No, it's not PRC's finest hour (and even though it's listed at 59 minutes, I swear it's closer to 50)--that honour has to go to Edgar Ulmer's Detour. Strangler of the Swamp is a neat little cheapie, though, and it's atmosphere is unlike that of any other Hollywood film, with the exception of Night of the Hunter. Perhaps Charles Laughton caught this at the bottom of the bill one night and tucked his memories away for a decade. It certainly strikes me as being more or a fable than a true horror story, and what little I've read of Frank Wisbar's earlier Ferryboat Maria seems to bear out that interpretation. The film is rife with illogic, starting with the idea that a ferry is needed across a swamp that seems to span no more than a few yards. Villagers try to run away in order to escape the curse of the Strangler, and instead of leaving via the ferry they take a donkey cart on a road that otherwise doesn't figure into the story! Leading lady Rosemary La Planche sleepwalks through her role as the granddaughter of the cursed ferryman, and Blake Edwards is reasonably likeable as the heartthrob whose love heals all wounds. All things considered--not least it's brevity and dreamlike atmosphere--Strangler of the Swamp is essential viewing for anyone interested in second features, Poverty Row cinema, or the influence of German filmmakers on American cinema.
42 Reviews
Moody trip into the swamp is good little thriller and technical tour de force
dbborroughs24 November 2006
Some people say this is the best film that PRC ever released, I'm not too sure about that since I have a fond place in my heart for some of their mysteries. I will say that this is probably one of the most unique films they, or any other studio, major or minor, ever released.
The plot is simple. The ghost of a wrongly executed ferryman has returned to the swamp to kill all those who lynched him as well as all of their off spring. Into this mix comes the granddaughter of one ghosts victims, the current ferryman. She takes over the ferry business as the ghost closes in on the man she loves.
Shrouded in dense fog and set primarily on the single swamp set this is more musical poem than regular feature film.Listen to the rhythms of the dialog, especially in the early scenes, their is poetical cadence to them. Likewise there is a similar cadence to the camera work as it travels back and forth across the swamp as if crossing back and forth across the door way between life and death, innocence and guilt. The film reminds me of an opera or oratorio or musical object lesson more than a normal horror film. Its an amazing piece of film making that is probably unique in film history.
This isn't to guild the Lilly. This is a low budget horror/mystery that tells you a neat little story that will keep you entertained. Its tale of love and revenge is what matters here, not the poetical film making and it holds you attention first and foremost (the technical aspects just being window dressing.) If there is any real flaw its the cheapness of the production. The fog does create a mood but it also hides the fact that this swamp is entirely on dry land. The constant back and forth across it is okay for a while but even after 58 minutes you do wish that we could see something else.
Don't get me wrong I do like the film a great deal. Its a good little film that I some how wish was slightly less poverty stricken. Its definitely worth a look if you can come across it.
The plot is simple. The ghost of a wrongly executed ferryman has returned to the swamp to kill all those who lynched him as well as all of their off spring. Into this mix comes the granddaughter of one ghosts victims, the current ferryman. She takes over the ferry business as the ghost closes in on the man she loves.
Shrouded in dense fog and set primarily on the single swamp set this is more musical poem than regular feature film.Listen to the rhythms of the dialog, especially in the early scenes, their is poetical cadence to them. Likewise there is a similar cadence to the camera work as it travels back and forth across the swamp as if crossing back and forth across the door way between life and death, innocence and guilt. The film reminds me of an opera or oratorio or musical object lesson more than a normal horror film. Its an amazing piece of film making that is probably unique in film history.
This isn't to guild the Lilly. This is a low budget horror/mystery that tells you a neat little story that will keep you entertained. Its tale of love and revenge is what matters here, not the poetical film making and it holds you attention first and foremost (the technical aspects just being window dressing.) If there is any real flaw its the cheapness of the production. The fog does create a mood but it also hides the fact that this swamp is entirely on dry land. The constant back and forth across it is okay for a while but even after 58 minutes you do wish that we could see something else.
Don't get me wrong I do like the film a great deal. Its a good little film that I some how wish was slightly less poverty stricken. Its definitely worth a look if you can come across it.
PRC finally Succeeds!
docdespicable26 June 2006
It's really a pity more people haven't seen this little number from PRC - it has a tight story, good acting, amazing atmosphere, just everything so many of their features lack. The joke was, and in some cases remains, that PRC stood for Pretty Rank Crap (actually Producers Releasing Corporation). They kept Bela Lugosi from going hungry and delivered quite a list of entertainingly awful crud - I mean, they made Monogram look like MGM! Generally considered the studio where name actors went to pick up enough cash to pay off their bar tabs (which explains the presence of otherwise outstanding actors like J. Carroll Naish, John Carradine and George Zucco), by the law of averages, they were bound to hit the mark, once in a great while.
And here, they do. Despite, or perhaps because of the obvious sound-stage set, the film has an atmosphere of unreality, a similar effect attained in "City of the Dead" (1960) by the same means. Both films have an almost Lovecraftian sense of foreboding. The core of the film's success can be attributed to the "Strangler" himself, character actor Charles Middleton, perhaps most known for his turns as Ming the Merciless in the "Flash Gordon" serials and his menace of Laurel & Hardy in several of their shorts and features.
Please understand - "Strangler from the Swamp" is never going to give Hitchcock or the Val Lewton horror pictures a run for their money, but all in all, it is still a very satisfying film.
