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The Lodger - 1944 - review
The Lodger (1944)
Following Universal Pictures' huge successes in the field of horror and thriller cinema during the 1930s and early 1940s, 20th Century Fox began to commission some similar-themed movies of its own. The Undying Monster in 1942 was a neat foray into the Holmesian 'whodunnit' with the added spice of a werewolf story, and, buoyed by its success, Fox commissioned, two years later, The Lodger.
The original story of 'The Lodger', written by Marie Belloc Lowndes in 1913, was used as the basis for one of Alfred Hitchcock's earliest, silent pictures of the same name. However, in its 1940s reincarnation the story was changed: it no longer had an early 20th century setting, instead being set in the late 19th century and, most importantly of all, it was adapted to tell the story of Jack the Ripper. The director chosen for the project - fresh from his success with The Undying Monster - was John Brahm. A German who had arrived in the US via the UK when the Third Reich began flattening any film projects which did not contain Nazi propaganda and little else, Brahm brought with him a strong grounding in the Expressionist cinematic style - and it is this, together with the brilliant performance of leading man Laird Cregar, which makes The Lodger an absolute stand-out film.
The year is 1888. As London suffers under the shock of gruesome murders (of actresses rather than prostitutes, thanks to the censorship of the day) a middle-aged couple, the Bontings, are forced to make ends meet by receiving a lodger into their home. The 'Mr. Slade' who arrives to apply (we see him selecting his surname from a nearby street sign) is a softly-spoken, deeply private individual who explains to Mrs. Bonting that his scientific work requires him to keep irregular hours; he does however pay a month in advance, and, led by her financial need, Mrs. Bonting allows him to stay. We see immediately that Mr. Slade (Cregar) is a character in some sort of turmoil; he alternates seeming gentle and shy with fits of temper, and explains to his landlady that he has a horror of the type of fallen women who were instrumental in the ruin of a dearly-loved brother. This is doubly problematic because the Bontings have a niece, Kitty (Merle Oberon) who makes her living on the stage.
Slade is evidently attracted to Kitty and her somewhat flippant character blinds her to the evident mixed feelings he has. Although drawn to her beauty, he considers her to be fallen, and like other women a 'threat' to be eradicated. Mr. and Mrs. Bonting - the comic foils of the piece - veer between suspecting and pitying their strange guest, and so as the plot thickens the audience is drawn into wondering if Mr. Slade is a red herring, a misunderstood man - or a serious threat. Meanwhile the murders continue...
Although only billed third in this film, it is Cregar who owns the action here - a menacing character in terms of stature (standing at 6 feet 3) his acting style is just as imposing. He communicates in a look all the confusion and anger of his character, at one moment being pitiable and the next terrifying. This film is notable, not only for being the first Jack the Ripper film, but for daring to explore the concept of the sexually-motivated crime - Slade talks of negating the 'threat' of beautiful women by killing them, and the effect of physical lust upon him is manifestly dangerous.
Brahm takes full advantage of the brilliant Victorian London sets - I was surprised to find they were sets - with creative camera work, the use of Expressionist motifs such as shadow, and the symbol of water (just as Hangover Square uses fire) whilst sustaining pathos and menace. Yes, there are some anachronisms here, but all forgivable for the whole picture. I have read some unkind reviews of this film by people saturated with another 65 years' worth of crime and thriller cinema: if we have become jaded, we need to remember just how ground-breaking The Lodger was.
Review by MISS K