THE BAT is the great granddaddy of all “old dark house” films. Immediately after its release in 1926, its success quickly spawned the much better known THE CAT AND THE CANARY the following year and director Roland West remade it as a sound film, THE BAT WHISPERS, in 1930. The gold standard for this type of film, James Whale’s THE OLD DARK HOUSE, was released in 1932. This original film is an adaptation of the stage play THE BAT which is based on Mary Roberts Rinehart’s mystery novel THE CIRCULAR STAIRCASE.
The story concerns the title character, a master criminal, who is trying to recover a satchel of stolen bank funds hidden in a large, old mansion. It is stashed away in a secret room known only to the mansion’s late owner but there are others after it including a greedy nephew, the family physician, and the bank’s head cashier. Also in the house are 3 women, 2 detectives, and a Japanese servant. When the nephew is killed and “the Bat” announces his presence, there are suspects-a-plenty.
What makes this silent version so memorable is its amazing visuals. There is expressionistic lighting, creative miniatures, 30 foot stylized sets, and an incredible bat mask which is still the creepiest ever. Unencumbered by dialogue although there are the requisite title cards to explain what is going on, the movie remains a feast for the eyes and it packs a lot into its 85 minute running time. Even though THE BAT is over 90 years old, you still have to play close attention if you want to solve the mystery ahead of time.
Of the large ensemble cast, only 2 names are still known today. They are Jack Pickford (Mary’s younger brother) as the bank cashier and Louise Fazenda who provides the comic relief as the terrified maid.. Fazenda was known as a comedian and here she seems like a silent film version of Carol Burnett. Pickford is agreeable enough but is given little to do. The other performers make the most of the material but the plot, the sets, and the still engaging visuals are the real stars here.
For years THE BAT was considered a lost film until a print turned up in the 1980s. The movie is currently in the public domain. My review is of the Sinister Cinema copy from 2002 which is better than the one released by Alpha Video. The print is slightly better and the score consisting of modern classical (including excerpts of THE PLANETS) is surprisingly effective. Most patchwork scores are not. I keep waiting for a fully restored version to appear but so far no luck. This movie is too good and too important not to have one.
The Capsule Critic 