Review of Dracula's Daughter (1936) by Byron B — 03 Nov 2010

Van Helsing is putting a stake through Dracula's heart again and Renfield is laying dead in what is obviously a different set, but intended to suggest this is happening immediately following the first movie. Van Helsing admits to murder, but he must convince someone it was a morally acceptable murder to clear the world of the evil vampire. He seeks Dr. Garth (Otto Kruger) as the only man who may be able to help him. Garth is initially sought for legal counsel, but is also a doctor who can examine victims as they start piling up, and also acts as a private detective of sorts in chasing down Dracula's daughter. Dracula's daughter, though it isn't clear if she is literally the Count's daughter, is Gloria Holden, a mysterious Countess. She finds and burns Dracula's coffin and body because she wants to be released from the nocturnal life of a vampire. Her servant talks her into realizing it is not so easy to live the life of a normal lady. Dr. Garth is a doctor in the field of psychology and thinks her condition, which she won't fully open up about, could be cured with hypnosis and the power of her mind. Of course vampires have their own powers of hypnosis. In one surprising scene the Countess's servant propositions a young woman walking the night streets to come and pose for a painting. The Countess even uses her seductive qualities on the young woman instead of young men to satisfy her taste for blood. When the Countess, out of jealousy, steals away Dr. Garth's assistant who he has a love/hate relationship with, he finally believes how dangerous she can be. The Countess wants to give the doctor the gift of immortality, but will her servant let her have her way?

Wait! The Van Helsing portion of the story never came to a conclusion.