When Dr. James Brewster (Bela Lugosi) becomes a guinea pig for his own experiments, he turns himself into a medical marvel, at least that's the contention of his partner Dr. George Randall (Henry Hall). The only thing the viewer will witness is an already bearded Lugosi affecting a stooped over walking pattern and unsure whether he should be swinging his arms or not. Lugosi's introduction on screen is somewhat puzzling in that he shares a cage in his laboratory with a man in a gorilla suit, but that's the only time we'll ever see him there. If there was a point to be made, it didn't work.
Jeff Carter (Wallace Ford) and Billie Mason (Louise Currie) are a newspaper reporter and photographer respectively, hot on the trail of the Brewster mystery. Pay attention when they get into Carter's car for the first time to go to Brewster's residence, Billie calls him Mr. Brisbane. Screen pairings like this usually signal a romantic angle during the course of the story, but there's no chemistry here, which is just as well because they didn't look like the type for each other.
Minerva Urecal is introduced into the story as Brewster's sister Agatha, with a reputation as a ghost hunter. Since that's referenced a number of times, one would think it had some bearing on the story, but once again we have a disconnect. Her mere presence though adds a spooky menace to the film and is one of it's redeeming factors. Hey, can you picture her as the ape man, er.., ape woman?
With no fanfare and without warning, Brewster reveals the stunning basis for his cure rests in obtaining human spinal fluid and injecting it into his own spine. With his gorilla companion, Brewster heads out into broad daylight to line up his victims, but with the police department as inept as it is, he gets as much as he wants at will. Brewster's return to the human condition consists largely of standing up straight and repeatedly checking the mirror to see if his beard has gone away. Where's a Schick disposable when you need one?
If I sound like I'm being too harsh on the film, let me switch gears and say that it's a blast watching these Poverty Row efforts and wondering what movie patrons of the era thought of these films. For Lugosi, his was not a one gorilla film career. Other brushes with apedom included "The Gorilla" (1939), and "Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla" (1952). To pick a favorite from this trio is impossible.
Lest I forget, not all the credit for this groaner belongs to the players. Director William Beaudine should at least get a share of the accolades for "The Ape Man"; perhaps that's who Lugosi's character had in mind when early in the picture he states - "What a mess I've made of things".
Jeff Carter (Wallace Ford) and Billie Mason (Louise Currie) are a newspaper reporter and photographer respectively, hot on the trail of the Brewster mystery. Pay attention when they get into Carter's car for the first time to go to Brewster's residence, Billie calls him Mr. Brisbane. Screen pairings like this usually signal a romantic angle during the course of the story, but there's no chemistry here, which is just as well because they didn't look like the type for each other.
Minerva Urecal is introduced into the story as Brewster's sister Agatha, with a reputation as a ghost hunter. Since that's referenced a number of times, one would think it had some bearing on the story, but once again we have a disconnect. Her mere presence though adds a spooky menace to the film and is one of it's redeeming factors. Hey, can you picture her as the ape man, er.., ape woman?
With no fanfare and without warning, Brewster reveals the stunning basis for his cure rests in obtaining human spinal fluid and injecting it into his own spine. With his gorilla companion, Brewster heads out into broad daylight to line up his victims, but with the police department as inept as it is, he gets as much as he wants at will. Brewster's return to the human condition consists largely of standing up straight and repeatedly checking the mirror to see if his beard has gone away. Where's a Schick disposable when you need one?
If I sound like I'm being too harsh on the film, let me switch gears and say that it's a blast watching these Poverty Row efforts and wondering what movie patrons of the era thought of these films. For Lugosi, his was not a one gorilla film career. Other brushes with apedom included "The Gorilla" (1939), and "Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla" (1952). To pick a favorite from this trio is impossible.
Lest I forget, not all the credit for this groaner belongs to the players. Director William Beaudine should at least get a share of the accolades for "The Ape Man"; perhaps that's who Lugosi's character had in mind when early in the picture he states - "What a mess I've made of things".