TOWER OF TERROR (1941)
Article #1119 by Dave Sindelar
Viewing Date: 4-7-2004
Posting Date: 9-4-2001
Directed by Lawrence Huntington
Featuring Wilfrid Lawson, Michael Rennie, Movita

A mentally unstable hook-armed lighthouse keeper, an escapee from a concentration camp, and a British spy find themselves thrown together on an island just off the coast of Germany.

This British spy drama starts off with an intriguing premise, as the three central characters are such an interesting combination that one truly wonders where the story will lead. Unfortunately, the story becomes less interesting and a little far-fetched as it progresses, with certain revelations that feel unnecessary (the true fate of the lighthouse keeper’s wife would have worked better in another story), and certain events make no sense to me (in particular, I can’t really understand why the Germans find it necessary to bomb their own lighthouse). As it is, the movie is mostly notable for providing us with an early performance from Michael Rennie. For the most part, the movie is a spy melodrama, though it steers into horror in the final moments when one character goes completely mad.