And yes, that Blake Edwards is THAT Blake Edwards!
And here, they do. Despite, or perhaps because of the obvious sound-stage set, the film has an atmosphere of unreality, a similar effect attained in "City of the Dead" (1960) by the same means. Both films have an almost Lovecraftian sense of foreboding. The core of the film's success can be attributed to the "Strangler" himself, character actor Charles Middleton, perhaps most known for his turns as Ming the Merciless in the "Flash Gordon" serials and his menace of Laurel & Hardy in several of their shorts and features.
Please understand - "Strangler from the Swamp" is never going to give Hitchcock or the Val Lewton horror pictures a run for their money, but all in all, it is still a very satisfying film.
And yes, that Blake Edwards is THAT Blake Edwards!
Foggy chiller dredges deep pools
michael.e.barrett21 October 2002
Frank Wisbar is one of the more overlooked directors who came to Hollywood from Nazi Germany. He worked at the Poverty Row studio PRC and went back to Germany after the war. At PRC he made such curiosities as DEVIL BAT'S DAUGHTER and this little item, which actually remakes his own 1936 German film.
It's confined almost entirely to a foggy swamp (with some indoor scenes). The theatrical, atmospheric first act includes a striking scene of three old women standing like statues on the ferry, intoning their dire warnings as it goes back and forth, guided by the ferryman who is responsible for dooming the village. Wisbar evokes Greek mythology (Charon, who ferries people across the Styx; the Three Fates). The camera pans back and forth with the ferry of old people, underlining the stagnation, the fact that no one is going anywhere.
When the young heroine comes into the picture, she seems a breath of fresh air. But with her independent attitude in assuming the job of ferryman (inherited from her dad), she doesn't seem to realize that she too is going nowhere and may be doomed. Another breath of fresh air is the fact that her heroic young fiancee (Blake Edwards) can do nothing to rescue her, but on the contrary she must save him and the rest of the village from "the sins of the fathers." When you place this fable in its original context of Weimar cinema (its preoccupation with sins of authority figures and the previous generation) and the new threat of Hitler, you can see where Wisbar is coming from.
It's confined almost entirely to a foggy swamp (with some indoor scenes). The theatrical, atmospheric first act includes a striking scene of three old women standing like statues on the ferry, intoning their dire warnings as it goes back and forth, guided by the ferryman who is responsible for dooming the village. Wisbar evokes Greek mythology (Charon, who ferries people across the Styx; the Three Fates). The camera pans back and forth with the ferry of old people, underlining the stagnation, the fact that no one is going anywhere.
When the young heroine comes into the picture, she seems a breath of fresh air. But with her independent attitude in assuming the job of ferryman (inherited from her dad), she doesn't seem to realize that she too is going nowhere and may be doomed. Another breath of fresh air is the fact that her heroic young fiancee (Blake Edwards) can do nothing to rescue her, but on the contrary she must save him and the rest of the village from "the sins of the fathers." When you place this fable in its original context of Weimar cinema (its preoccupation with sins of authority figures and the previous generation) and the new threat of Hitler, you can see where Wisbar is coming from.
Horror, mystery and a love story all rolled up in one.
ChuckStraub19 March 2004
Nice simple movie. Great atmosphere and good acting. Reminds me somewhat of the old Universal studios monster movies. This movie is by PRC Pictures in 1946. When I first watched it I thought it was made earlier. It almost looked like a movie from the 30s. Looks like this movie had a much cheaper budget than contemporary horror movies but they did well with what they had. It has a combination of horror, mystery and a love story all rolled up in one. It has a great atmosphere about it and is really quite enjoyable. It's a fairly short movie of 58 minutes and keeps your attention throughout. I gave it a 6 out of 10 rating. Well worth seeing, keeping in mind that it is a older movie from 1946.
Here She Pulls, Miss America....
ferbs549 December 2008
"Strangler of the Swamp" is a very strange little picture from PRC, one of the so-called Poverty Row studios of the '40s; the same studio responsible for such wonders as "The Devil Bat" (1941) and "The Devil Bat's Daughter" (1946). This last film starred Miss America 1941, Rosemary La Planche, in the same year that she appeared in "Strangler." Here, she plays Maria, the granddaughter of a ferry boat operator in one of the most dismal-looking swamps you could ever imagine. Having felt lonely while working in the big city, what could be more natural than her taking over her grandpappy's job when he is killed by the eponymous swamp strangler, the pale-faced spirit of a wrongfully hanged man, eerily played by Charles "Ming the Merciless" Middleton? Whilst pulling this tow-rope swamp barge through its courses, Maria meets hunky Chris Sanders, played by Blake Edwards (yes, THAT Blake Edwards, almost a full decade before he was to begin his glorious career as a director). Anyway, cheaply made and studio bound as "Strangler" is, I suppose the picture does have atmosphere to spare. Shot mostly on darkened sets and with prodigious amounts of swirling ground mist and bullfrog croakings, the film does evoke a creepy bayou feel, and its brief running time (the whole thing barely clocks in under an hour) allows for zero padding. This is basically a minor little "B" picture, to be sure, that does what it sets out to do: tell a weird ghost story with absolutely no frills. The film is hardly ever scary, although there are several shots of Middleton's blank-faced mug that are fairly riveting. La Planche herself is very appealing, strange as her character may be (honestly, who would ever lay down in a pile of grass and swamp muck at night to take a nap?!?), and Edwards fine as the surprisingly UNheroic leading man. The DVD that I just watched features a battered-looking print with no extras, but I suppose we may never see this oddball curiosity look any better. Fans of '40s "B" horror may find the picture sufficiently rewarding to warrant a look; others, I feel, may find it a fairly hard pull.
