The Gorilla (1939) is a horror-comedy film in the public domain, which features a cast of Bela Lugosi, and Ritz Brothers. There will be a haunted house, a murderous gorilla, and jokes. Watch or download free!
Laughter Meets Terror in this 1939 Classic Haunted House
The Gorilla (1939) is a comedy horror film with a spooky theme, slapstick-infused, and elements of absurd humor released by 20th Century Fox and blends elements of a typical haunted house with overall absurdity. The film parodies the old dark house genre of mysteries and boasts lots of scares, gags and, of course, a giant gorilla, featuring the zany Ritz Brothers and horror icon Bela Lugosi.
According to a play of the same title by Ralph Spence, this film has come out of the public domain and is still enjoyed by the lovers of the old horror-comedy genre.
A Killer on the Loose… And a Real Gorilla?!
A rich man (portrayed by Lionel Atwill) is threatened with murder by a mysterious man, dubbed The Gorilla who sends him a series of letters, and in need of detectives, he turns to the most unlikely, namely the bumbling Ritz Brothers. However all soon goes out of hand as a real runaway gorilla appears at the mansion right at the point where the three persons are setting out to investigate.
In the meantime, a new maid (Patsy Kelly) is already willing to resign on her first night believing that something awry is going on with the creepy butler (Bela Lugosi). Its spooky sound effects, hidden doors, and bathroom hijackage make the investigators attempt to sort the truth out- before it is too late.
Starring the Icons of Scares and Slapstick
- The Ritz Brothers as Themselves – comic relief and reluctant sleuths
- Bela Lugosi as Peters the butler – mysterious and menacing
- Lionel Atwill as Walter Stevens – the wealthy man in peril
- Patsy Kelly as Kitty – the frightened maid
- Joseph Calleia, Edward Norris, and Anita Louise round out the cast
Why It Continues To Arm Thrill Movie audiences
A peculiar blend of slapstick and horrifying, The Gorilla provides both with the same degree of success. Although modern-day critics were split with The New York Times labeling it neither amusing nor exciting, the movie has developed cult status over time due to its strange charisma, and the historical actors.
Bela Lugosi, who had just finished playing such roles as Dracula, stars as a suspiciously behaved servant with ominous aura, and the Ritz brothers offer high-energy comic elements that the fans of the old-fashioned vaudeville-style comedy will find entertaining.
It is also one of the first films in which a plot of a killer gorilla is merged with the haunted house horror, which would be repeated in numerous B-movies of the ’40s and ’50s.
Watch or Download The Gorilla (1939)
As a public domain film, The Gorilla is free to watch and download:
- 📺 Watch on Archive.org: The Gorilla (1939)
Tags:
Bela Lugosi movies, comedy horror movies, Ritz Brothers, haunted house comedy, old horror movies, 1930s horror comedy, free classic movies online, the Gorilla 1939.
