1946's "She-Wolf of London," bringing up the rear of Universal's lucrative wartime horror boom (1939-1946), offers only a few foggy sets to indicate its intention as a mystery (it was included in the SHOCK! package of classic Universals issued to television in 1957). As such, its villain is so painfully obvious that audiences weren't fooled by all its talk of werewolves, as obvious a cheat as 1956's "Curucu, Beast of the Amazon." The attacks feature a killer wearing a veil, faithfully followed by the vicious dogs that dislike our simpering heroine, a clear indication that she's not the guilty party (this odd detail about the dogs goes nowhere). Even the climax is botched, as the two principals merely talk quietly about who's going to die, as unexciting as everything that's come before; and while the killer confesses to the two on screen murders, just who was responsible for the previous deaths that Scotland Yard was so concerned about during the opening scene, and why do the papers insist it's a werewolf? (heavy sigh). Neither related to "Werewolf of London" (an actual monster or two) nor even "Cat People" (psychosexual frustrations), just an old fashioned plot of greed and false suspicions, which saw a great deal of repetition over the following years - "Devil Bat's Daughter," "Son of Dr. Jekyll," even Edgar G. Ulmer's "Daughter of Dr. Jekyll." As our heroine, the young and attractive June Lockhart fails to overcome her simpering character's deficiencies, while top billed Don Porter can do little but look concerned as her fiancée (actress Jan Wiley made only two more films before calling it quits, three more for Eily Malyon). The actual werewolf curse is never adequately explained, just a hoary plot device to justify the ripoff title. Worst of all is the wasted casting of screen villain Martin Kosleck, enjoying a bit of real stardom at Universal, thrown away on the innocuous role of impoverished artist Dwight Severn, only a couple minutes screen time (sadly, this was his final film for the studio). Lloyd Corrigan's fate at least is unexpected, while Dennis Hoey once again echoes Inspector Lestrade, as he previously did in "Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man" (other constables are played by David Thursby, Olaf Hytten, Frederic Worlock, and James Finlayson, perennial Laurel and Hardy sidekick). This May 17 1946 double bill with "The Cat Creeps" marked the last gasp for Universal's reign as top horror studio, an undistinguished ending for such a prolific era. Curiously, while "WereWolf of London" aired eight times on Pittsburgh's Chiller Theater, "She-Wolf of London" was only a step behind with seven.
Review of She-Wolf of London