PRC Gets It Right Twice in a Row
Bucs196013 July 2007
Warning: Spoilers
PRC which was the lowest of the low actually struck gold with this moody little thriller. They did the same thing a year earlier with "Detour" which is probably one of the finest low-budget films ever made.
"Strangler" is basically a one set film, filled with mist and shadows, a technique used by most poverty row studios to hide the sets, or lack thereof. But here, it works well. The ghost of Charles Middleton (better known as Ming the Merciless) lurches around the swamp killing those involved in his wrongful execution for murder and generates some sympathy from the viewer. His final victim is to be the daughter of the ferryman.....he concentrates his wrath not only on those directly involved in his fate but their relatives as well.
Rosemary LaPlanche does her usual imitation of someone in a coma that passes for her acting style. She offers herself up to the strangler in order to put a stop to the killing but as a sop to the audience, the strangler sees the goodness of her gesture as a sign that his mission is complete and he returns to the hereafter, somewhat chastened. If Ulmer(who directed "Detour") has directed "Strangler" she would be hanging from the nearest tree and the strangler's job would be done. But who's complaining? It's not the story that is the major attraction but the shrouded sets, lighting and the general moodiness of the piece. It stands, right behind "Detour", as PRC's finest hour
"Strangler" is basically a one set film, filled with mist and shadows, a technique used by most poverty row studios to hide the sets, or lack thereof. But here, it works well. The ghost of Charles Middleton (better known as Ming the Merciless) lurches around the swamp killing those involved in his wrongful execution for murder and generates some sympathy from the viewer. His final victim is to be the daughter of the ferryman.....he concentrates his wrath not only on those directly involved in his fate but their relatives as well.
Rosemary LaPlanche does her usual imitation of someone in a coma that passes for her acting style. She offers herself up to the strangler in order to put a stop to the killing but as a sop to the audience, the strangler sees the goodness of her gesture as a sign that his mission is complete and he returns to the hereafter, somewhat chastened. If Ulmer(who directed "Detour") has directed "Strangler" she would be hanging from the nearest tree and the strangler's job would be done. But who's complaining? It's not the story that is the major attraction but the shrouded sets, lighting and the general moodiness of the piece. It stands, right behind "Detour", as PRC's finest hour
Expressionistic fable becomes a "twice told tale"
melvelvit-19 September 2015
An innocent man had vowed revenge on the lynch mob who strung him up and two generations of men have been dying along the bayou in mysterious ways ever since. The latest is the village ferryman whose granddaughter takes over his scow and falls for a young man whose father was also involved in the tragedy. Legend has it that the curse can be lifted if a descendant offers their life to the spectre and when it comes for the girl's beau, well...
German director Frank Wisbar re-worked his Reich film FAHRMANN MARIA for PRC and, like fellow émigré Edgar G. Ulmer, he knew how to make an atmospheric film on a shoestring budget. Set almost entirely in a fog- enshrouded swamp of gnarled trees and murky waters, the tale visually resembles it's predecessor but the theme has changed from a "love and death" fable to revenge from beyond the grave. In the original, Death itself had come to take Maria's lover but in the re-make, it's a vengeful ghost. Even so, both gals bargain for the life of their man.
B-movie bad guy Charles Middleton ("Ming The Merciless") was the vengeful cadaver in the mist and Maria was played by "Miss America 1941" Rosemary La Planche. Although Maria was the real hero, future producer/director Blake Edwards, of all people, played "the hero" and he wasn't a bad-looking guy. As far as Poverty Row chills go, STRANGLER is a cut above the rest thanks to an imaginative director.
German director Frank Wisbar re-worked his Reich film FAHRMANN MARIA for PRC and, like fellow émigré Edgar G. Ulmer, he knew how to make an atmospheric film on a shoestring budget. Set almost entirely in a fog- enshrouded swamp of gnarled trees and murky waters, the tale visually resembles it's predecessor but the theme has changed from a "love and death" fable to revenge from beyond the grave. In the original, Death itself had come to take Maria's lover but in the re-make, it's a vengeful ghost. Even so, both gals bargain for the life of their man.
B-movie bad guy Charles Middleton ("Ming The Merciless") was the vengeful cadaver in the mist and Maria was played by "Miss America 1941" Rosemary La Planche. Although Maria was the real hero, future producer/director Blake Edwards, of all people, played "the hero" and he wasn't a bad-looking guy. As far as Poverty Row chills go, STRANGLER is a cut above the rest thanks to an imaginative director.
a pleasant surprise
grnhair20011 March 2015
Shockingly well-acted hillbilly noir ghost story. Plot: a wrongfully hanged man is out for vengeance.
The poor filmmakers had a postage-stamp-sized stage to work with, and a smoke machine that doesn't quite disguise how small it is. About half of the action takes place on a cable ferry. The opening scene is a bit of a puzzler, in which three grizzled hill women take the ferry out, and back, for no reason other than to deliver some exposition to someone who already knows what they're telling him.
