House on Haunted Hill ~ 1959 -BW

QUICKIE: He's trying to kill her, she's trying to kill him, they're trying to kill him, he's trying to kill them, she's dead, no she's not, he's dead, no he's not, they're dead, I think.

PLOT: Millionaire playboy Fredrick Loren (Vincent Price), hosts a party for his 4th wife Annabelle (Carol Ohmart) at the "House On Haunted Hill," a house that has seen seven murders, Fredrick invites 5 guests: Lance Schroeder, (Richard Long) a pilot, Ruth Bridges (Julie Mitchum), a journalist, Watson Prichard (Elisha Cook Jr.), the owner of The House On Haunted Hill, Nora Manning (Carolyn Craig), a worker for one of Fredrick Loren's companies, and David Trent (Alan Marshal), a psychiatrist. Fredrick will offer each of them $10,000 to spend a night in The House On Haunted Hill. They all want the money. Mr. Loren's fourth wife, Annabelle, warns the guests that her husband is insane and plans something that night. That's when everyone begins to suspect something's going on with Mr. Loren. At midnight the doors are locked and there's no way to get out. Then when a game of murder begins and no one knows who's doing what, there's no way to call for help because there's no electricity, phones, and no way to get out.

SUMMARY: This is a brilliantly fun movie. We have the typical "spend the night in the haunted house" game with murders, intricate character relationships and lots of mystery as to who did what. There's an annoying guest who supposedly spent a night in the house before and was found in the morning to be near dead and half insane. He regales us with tales of previous murders in the house and how their ghosts now haunt the house. It's a good, creepy fun movie that isn't too scary with the guts and gore. Just inferred scares. Vincent Price is always wonderful to watch.