Son of Dracula Film Review

Dracula had a daughter in the 1936 film, Dracula's Daughter and now in 1943, his son shows up in America. Universal didn't seem to know what a good thing it had on its hands, rarely taking advantage of its 1931 film Dracula. Dracula was an enormously popular film and along with the other monsters that followed saved Universal in those hard times. When you think how iconic the character of Dracula has become in cinema since Bela Lugosi donned his cape, it seems almost criminal negligence that no sequel came out. Frankenstein at least had the Bride Frankenstein and the Mummy had a number of low-budget films from Universal. And the Invisible Man had follow-ups. But not Bela and Dracula. Bela did get to appear in The Vampire Bat for PRC but he wasn't a vampire but instead had killer bats. MGM produced Mark of the Vampire in 1935 directed by Tod Browning who had helmed the 1931 Dracula. And Columbia produced Return of the Vampire in the same year as this film with Bela in what was initially going to be a sequel to Dracula, but Universal said they would sue if they called it that. Part of the reason perhaps that Universal was so slow on this was because the senior Laemmle who was owner of Universal had been dead set against making the first Dracula - it was his son Carl Jr. who pushed for it.

But some twelve years after Dracula, they return with his son. Exactly how Dracula, of the living dead, had children is never explained in the films. Maybe adopted through killing them and making them immortal. Well, immortal till someone puts a stake through their heart or they don't make it back to their coffin before the sun comes up. This is a strange little film that makes no sense really but has some intriguing, unexpected turns. We are no longer in the dark shadows of Transylvania but in the deep south of America where no one speaks with a southern accent. But there is a bayou to make it all very authentic. Katherine (Louise Allbritton) is waiting for an invited guest to come. She is throwing him a fancy dinner, but he seems to have missed the train though his luggage made it. With the name Count Alucard on it. Heavy luggage in the shape of, oh a long coffin like box. The local doctor notices a funny thing - when he reads his name backwards it hints at something evil.

Later that night during the party Dracula appears out of the fog. He later says he has come for the fresh American blood. None of that Old World blood for him. He is a little hungry after his long journey and decides to have a late night snack - the father of Katherine. Quite rude really, he was the host. Couldn't he have snacked on one of the guests? Played by Lon Chaney Jr. Oh dear. He makes a good Werewolf and other conflicted characters as in the Inner Sanctum series but as Dracula, not so much. Part of that is because of how Lugosi portrayed him - suave, sexual, charming. Chaney has none of that. Thankfully, he doesn't even attempt a foreign accent. Lugosi had wanted this part but Universal went with their local monster. His performance as a toxic intimidating creature hurts the entire film, but he isn't actually in it that much.

The focus is on Katherine, who has a truly devious plan in mind. She wants to live forever but not with Dracula. He is a bit of a bore. She loves another man (Robert Paige). Has all her life. And wants to live with him. Forever. Nifty plot with a few fine performances from supporting actors - Evelyn Ankers as her sister, J. Edward Bromberg as a vampire expert, Frank Craven as the local doctor who figures it all out, Samuel Hinds as the Judge and as the maid, Etta McDaniel, sister of Hattie. It is directed by Robert Siodmak and initially scripted by his brother Curt who was behind a few classic Universal horror films. But they didn't get along professionally or personally and Robert kicked him out of the film.