But part of its charm is how much respect the film shows for the people, including two young people who have tried the city, lost their accents, got some extra education, and yet realize they belong back home. Some of the details are well-realized, like the inventorying of a poor man's clothing and the prayer scene at the open-air chapel.
There's a Christian story, here, too. I'm not Christian but was not offended by it. People who are might like that part of it a good deal.
The poor filmmakers had a postage-stamp-sized stage to work with, and a smoke machine that doesn't quite disguise how small it is. About half of the action takes place on a cable ferry. The opening scene is a bit of a puzzler, in which three grizzled hill women take the ferry out, and back, for no reason other than to deliver some exposition to someone who already knows what they're telling him.
But part of its charm is how much respect the film shows for the people, including two young people who have tried the city, lost their accents, got some extra education, and yet realize they belong back home. Some of the details are well-realized, like the inventorying of a poor man's clothing and the prayer scene at the open-air chapel.
There's a Christian story, here, too. I'm not Christian but was not offended by it. People who are might like that part of it a good deal.
A nice little poverty row thriller
bensonmum24 February 2005
Warning: Spoilers
Strangler of the Swamp is a surprisingly nice little poverty row thriller from PRC. While many of today's horror fans would find little to frighten, it's a wonderful example of creating atmosphere on a VERY limited budget.
The movie concerns the ghost of a ferryman, seeking revenge for being unjustly hanged. He's out to get those who 'done him wrong'. My biggest problem with the story is that it gets away from the spooky swamp too often in favor of a love story. Had the movie concentrated more on the Strangler and the creepy swamp and less on the love story, Strangler of the Swamp would have been much better. The direction of Frank Wisbar is tight and he gets the most out of the limited funding he was given. One final note, the movie stars Blake Edwards (of Pink Panther fame) in an early role.
Not the best, but better than many of the films PRC was cranking out in the 40s.
The movie concerns the ghost of a ferryman, seeking revenge for being unjustly hanged. He's out to get those who 'done him wrong'. My biggest problem with the story is that it gets away from the spooky swamp too often in favor of a love story. Had the movie concentrated more on the Strangler and the creepy swamp and less on the love story, Strangler of the Swamp would have been much better. The direction of Frank Wisbar is tight and he gets the most out of the limited funding he was given. One final note, the movie stars Blake Edwards (of Pink Panther fame) in an early role.
Not the best, but better than many of the films PRC was cranking out in the 40s.
The Hanged Man.
rmax30482327 January 2012
Warning: Spoilers
This spooky horror story comes to us courtesy of PRC studios, so we know right off the bat we're in for a classic of its kind. A ferryman was hastily hanged by a village years ago. Now he seems to haunt the villagers, particularly the man whose testimony falsely convicted him -- Old Ferryman Douglas. The ferry is a small boat that must be pulled by hand across a steamy creek. Its isolated location has everyone frightened of the neighborhood. Old Douglas, though, despite feeling a little guilty at his perjured testimony, pooh poohs the story of the swamp strangler as just so much superstition.
He shouldn't have been so off handed about the whole thing because one night he runs into a shadowy figure in the murk and is found dead -- choked to death by a noose.
At first, watching this inexpensive tale unfold, I figured it for one of those stories, something like "Sherlock Holmes and the Scarlet Claw," in which someone is imitating a ghost in order to kill people for prosaic reasons. But then it gets complicated. Old Douglas may have been dealing with an hallucination but this figure keeps on killing or assaulting people even when everyone in the film seems to be elsewhere. Every once in a while, the spector came whiffling through the tulgey wood, and burbled as it came!
Old Douglas's pretty granddaughter, Rosemary La Planche, shows up and takes over the operation of the ferry and she falls in love with -- are you ready for this? -- Blake Edwards. Yes, THE Blake Edwards, who was wise to switch to direction later on because he had a good sense of humor and, if nothing else, it gave him access into the kind of inner circle in which you get to marry Julie Andrews. Edwards is attacked by the strangler too, for reasons I couldn't figure out because, after all, he was a young man recently returned to the village and who had had nothing to do with the mistaken hanging of the strangler.
The plot is confusing and boring. The stage set was the size of a walk-in closet. But the dialog has one or two memorable lines. "Chris ran away when he was at the age when boys think that being a man means being alone." Something like that. I also give the story bonus points for making good use of elderly people, especially old ladies. The characters fit, because they provide a nifty contrast with the joie de vivre of the youngsters when they begin to show up.
I understand that this film is one of the few to emerge from PRC with something like a respectable reputation. I don't know why. It's gloomy and most unimaginative.
He shouldn't have been so off handed about the whole thing because one night he runs into a shadowy figure in the murk and is found dead -- choked to death by a noose.
At first, watching this inexpensive tale unfold, I figured it for one of those stories, something like "Sherlock Holmes and the Scarlet Claw," in which someone is imitating a ghost in order to kill people for prosaic reasons. But then it gets complicated. Old Douglas may have been dealing with an hallucination but this figure keeps on killing or assaulting people even when everyone in the film seems to be elsewhere. Every once in a while, the spector came whiffling through the tulgey wood, and burbled as it came!
