Main Cast: Ellen Drew, Robert Paige, Paul Lukas, Joseph Calleia, Onslow Stevens
Release Year: 1941
Country: US
Run Time: 65 minutes
Plot
One of the most schizophrenic films ever to come out of the Paramount "B" mill, The Monster and the Girl starts out as a white-slavery melodrama and ends up as a horror picture! Emerging from the fog, heroine Susan Webster (Ellen Drew) tells her woeful tale to the audience. A young innocent from The Sticks, Susan arrives in New York to seek work as an actress, but instead is tricked into a sham marriage with Larry Reed (Robert Paige). Awakening "the morning after", Susan is informed that her missing husband is not her husband, and that, as a fallen woman, there is only one avenue of livelihood open to her-as one of the "paid hostesses" in the stable of gangster Bruhl (Joseph Calleia). Learning of his sister's plight, church organist Scot Webster (Philip Reed) shows up in town to set things right, only to be framed for murder by Bruhl and his mob. After his execution, Scot's body is appropriated by mad scientist Dr. Parry (George Zucco), who hopes to transplant the dead man's brain into the body of a gorilla. Driven by impulses it can't resist, the big ape escapes from his cage to kill off all those responsible for Susan's ruin and Scot's death. Undeniably fascinating, The Monster and the Girl is also undeniably silly at times, especially in the opening scenes, in which the censor-plagued screenwriters work overtime not to overtly state that Susan Daniels has been forced into prostitution. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
The Monster and the Girl is definitely one of the strangest pictures ever made. And when one hears what the plot is, one expects it to be one of the worst films ever made. Surprisingly, Monster turns out to be a fairly effective and entertaining little "B" flick -- and not one that gets by just on camp value. To be sure, there's no way that one is not going to roll one's eyes at some of the plot twists, and there's no getting around the fact that the story is outlandish or that the screenplay is often scattershot. That said, Monster's screenplay has some very interesting points, including a mixture of noir and horror which, while not totally successful, offers some rewards, as well as its nimble manner in skirting the Code's prohibition against prostitution. With one exception, the cast is also much better than one usually finds in horror films of this type. Phillip Terry as the eventual brain donor is boring and inept, but Ellen Drew does very well indeed -- and this woman knows how to emerge from the mist like nobody's business. George Zucco is typically good as the maddish scientist, and the villains, especially Paul Lukas, are appropriately villainous. What is truly surprising is how good Charles Gemora is as the ape; though obviously limited by the monkey suit he wears, he makes for a most convincing and expressive simian. Stuart Heisler's direction is lively and totally committed; his work gives no sign that he is not approaching this story with total seriousness, and he's aided by good atmospheric contributions from Victor Milner. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Stuart Heisler - Director, Everett Douglas - Editor, Sigmund Krumgold - Composer (Music Score), Victor Milner - Cinematographer, Jack Moss - Producer, Stuart Anthony - Screenwriter
A gangster named Scot Webster (Philip Terry) attempts to save his sister, Susan (Ellen Drew) from the clutches of rival gangster W.S Bruhl (Paul Lukas). When one of Bruhl's gang members catches Scot in Bruhl's rented room, one of Scot's aides is killed by a gunman. The man tosses him the gun and disappears. Scot is tried and executed. A mad scientist (George Zucco) salvages his brain and transplants it into a gorilla. Using the strength of his new, bestial body, Webster begins stalking the gangsters to exact his revenge.
