FOG ISLAND

 

This is a 1945 old dark house/suspense movie, made by the Poverty Row company PRC. The most notable thing about it is that it pairs the great British actors (and cult legends) Lionel Atwill and George Zucco, but unfortunately it doesn't give them all that much to do together. 

Atwill and Zucco had a lot in common (professionally at least). They both were about the same age, they both usually portrayed the same types of characters, and they both alternated between appearing in major productions and starring in low-budget horror films. They were both masters at upper-class villainy, and one would assume that FOG ISLAND would give them a chance to play off each other and really let rip. That doesn't come about, due to the fact that the movie overall is quite pedestrian. 

George Zucco plays disgraced financier Leo Grainer, who has just spent five years in prison. To escape unwanted attention, Grainer and his stepdaughter Gail (Sharon Douglas) live on a lonely castle located on the remote (and aptly named) Fog Island. Grainer is obsessed with getting revenge on the people that he believes set him up, sent him to prison, and possibly murdered his wife. He invites a group of his former associates (Lionel Atwill, Jerome Cowan, Veda Ann Borg, Ian Keith, and Jacqueline de Wit) to visit the island, knowing that they won't refuse because they all are convinced Grainer has hidden a bunch of loot about the place. When the shady crew arrives, Grainer has a special surprise set up for them--but the person who actually murdered his wife might upset all of his plans. 

The basic premise of FOG ISLAND seems promising--some have compared the movie's script to Agatha Christie's AND THEN THERE WERE NONE--but this is a cheap PRC flick that probably was made in about a week. The entire story takes place in the "castle", which is made up of a bunch of generic sets. (It is stated that the castle was built by pirates, but this intriguing idea isn't developed.) Much of the suspense revolves around the characters constantly following each other around (it seems no one in this story ever thought about looking behind them). 

There's no comic relief role in FOG ISLAND, which could be a good thing, but all the other characters are so suspicious, untrustworthy and sarcastic that one isn't too worried about what happens to them. Leo Grainer may have a legitimate reason to seek revenge, but George Zucco plays him as if he was the main villain. Lionel Atwill is more reserved than usual, which will disappoint fans who want to see him at his dastardly best. What's more disappointing is that Atwill and Zucco barely exchange dialogue. 

The only two "sympathetic" characters are Grainer's stepdaughter and the young son (John Whitney) of one of the invited guests, who passed away while Grainer was in prison. The son takes his father's place to resume a past relationship with Gail, but she treats him with disdain, while he keeps bugging the heck out of her. Their antics just get in the way of the plot, and Gail's sudden "I love this guy after all" turnaround is incredibly contrived. 

The best aspect of FOG ISLAND is Grainer's special surprise, which happens to be a secret room which is rigged to trap those inside while the space is flooded with water. Even this gimmick isn't presented properly--this is a movie that was shot as quickly and as frugally as possible, and the suspense that should come from it is frittered away by desultory shot choices and stale editing. FOG ISLAND was directed by Terry Morse, whose main claim to fame is that he oversaw the American version of the original 1954 GODZILLA. 

It's always great to see Lionel Atwill and George Zucco, especially in the same film, but FOG ISLAND doesn't take full advantage of two of the best character actors who worked during the Golden Age of Hollywood.