Bluebeard (1944)

4 Stars (out of 4)

Puppet Stings

By Jeffrey M. Anderson

Bluebeard is another Edgar G. Ulmer masterpiece, ranking nearly alongside The Black Cat (1934) and Detour (1945); it's one of his remarkable films that overcame its wretched budget. John Carradine plays Gaston Morrel, a puppeteer and artist in Paris who seduces young women to pose for him, and then knocks them off. He meets Lucille (Jean Parker), falls in love, and tries to break the cycle, but he owes too much money to shady art dealer Lamarte (Ludwig Stössel). Strangely, the film consists of mostly interiors and dialogue, but what sticks in the mind is the striking costumes, the vivid artwork and puppet-craft, as well as those few scenes that capture the flavor of Ulmer's Expressionist past: such as the one in which Gaston dumps his bodies in the river under a creepy bridge. Carradine is also quite effective here, especially in his denouncement scene; it was reportedly a favorite of his.

The movie has been in the public domain for ages, and exists in many shoddy forms. Kino Lorber finally released a long-awaited Blu-ray edition in 2024, but unfortunately, the source material is apparently not in the best shape, and we have a transfer that, in addition to pops and scratches, looks a little soft and lacking in contrast. Even so, given this movie's history, it's still likely the most watchable version available, and it's worth seeking out. The bonuses make it even more so, starting with two excellent commentary tracks by Gregory W. Mank and Tom Weaver (sharing a track) and David Del Valle (going solo), as well as a batch of trailers for other low-budget "B" movies of the time. (Three of them are for other Ulmer movies, The Man from Planet X, The Amazing Transparent Man, and Beyond the Time Barrier.) Recommended.