The Bat (1959 film)
Encyclopedia
The Bat is a mystery film
directed by Crane Wilbur
, and starring Vincent Price
and Agnes Moorehead
. Its tagline was "When it flies, someone dies!" The film was based on the 1920 Broadway
play by Avery Hopwood
and Mary Roberts Rinehart
, which was previously filmed as The Bat
(1926) and as The Bat Whispers
(1930), both directed by Roland West
. The 1959 version also features Darla Hood
of The Little Rascals in her final film appearance. The eerie title theme of Louis Forbes' final film score was played by Alvino Rey
.
) is a mystery
author who lives in a town terrorized by a mysterious murderer known only as "The Bat". The Bat is said to be a man with no face who murders women at night by ripping out their throats with steel claws. Early in the film, The Bat enters Van Gorder's house and releases a bat
, which bites van Gorder's maid Lizzy (Lenita Lane). With Lizzy in a panic, fearing she may now have contracted "the rabies
", an outbreak of which local papers have reported. Van Gorder calls her doctor, Dr Malcolm Wells (Vincent Price
), who is conducting research on bats.
Meanwhile, the whole town is searching for a million-dollar stash of looted bank
securities that were recently stolen. Dr. Wells discovers the location of the treasure when the thief confides in him. Wells then murders the thief in cold blood, presumedly so that he can take the treasure for himself, which he believes to be hidden in van Gorder's house.
A series of break-ins and murders by The Bat brings the local chief of detectives, Andy Anderson (Gavin Gordon
) to the Van Gorder house. The Bat then murders two people in the Van Gorder house, Mark Fleming (John Bryant
) and Judy Hollander (Darla Hood
). Anderson attempts to determine the identity of The Bat, suspecting both Wells and Van Gorder's new butler, Warner (John Sutton
). Wells is removed from suspicion, however, when he is murdered by The Bat in his lab.
Miss Van Gorder cleverly manages to capture The Bat inside her house. The Bat shoots a detective named Davenport (Robert Williams), he is then shot by Warner. Warner unmasks The Bat and he is revealed to be Leiutenant Anderson.
Mystery film
Mystery film is a sub-genre of the more general category of crime film and at times the thriller genre. It focuses on the efforts of the detective, private investigator or amateur sleuth to solve the mysterious circumstances of a crime by means of clues, investigation, and clever deduction.The...
directed by Crane Wilbur
Crane Wilbur
Crane Wilbur was an American writer, actor and director for stage, radio and screen. He was born in Athens, New York...
, and starring Vincent Price
Vincent Price
Vincent Leonard Price, Jr. was an American actor, well known for his distinctive voice and serio-comic attitude in a series of horror films made in the latter part of his career.-Early life and career:Price was born in St...
and Agnes Moorehead
Agnes Moorehead
Agnes Robertson Moorehead was an American actress. Although she began with the Mercury Theatre, appeared in more than seventy films beginning with Citizen Kane and on dozens of television shows during a career that spanned more than thirty years, Moorehead is most widely known to modern audiences...
. Its tagline was "When it flies, someone dies!" The film was based on the 1920 Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
play by Avery Hopwood
Avery Hopwood
James Avery Hopwood , was the most successful playwright of the Jazz Age, having four plays running simultaneously on Broadway in 1920.-Biography:...
and Mary Roberts Rinehart
Mary Roberts Rinehart
Mary Roberts Rinehart was an American writer, often called the American Agatha Christie. She is considered the source of the phrase "The butler did it", although she did not actually use the phrase. She is considered to have invented the "Had-I-But-Known" school of mystery writing...
, which was previously filmed as The Bat
The Bat (1926 film)
The Bat is a silent film based on the 1920 hit Broadway play by Mary Roberts Rinehart and Avery Hopwood, directed by Roland West and starring Jack Pickford and Louise Fazenda...
(1926) and as The Bat Whispers
The Bat Whispers
The Bat Whispers is a mystery film directed by Roland West, produced by Joseph M. Schenck, and released by United Artists.-Plot:A mysterious criminal by the name of "The Bat" eludes police and then finally announces his retirement to the country, while a wealthy Cornelia Van Gorder takes up...