Old Douglas's pretty granddaughter, Rosemary La Planche, shows up and takes over the operation of the ferry and she falls in love with -- are you ready for this? -- Blake Edwards. Yes, THE Blake Edwards, who was wise to switch to direction later on because he had a good sense of humor and, if nothing else, it gave him access into the kind of inner circle in which you get to marry Julie Andrews. Edwards is attacked by the strangler too, for reasons I couldn't figure out because, after all, he was a young man recently returned to the village and who had had nothing to do with the mistaken hanging of the strangler.
The plot is confusing and boring. The stage set was the size of a walk-in closet. But the dialog has one or two memorable lines. "Chris ran away when he was at the age when boys think that being a man means being alone." Something like that. I also give the story bonus points for making good use of elderly people, especially old ladies. The characters fit, because they provide a nifty contrast with the joie de vivre of the youngsters when they begin to show up.
I understand that this film is one of the few to emerge from PRC with something like a respectable reputation. I don't know why. It's gloomy and most unimaginative.
Welcome to the haunted swamp
chris_gaskin12313 September 2005
Strangler of the Swamp was made by low budget studio PRC and is certainly one of their best movies I've seen.
A man who was hanged for a murder he didn't commit returns as a ghost for revenge on the people who accused him. He uses a rope to strangle his victims and after several deaths, including the old man who operates the ferry across the swamp, he disappears. The old man's granddaughter takes over the ferry herself and also falls in love with one of the local men and they decide to get married.
This movie has plenty of foggy atmospheres, which makes it very creepy too.
The cast includes Rosemary La Planche, Blake Edwards and Charles Middleton (Flash Gordon) as the Strangler.
Strangler of the Swamp is a must for old horror fans like myself. Excellent.
Rating: 3 and a half stars out of 5.
A man who was hanged for a murder he didn't commit returns as a ghost for revenge on the people who accused him. He uses a rope to strangle his victims and after several deaths, including the old man who operates the ferry across the swamp, he disappears. The old man's granddaughter takes over the ferry herself and also falls in love with one of the local men and they decide to get married.
This movie has plenty of foggy atmospheres, which makes it very creepy too.
The cast includes Rosemary La Planche, Blake Edwards and Charles Middleton (Flash Gordon) as the Strangler.
Strangler of the Swamp is a must for old horror fans like myself. Excellent.
Rating: 3 and a half stars out of 5.
Contains almost 100% corn. Almost.
ksdilauri14 July 2019
This is honestly one of the most unique old creepers you'll ever see. It's stagey, old-fashioned and illogical, and has atrociously hammy dialogue, with acting to match. All this corn could overwhelm you.......but somehow, it doesn't quite do that. The sheer earnestness of the cast and director (he recrafted this from his earlier-filmed German ghost story) turns what could have been a real stinker into a rather quaint peek at what creeped audiences out in a simpler, more innocent time. It's mercifully brief, at a little over an hour, which allows you to sample this bit of product from one of Hollywood's "poverty row" studios (and it looks it.) 1941's Miss America, Rosemary LaPlanche, is the square but plucky heroine, future producer/director/Mr. Julie Andrews, Blake Edwards, is her virtuous but rather ineffective hero, and you'll swear the ghost is played by John Carradine--but isn't. Give it a watch.
Routine programmer with an atmospheric setting
Leofwine_draca29 October 2016
The story of Frank Wisbar, the German director who fled his country when the Nazis came into power and took up in Hollywood making B-pictures before returning to the motherland after the war, is more interesting than the film itself. STRANGLER OF THE SWAMP is a routine little programmer almost entirely lacking in budget and a decent script, although in actuality it's a remake of Wisbar's own German film FERRYMAN MARIA.
The only good thing you can say about this movie is that the setting is appropriately atmospheric. The fog-enshrouded sets and the decaying vegetation make this a film with plenty of visual appeal. At times you can almost smell the mould and the rot-heavy air. A shame, then, that the story itself is so slight, barely registering in the scheme of things. A ghost is stalking the swamp and locals imagine it's the spirit of a man wrongfully executed for murder.
The film boasts a forthright young heroine who gets to the heart of the matter and lots of acting from tired and ageing character actors. Blake Edwards appears in an acting role and would later become a well-known director. The scenes of the ghost may have provoked a scare or two back in the day but they're quite tame now. STRANGLER OF THE SWAMP shares a few problems with Universal's Dracula in terms of the stilted nature of the production and the lack of momentum and drive, although it lacks the iconic elements that made the Lugosi film an enduring classic.
The only good thing you can say about this movie is that the setting is appropriately atmospheric. The fog-enshrouded sets and the decaying vegetation make this a film with plenty of visual appeal. At times you can almost smell the mould and the rot-heavy air. A shame, then, that the story itself is so slight, barely registering in the scheme of things. A ghost is stalking the swamp and locals imagine it's the spirit of a man wrongfully executed for murder.
The film boasts a forthright young heroine who gets to the heart of the matter and lots of acting from tired and ageing character actors. Blake Edwards appears in an acting role and would later become a well-known director. The scenes of the ghost may have provoked a scare or two back in the day but they're quite tame now. STRANGLER OF THE SWAMP shares a few problems with Universal's Dracula in terms of the stilted nature of the production and the lack of momentum and drive, although it lacks the iconic elements that made the Lugosi film an enduring classic.
Spooky sets, looming ghost.
