The Devil-Doll

"Greater Than "The Unholy Three""

1936 1h 18m EN

👍

6.8

SOLID

★6.8TMDB · 125

HorrorScience Fiction

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Respected Parisian banker Paul Lavond is framed for robbery and murder by crooked associates and sent to prison. Years later, he escapes with a friend, a scientist who was working on a method to reduce humans to a height of mere inches (all for the good of humanity, of course). Lavond, however, is consumed with hatred for those who betrayed him, and takes the scientist's methods back to Paris to exact painful revenge.

“Greater Than "The Unholy Three"”

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Cast

Lionel Barrymore
Paul Lavond
Maureen O'Sullivan
Lorraine Lavond
Frank Lawton
Toto
Rafaela Ottiano
Malita
Robert Greig
Émile Coulvet
Lucy Beaumont
Madame Lavond
Henry B. Walthall
Marcel
Grace Ford
Lachna

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Tod Browning
Writers: Tod Browning, Garrett Fort, Erich von Stroheim
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Tight 78-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

90 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Tod Browning, shot by Leonard Smith. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Franz Waxman. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Fredrick Y. Smith shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Lionel Barrymore and Maureen O'Sullivan and Frank Lawton carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Greater Than "The Unholy Three"".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0027521 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Tod Browning directs. Leonard Smith behind the camera. Franz Waxman scores. Fredrick Y. Smith cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Tight 78-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
290 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3Directed by Tod Browning, shot by Leonard Smith. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Franz Waxman. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Fredrick Y. Smith shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Lionel Barrymore and Maureen O'Sullivan and Frank Lawton carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "Greater Than "The Unholy Three"".
8IMDB entry: tt0027521 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

The technical file

Cinematography: Leonard Smith
Original score: Franz Waxman
Editing: Fredrick Y. Smith
Makeup / hair: Robert J. Schiffer
Runtime: 78 min · 1h 18m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: EN
IMDB: The Devil-Doll (1936)

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Tod Browning

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Community reviews

What people are saying

John Chard2019-03-18
★ 7/10
Browning's creepy miniatures. Paul Lavond is a wrongly convicted prisoner serving his time on the hellish Devil's Island. Engineering an escape with loopy scientist, Marcel, they take refuge at Marcel's old laboratory. Here Lavond finds to his initial horror just how brilliant Marcel's work is, he has invented a serum that can turn any living being into a miniature of itself. Upon learning of the formula, and disguising himself as an old woman, Lavond plans to wreak horrific revenge on those who framed him and sent him to prison. It's not very often that I actually wish myself to be older than I am, but this is one such case, I can't believe I wouldn't have been terrified back in 1936 as Todd Browning's little people went out bidding Lionel Barrymore's vengeful work! Now of course the picture looks wearily hokey, but as hokey films go, this is up with the best of them. The special effects stand up to repeat viewings even in this day and age of overkilled S/E purely for ticket selling purposes, with the over-sized sets and props of the trade expertly realised. Barrymore has a great time and entertains fully from first shot till last, with great support coming from the gorgeous Maureen O'Sullivan and a gruff Robert Greig. Adapted from Abraham Merritt's novel called Burn Witch Burn! (co screenplay credit to Erich von Stroheim no less!), it's actually cinematographer Leonard Smith who deserves the biggest pat on the back. Capturing the fantastical nature of the piece perfectly, it's really only now with crisper DVD (etc) transfers available that we can see just what a difference a great cinematographer can make to films in need of atmospheric touches. Still wish I could have seen this on a big old creaky screen in 1936 though! 7.5/10

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