pounds) brings plenty of their own gravitas, but Slaughter is the guy whom you'll remember the most. He truly appeared to be having great fun himself playing these rather over-the-top characters.
If you enjoy this one, be sure to check out other TS classics such as "The Face at the Window", "Crimes at the Dark House", and his most famous, "Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street".
Seven out of 10.