Still Watching the Skies: Episode 146 “The Devil-Doll (1936)”

By Robert Reineke

This month, Nat, Cody , and Robert get small with Tod Browning’s unique tale of mad science and revenge with 1936’s THE DEVIL-DOLL.

THE DEVIL-DOLL came after FREAKS and Tod Browning’s career would never fully recover from that. It also came after the Hayes Code was implemented. But the DRACULA fame was still attached and the oddball revenge melodrama Browning was given, an adaptation of Abraham Merrit’s novel BURN, WITCH, BURN, is reminiscent of some of his silent melodramas he had earlier made a name for himself with. While the “science” is typical of the era, Browning had a decidedly novel premise, shrinking people clearly inspired by THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN, and a talented lead actor in Lionel Barrymore.

MGM was never known for horror films. But, THE DEVIL-DOLL struck out a unique place differing from the many mad scientist movies starring the likes of Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi. Partly it knows how preposterous it is. But, even so, it also mines a deep vein of melodrama playing with themes of madness, revenge, and the main character wanting to reconcile with his daughter. It also features a prison escape, reminiscent of a Warner Bros. film of the time, a Paris setting, and young lovers hoping to carve a future for each other. Plus lots of Lionel Barrymore disguised in drag.

I’d like to have seen the likes of Karloff, Lugosi, and Atwell attempt being taken seriously in drag.

Couple that with Rafaela Ottiano as Malita, attempting to match Lionel Barrymore in scenery chewing, and we have a very entertaining oddball picture. Even by the standards of 1930s horror and science fiction.

Of course the question is, is it good? The special effects definitely are. Obviously, you don’t release a film like this on blu-ray unless there’s an audience, but this is even by the standards of its time a cult film. So we debate what works, what is just odd, and what is the intent of THE DEVIL-DOLL.

No need for enacting a complicated revenge plan involving shrinking assassins to enjoy the podcast; give us a play below or download the episode. Also, feel free to let us know what you think by commenting on our page at Facebook or you can Email Us at skiespocast@gmail.com as we appreciate feedback.

Time tracks:
0:00:00 – THE DEVIL-DOLL(1936) Discussion
0:46:46- Next Movie and Outro

Next month, we’re here to explore the secret conspiracy behind Reagan-era America with John Carpenter’s THEY LIVE. We hope you’ll join us.

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Robert Reineke

Robert Reineke was born in the dark era before cable television, but somehow survived based on a steady diet of Universal Monsters, Hammer Horror, 1950s science fiction, and Godzilla on his local UHF station. As a college student, he discovered the works of David Lynch and Akira Kurosawa which opened up different vistas for him. When he’s not doing useful things like heading up environmental investigations and cleanups or designing sewers, you can find him watching movies, writing about them, and talking about them. He’s a booster of the Milwaukee Film Festival. Somehow he puts up with young whippersnappers Nat Almiral and Cody Lang on the Still Watching the Skies podcast.