GroovyDoom9 January 2003
Many others here have commented well on this little movie, and I don't have much to add that hasn't already been said. It's very foggy, it's very atmospheric, and it's extremely dated. I suppose that's why I liked it so much.
The story takes place in a village that is secluded by marshes, and I became fascinated by the location more than anything else. It seemed to be mostly fantasy, but could there really have been a place like this in real life? The characters live in relatively nice houses and seem to even have electricity, yet at one point a family is seen leaving town in a covered horse-drawn wagon. The heroine is a woman who is intent on taking over her deceased grandfather's role as a ferryman, although when she arrives at this town she does not even know the old man is dead, leading me to believe they don't have phones. The ferry itself is a diminutive boat pulled back and forth by a rope fixed over the swamp. Where are these people going? What's on the other side of the swamp? How were the houses built in this swamp if the only access is by a small boat? Is the village located on an island?
There is also a perpetual fog that permeates the film, and this is probably one of the coolest elements of the movie. Even during the day the fog is present, and we see the new female ferryboat operator reclining in some grass while she waits for the next fare, billows of fog drifting over her. I found myself asking a lot of questions, like...Is the swamp not infested with mosquitos? Is the grass dry enough to relax on? What is the weather like in this swampy area anyway that would make it so darn foggy all the time?
The movie has a charmingly stagy look, the swamp set is pretty wonderful and the idea of an entire community existing under these isolated conditions is a great idea. The ghost is actually pretty spooky too, and real for a change (instead of being exposed as a fake at the end). I liked how obscure the film apparently is, although now it's available on DVD, which is where I saw it. I recommend this for all fans of low-budget black & white spooky movies.
The story takes place in a village that is secluded by marshes, and I became fascinated by the location more than anything else. It seemed to be mostly fantasy, but could there really have been a place like this in real life? The characters live in relatively nice houses and seem to even have electricity, yet at one point a family is seen leaving town in a covered horse-drawn wagon. The heroine is a woman who is intent on taking over her deceased grandfather's role as a ferryman, although when she arrives at this town she does not even know the old man is dead, leading me to believe they don't have phones. The ferry itself is a diminutive boat pulled back and forth by a rope fixed over the swamp. Where are these people going? What's on the other side of the swamp? How were the houses built in this swamp if the only access is by a small boat? Is the village located on an island?
There is also a perpetual fog that permeates the film, and this is probably one of the coolest elements of the movie. Even during the day the fog is present, and we see the new female ferryboat operator reclining in some grass while she waits for the next fare, billows of fog drifting over her. I found myself asking a lot of questions, like...Is the swamp not infested with mosquitos? Is the grass dry enough to relax on? What is the weather like in this swampy area anyway that would make it so darn foggy all the time?
The movie has a charmingly stagy look, the swamp set is pretty wonderful and the idea of an entire community existing under these isolated conditions is a great idea. The ghost is actually pretty spooky too, and real for a change (instead of being exposed as a fake at the end). I liked how obscure the film apparently is, although now it's available on DVD, which is where I saw it. I recommend this for all fans of low-budget black & white spooky movies.
A mark above the usual B Horror flick
Prichards1234529 October 2009
Warning: Spoilers
Strangler From The Swamp is an effective little picture, produced by the notorious PRC studios. What we have is one of the best horror entries "Poverty Row" ever came up with. That isn't saying a great deal, of course, but Strangler has atmosphere to spare, and achieves some genuinely eerie moments amidst the amateurish acting and interesting if over-used sets. The story concerns a village near the edge of the titular swamp, haunted by the ghost of a man innocent of the crime for which he was hanged - the murder was committed by the ferryman, who seems to run a thriving business for such a little community. Throughout the 59 minute running time we are treated to countless toings and froings across the ferry, yet Director Frank Wisbar conjures up a haunting and often creepy menace. Rosemary LaPlanche makes a refreshing change from the usual scream-at-everything 40s horror heroines, taking over her late grandfather's ferry with aplomb, and proving the prime mover of the plot. Blake Edwards, later to direct The Pink Panther series of films(!) is her paramour, and it turns out he is the one who needs saving from the ghost.
Charles Middleton - Ming The Merciless from the Flash Gordon serials - turns up here as the spectral strangler, in a simple yet effective make-up - his eye sockets are blackened and camera lens gauze gives him an unworldly quality.
There are flaws, of course, yet much of them are charming in their naivety, and this is certainly a superior production than many better known horrors of the period. Strangler From The Swamp will never be favourably compared to Val Lewton's films, yet it's well worth a watch.
Charles Middleton - Ming The Merciless from the Flash Gordon serials - turns up here as the spectral strangler, in a simple yet effective make-up - his eye sockets are blackened and camera lens gauze gives him an unworldly quality.
There are flaws, of course, yet much of them are charming in their naivety, and this is certainly a superior production than many better known horrors of the period. Strangler From The Swamp will never be favourably compared to Val Lewton's films, yet it's well worth a watch.
An OK Horror Film
Rainey-Dawn18 April 2015
Well, it was not all that bad of a film.... I've seen better and I've seen worse. Worth watching if you want a different type of a ghost film and like the classics.
Easy story to watch: An innocent man was hanged, a confession made and ghost out for revenge. For me, the best part about the film was the fact it is set in the swamp - it has a creepy aura to it. I also liked the ferry - pretty cool way to cross the swamplands. What I was not crazy about the ending nor did I like the "romance" in this flick - wish the "budding romance" was left out and someone else rid the swamps of the ghost. Still an OK movie to watch.
