Captive Wild Woman (1943)

Universal programmer proves to be a mixed bag.

Dr. Walters (John Carradine) has made great strides in his field of glandular transplants. But as his work progresses, the more unhinged his approach to his science becomes. Stealing a tame gorilla from the local circus, Walters transforms the gorilla into a beautiful woman whom he names Paula Dupree (Acquanetta). Upon taking Paula to the circus it's found that she has hypnotic powers over the lions and tigers and is promptly made part of the taming of the beasts act. But can Paula contain her true animal instincts?.

Sounds bonkers doesn't it? Well it is, but it's not the plot that makes the film so distinctly average. This is after all a low level Universal Pictures movie, we want, in fact demand, bizarre plots and berserker horror episodes. The problems exist with the complete lack of tension in the script, for a film that has a running time of just over an hour, you would think the big "transplant" and creation of "wild woman" would come sooner rather than later. But it doesn't, what we get is 45 minutes of musing about science and continual takes of circus animal training. With the latter containing some truly awful editing. Paula puts in an appearance late in the piece, then bang! it's pretty much the end and one can't help be disappointed after having stayed with it thus far.

Carradine hams it up and enjoys himself one feels, while Evelyn Ankers gives the other performance of note as Beth Colman. The film also serves as an interesting point of reference in the career of director Edward Dmytryk, who in the following few years would deliver some classics in a number of genres. He deserved better material here, hell they all did. But as ever with most of Universal's horror pictures, you end up taking the rough with the smooth and still enjoy yourself. A watchable yet frustrating experience it be. 5/10

Middling 1940s horror movie with John Carradine playing a mad scientist converting an ape into a woman. Could've made for a cheesy entertaining film that I couldn't enjoy with the clear animal abuse; fine for the times I know, but was at times hard to watch. **2.5/5**

ohn Carradine is a scientist bent on discovering a way to morph animals into people - quite why, we are not sure - and so when he develops a method that involves transplanting human glands into the beasties, his loyal nurse is horrified. Unfortunately for her (and us) she is soon incorporated into his experiments and the resulting creature "Beth" (Evelyn Ankers) is both menacing and hilarious in equal measure... Add to the mix some good, old-fashioned, lion taming - complete with whips and chairs and the whole thing descends into a farce in a big top with some really risible visual effects that two minutes with a Gillette could sort out swiftly and effectively. Carradine rescues it to a certain extent, he always did have the mesmerising eyes required for this kind of role, but otherwise it is pretty pitiful stuff.