Movie Review: Mark of the Vampire (1935) directed by Tod Browning (also released as “Vampires of Prague”)
Czechoslovakia, 1934, near the city of Prague. It is growing dark, but in the inn run by a local fellow (Michael Visaroff), two English travelers want to be on their way. The innkeeper warns that vampires roam these parts at night, Count Mora (Bela Lugosi) and his daughter Luna (Caroll Borland). The travelers scoff, but then the local medico, Dr. Doskil (Donald Meek), returns to his room at the inn, clearly frightened out of his wits, and bearing bat thorn, a plant said to ward off the undead.
The next morning, the servants at the castle of Sir Karell Borotyn (Holmes Herbert) are saddened to learn of the death of their master from his friend Baron Otto (Jean Hersholt). Sir Karell’s corpse has neck wounds and has been drained of blood, which leads Dr. Doskil to declare that the death was due to vampire. Inspector Neumann (Lionel Atwill) is a skeptic, and not convinced that vampires are anything other than superstition. Despite Dr. Doskil’s resentment at being lumped in with “ignorant peasants”, his findings are discarded by the coroner’s jury, which brings in a verdict of “Death by Unknown Causes.”
Sir Karell’s daughter Irena Borotyn (Elizabeth Allen) must postpone her marriage to Fedor Vicente (Henry Wadsworth) and moves in with Baron Otto, who has been appointed her guardian.
A year later, the mandatory mourning is over, and Irena and Fedor reunite at the village, though the castle itself has been abandoned. Soon, there is to be a wedding. But then Fedor blacks out near the castle and wakes up with neck wounds and severe anemia. Irena is attacked as well. Count Mora and Luna have supposedly been sighted in the area. Irena says she was compelled into the open by what she thought was the voice of her father. Inspector Neumann is forced to call in an expert, Professor Zelin (Lionel Barrymore). The professor assures everyone that vampires are very real, and precautions must be taken or Irena will surely be taken.
If you have never seen this movie before and haven’t had it spoiled for you, go see it now. Seriously.
SPOILERS beyond this point. You have been warned!
This movie is a remake of the lost horror classic, “London After Midnight” which was also directed by Tod Browning and starred Lon Chaney Sr. Thus it has much the same twist ending. There are, in fact, no vampires. Instead, it’s an elaborate hoax to catch Sir Karell’s murderer who’d disguised his own deed as a vampire attack.
So now you can rewatch it as a comedy. The “Professor” is just making stuff up when he spouts vampire lore. The doctor is a gullible fool. Bela Lugosi with his deceptively high billing is basically playing himself, an actor dressed as Dracula, but fully committed to the “bit” so staying in character even when no one could possibly be watching. Some of the characters are in on the trick and acting their hearts out, while others are not in on it, and which is which isn’t always clear.
I’m told that the movie was edited down from about 80 minutes to 60 for a tighter film, but this does create some lore gaps. There’s an “extra” vampire that does nothing but appear in certain scenes just standing or sitting around. Presumably he had action in cut scenes.
The sets are great, and the acting works better once it’s clear that you’re watching a comedy. The heavy edits do make the film a bit choppy, but it’s still a fun watch with a fine cast. Recommended to fans of spooky comedies.