6/10
Easy story to watch: An innocent man was hanged, a confession made and ghost out for revenge. For me, the best part about the film was the fact it is set in the swamp - it has a creepy aura to it. I also liked the ferry - pretty cool way to cross the swamplands. What I was not crazy about the ending nor did I like the "romance" in this flick - wish the "budding romance" was left out and someone else rid the swamps of the ghost. Still an OK movie to watch.
6/10
Short, atmospheric, and full of fog!
Coventry26 March 2022
This lovely 40s gem is excellent and comes warmly recommended if you don't have much time to spare, but nevertheless want to see an eerie & atmospheric fright-tale! In the barely 58 minutes of running time, "Strangler of the Swamp" features a couple of grisly murders, a compelling revenge plot, and an authentic love story. The film's main strongpoint is undoubtedly the sinister swamp setting. Several men in and around the swamp have been found viciously strangled, and the superstitious community members are convinced the ghost of ferryman Douglas has returned for vengeance. For you see, he was accused and hanged for murder by the town's most prominent men, but ferryman Douglas was innocent and got framed by the new ferryman. Notably the crossings of the swamp on the ferry, gliding slow and through the thick mist, are quite uncanny. Surprisingly good performances, too, by the lovely Rosemary La Planche as the good-hearted granddaughter of the ferryman, and Blake Edwards as her lover. If the name of the latter sounds familiar, it's because Edwards became a very successful writer and director as from the sixties. He made "Breakfast at Tiffany's", "Days of Wine and Roses", and then the hugely popular "Pink Panther" series together with Peter Sellers.
A gripping little chiller from PRC.
BA_Harrison28 December 2017
Warning: Spoilers
After several strange deaths, members of a swampland community come to believe that they are being stalked by the spirit of Ferryman Douglas (Charles 'Ming the Merciless' Middleton), who was wrongfully hanged for murder.
Even the children aren't safe from the ghostly strangler's grip, with the latest ferryman's granddaughter, Maria (Rosemary La Planche), and her beau Christian (Blake Edwards, who would go on to greater success as a director) also targeted by the resentful spook.
Regarded by many as one of the best films to come from poverty row production company PRC, Strangler of the Swamp is certainly a very atmospheric effort, director Frank Wisbar creating a palpable sense of foreboding with his creepy swamp setting, which is perpetually shrouded in swirling fog and ominous shadows.
The story itself is nothing special-a fairly routine tale of revenge from beyond the grave-and the acting is perfunctory, but the atmosphere alone is enough to make Strangler of the Swamp an effective little chiller. A suitably poetic finale sees Maria offering to sacrifice herself to save the life of Christian; satisfied with this selfless gesture, the ghost disappears into the swamp for good.
Even the children aren't safe from the ghostly strangler's grip, with the latest ferryman's granddaughter, Maria (Rosemary La Planche), and her beau Christian (Blake Edwards, who would go on to greater success as a director) also targeted by the resentful spook.
Regarded by many as one of the best films to come from poverty row production company PRC, Strangler of the Swamp is certainly a very atmospheric effort, director Frank Wisbar creating a palpable sense of foreboding with his creepy swamp setting, which is perpetually shrouded in swirling fog and ominous shadows.
The story itself is nothing special-a fairly routine tale of revenge from beyond the grave-and the acting is perfunctory, but the atmosphere alone is enough to make Strangler of the Swamp an effective little chiller. A suitably poetic finale sees Maria offering to sacrifice herself to save the life of Christian; satisfied with this selfless gesture, the ghost disappears into the swamp for good.
"... not an unsung masterpiece."
poe4261 July 2009
Warning: Spoilers
William K. Everson, in his fairly thorough CLASSICS OF THE HORROR FILM, states: "Make no mistake about it: STRANGLER OF THE SWAMP is a grade "B" movie, and not an unsung masterpiece." A salient observation, to say the least. It was because of Everson's book, which includes some striking shots of Middleton as "the Strangler", that I sought out this movie. Unfortunately, the ghostly whiteface in the photos is (deliberately) obscured in the movie by some cheesy in-camera "effects" (the smearing of something dark on that part of the lens before which Middleton stands; when he exits a shot, the smudge is clearly visible). The atmospheric opening scenes of STRANGLER OF THE SWAMP are beautifully done and even some of the closing scenes are well mounted, but everything in between (the bulk of the movie) is awful. (Reminding one of the Marx Brothers movies, in which there was always the obligatory romance and tiresome musical numbers- holdovers from vaudeville and various stage productions- that did nothing more than bring the proceedings to a screeching halt.) Trim STRANGLER OF THE SWAMP to 30 minutes or so and we're talking a classic.
"I'm only 70. That's not old for a man."
utgard1419 February 2014
Poverty Row cheapie that's much better than its modest production would suggest. There's been a series of murders by strangulation in the swamp. The superstitious locals believe it's the ghost of an innocent man they hanged seeking revenge. The hanged man's granddaughter shows up, looking to take over her grandfather's ferry business. She soon falls in love with a young man who happens to be the son of one of her grandfather's killers. Gramps won't like that!
