Review of The Devil-Doll (1936) by Daniel W — 28 Oct 2009

An escaped convict (Lionel Barrymore) discovers a method to shrink human beings, and uses that new found knowledge in only sensible ways. Specifically, to dress up like an old woman, sell the tiny people as dolls, and then direct them to assassinate the men who framed him.

THE DEVIL-DOLL is a humorously quirky horror movie from the strange mind of Todd Browning. Many scenes are effectively atmospheric, and the scene of the tiny assassin climbing up a bed-post to kill his target is a surprisingly convincing effect.

I did find it to be an odd choice that the assassins' favored method of the kill is to stab his victim with a teeny-tiny knife. Really, if you're so susceptible to instant death by getting stabbed in the ankle with a one-inch blade, you probably aren't going to be around for long anyway.

Also, Lionel Barrymore (Probably best known today as old Mr. Potter in IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE.) makes an alarmingly convincing grandmother.