The Uninvited is a classy 1944 ghost story that while it belongs to the old dark house trope, doesn't wield the sharp edge of others in the genre like The Haunting and The Innocents. A brother and sister pair, Roderick and Pamela, have elected to move from London to a cliffside mansion in Cornwall. The place is breathtaking, off the ocean, and while they notice the eeriness upon initial inspection, still feel the need to buy the joint. It's nice digs.
The old cranky bastard they purchase it from is glad to sell, but frowns upon the budding interest between Roderick and his granddaughter. Why this is, leads to the mystery of the film that expands far beyond the facets of a scary old house. The Uninvited's true creepiness isn't in its effects, but in the principal's reaction to it. There's something human and bone-chilling about it that truly effected me.
A true drama unfolds here as we find out the motivations behind all involved, but Ray Milland's performance is tremendous. He's human, given to fear, but swings a delicate sarcasm that gives the otherwise heavily serious affair it's humour. The dark reasons behind why folks in this story do what they do are what Roderick and his new friend, the local doctor, piece together as the suspense ratchets up nicely in the third act.
By the way, Doc is played by Alan Napier, the future Alfred the Butler from the 1966 TV Batman.
This movie isn't gonna scare the shit out of anyone, but it's wonderfully shot and performed and definitely deserving of its really nice Criterion edition. Recommended.
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