Lots of foggy atmosphere, a nice cast, and some neat special effects elevate this PRC chiller above most of the other Poverty Row films of the time. The cast includes vets Robert Barratt and Charles Middleton. Future director Blake Edwards and former Miss America Rosemary LaPlanche play the young lovers. Some genuinely creepy moments in this one. Probably the best PRC film I've seen.
Lots of foggy atmosphere, a nice cast, and some neat special effects elevate this PRC chiller above most of the other Poverty Row films of the time. The cast includes vets Robert Barratt and Charles Middleton. Future director Blake Edwards and former Miss America Rosemary LaPlanche play the young lovers. Some genuinely creepy moments in this one. Probably the best PRC film I've seen.
A routine mystery/thriller
bux31 October 1998
A routine mystery/thriller concerning a killer that lurks in the swamps. During the early days of television, this one was shown so often, when Dad would say "What's on TV tonight?" and we'd tell him "Strangler of the Swamp" he'd pack us off to the movies. We went to the movies a lot in those days!
Highly atmospheric cheapie.
lqualls-dchin20 August 2000
A highly atmospheric cheapie, showing great ingenuity in the use of props, sets and effects (fog, lighting, focus) to create an eerie and moody texture. The story is far-fetched, the acting is merely functional, but it shows how imaginative effects can develop an entire visual narrative. This movie is recommended for its mood and texture, not for its story.
One note: this film is actually a remake of a German film, FAHRMAN MARIA (FERRYMAN MARIA), which was produced and directed by Frank Wisbar in 1934. And, yes, this is the same Frank Wisbar who directed STRANGLER OF THE SWAMP. Since he'd already made this movie before, he knew exactly what he wanted to do in terms of the sets, art direction and scenic design.
One note: this film is actually a remake of a German film, FAHRMAN MARIA (FERRYMAN MARIA), which was produced and directed by Frank Wisbar in 1934. And, yes, this is the same Frank Wisbar who directed STRANGLER OF THE SWAMP. Since he'd already made this movie before, he knew exactly what he wanted to do in terms of the sets, art direction and scenic design.
Atmospheric poverty-row horror
Eegah Guy4 April 2001
Very well done and spooky horror movie from poverty-row film company PRC who usually put out really cheesy films like DEVIL BAT or THE FLYING SERPENT. German expatriate director Wisbar does wonders with a small budget and his studio-bound swamp set. Gaunt and ghoulish Charles Middleton is effective as the Strangler.
Arthouse effort from PRC features Blake Edwards in an early acting role
kevinolzak26 April 2022
1946's "Strangler of the Swamp" was completed in late August 1945 by writer/director Frank Wisbar, effectively remaking his own 1936 German "Fahrmann Maria" (Ferryman Maria), a vehicle for Sybille Schmitz, star of Carl Dreyer's 1932 "Vampyr." At a mere 58 minutes it's a half hour shorter, and despite the limitations imposed on a typical low budget, the use of fog proves essential in hiding deficiencies on an obvious soundstage. The titular menace is revealed to be a restless spirit, Charles Middleton as Ferryman Douglas shown to be executed for a murder he did not commit, the actual killer, Joseph Hart (Frank Conlan), leaving behind a written confession to the crime which is found after he becomes the picture's first on screen victim (the noose he so desperately tries to escape from winds up around his neck anyway). Hart's occupation, pulling the ferryboat by rope across a small but treacherous stretch of swamp, is then taken up by his pretty granddaughter Maria (Rosemary La Planche), whose lonely existence ends with the arrival of young Chris Sanders (Blake Edwards), his father Christian (Robert H. Barrat) among the townsmen responsible for a wrongful conviction and hanging, Douglas placing a curse on his persecutors as well as their descendants. This backwoods community continue their backward ways despite a plethora of deaths in which the afflicted were strangled by vines or weeds, one poor soul drowning with only his legs above water. Maria becomes involved only after the specter targets her beloved Chris, facing off against Douglas as a willing sacrifice that appeases his sense of justice to give himself up to the heavens and save the elder Christian's son. Rosemary La Planche, former Miss America of 1941, does well in the central role, certainly far better than in Wisbar's godawful "Devil Bat's Daughter," her face actually reflecting the water in one quiet scene, otherwise nary a drop is shown during every ferry crossing. Middleton was a fine choice for the surprisingly gabby ghost, mostly depicted as a dark silhouette to confront both the innocent as well as the guilty, but literally vanishes for a half hour as the characters thrash out their storylines in desultory fashion. We fully expect Barrat to be revealed as the real culprit behind the hanging since he was the one who found the ferryman's confession but it doesn't happen, perhaps this twist might have improved the predictable final product. Wisbar's German original was a parable about Death itself, and when the time comes to meet your maker, a likely more frightening notion than a wronged man doubling as the erstwhile strangler. Viewers surprised to find Blake Edwards as the ineffectual hero who must be rescued by fair maiden can be forgiven for their lack of knowledge about his less than sterling acting career with few credited roles, switching to directing for television by 1953, his legendary deftness with comedy writing not preventing him from delivering one of 1962's most successful thrillers, "Experiment in Terror," Ross Martin's psychotic menacing lovely Lee Remick. Cleveland-born Henry Mancini supplied the dirge-like theme for this effort, considerably enlivened by its Al Caiola remake with saxophone, bass, and Duane Eddy-type twanging guitar, instantly tapped for the entire 20 year run of Pittsburgh's Chiller Theater.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
