THE HOUSE OF THE SEVEN GABLES (1940)

I've been a Vincent Price fan for about fifty years and have seen most of his films. THE HOUSE OF THE SEVEN GABLES, based on Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel and directed by Joe May (a German who had been influential in the early career of Fritz Lang) has until now eluded me. Now its here and it is pretty much what I expected given all the ingredients such as cast, director, year and studio. It is good solid Hollywood fare of the 40's. True to the spirit, if not the word, of Hawthorne's work and bearing absolutely no relationship to the later version (also starring Vincent Price) which was included as a segment of the portmanteau film TWICE TOLD TALES. Margaret Lindsay is excellent and George Sanders is despicably good but I expect that most people will by the film for Vincent Price as the wronged Clifford Pyncheon - framed for patricide by his evil brother. Fans won't be disappointed and Price goes from romantic to tormented to vengeful by way of hysterical (some wonderful manic laughter during the courtroom scene) and even manages to sing a song along the way Rating ***