(1930), both directed by Roland West
Roland West
For the basketball player, see Roland West Roland West was a Hollywood director known for his innovative film noir movies of the 1920s and early 1930s.-Biography:...
. The 1959 version also features Darla Hood
Darla Hood
Darla Jean Hood was an American child actress, best known as the leading lady in the Our Gang series from 1935 to 1941. She was born in Leedey, Oklahoma, the only child of James Claude Hood and Elizabeth Davner...
of The Little Rascals in her final film appearance. The eerie title theme of Louis Forbes' final film score was played by Alvino Rey
Alvino Rey
Alvin McBurney , known by his stage name Alvino Rey, was an American swing era musician and pioneer, often credited as the father of the pedal steel guitar...
.
Plot
Cornelia Van Gorder (Agnes MooreheadAgnes Moorehead
Agnes Robertson Moorehead was an American actress. Although she began with the Mercury Theatre, appeared in more than seventy films beginning with Citizen Kane and on dozens of television shows during a career that spanned more than thirty years, Moorehead is most widely known to modern audiences...
) is a mystery
Mystery fiction
Mystery fiction is a loosely-defined term.1.It is often used as a synonym for detective fiction or crime fiction— in other words a novel or short story in which a detective investigates and solves a crime mystery. Sometimes mystery books are nonfiction...
author who lives in a town terrorized by a mysterious murderer known only as "The Bat". The Bat is said to be a man with no face who murders women at night by ripping out their throats with steel claws. Early in the film, The Bat enters Van Gorder's house and releases a bat
Bat
Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera "hand" and pteron "wing") whose forelimbs form webbed wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight. By contrast, other mammals said to fly, such as flying squirrels, gliding possums, and colugos, glide rather than fly,...
, which bites van Gorder's maid Lizzy (Lenita Lane). With Lizzy in a panic, fearing she may now have contracted "the rabies
Rabies
Rabies is a viral disease that causes acute encephalitis in warm-blooded animals. It is zoonotic , most commonly by a bite from an infected animal. For a human, rabies is almost invariably fatal if post-exposure prophylaxis is not administered prior to the onset of severe symptoms...
", an outbreak of which local papers have reported. Van Gorder calls her doctor, Dr Malcolm Wells (Vincent Price
Vincent Price
Vincent Leonard Price, Jr. was an American actor, well known for his distinctive voice and serio-comic attitude in a series of horror films made in the latter part of his career.-Early life and career:Price was born in St...
), who is conducting research on bats.
Meanwhile, the whole town is searching for a million-dollar stash of looted bank
Bank
A bank is a financial institution that serves as a financial intermediary. The term "bank" may refer to one of several related types of entities:...
securities that were recently stolen. Dr. Wells discovers the location of the treasure when the thief confides in him. Wells then murders the thief in cold blood, presumedly so that he can take the treasure for himself, which he believes to be hidden in van Gorder's house.
A series of break-ins and murders by The Bat brings the local chief of detectives, Andy Anderson (Gavin Gordon
Gavin Gordon (actor)
Gavin Gordon was an American film actor.He was born in Chicora, Mississippi], and died in Canoga Park, California, on his 82nd birthday....
) to the Van Gorder house. The Bat then murders two people in the Van Gorder house, Mark Fleming (John Bryant
John Bryant
John Bryant may refer to:*John Bryant , American basketball player*John Bryant , English cricketer*John Delavau Bryant , American physician and poet...
) and Judy Hollander (Darla Hood
Darla Hood
Darla Jean Hood was an American child actress, best known as the leading lady in the Our Gang series from 1935 to 1941. She was born in Leedey, Oklahoma, the only child of James Claude Hood and Elizabeth Davner...
). Anderson attempts to determine the identity of The Bat, suspecting both Wells and Van Gorder's new butler, Warner (John Sutton
John Sutton (actor)
John Sutton , who was born in Rawalpindi, British India , was actor of British parentage.-Filmography:*Rawhide as Lord Ashton...
). Wells is removed from suspicion, however, when he is murdered by The Bat in his lab.
Miss Van Gorder cleverly manages to capture The Bat inside her house. The Bat shoots a detective named Davenport (Robert Williams), he is then shot by Warner. Warner unmasks The Bat and he is revealed to be Leiutenant Anderson.
External links
- The Bat at The New York TimesThe New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...