Review of The Devil-Doll (1936) by Tristan D — 08 Mar 2009

[6.0] A strange little movie that sees Lionel Barrymore shrinking people down to doll-sized proportions, and then using mind control to force them to carry out his revenge. Most movies of this sort rely on gimmicks for gimmicks' sake, but "The Devill Doll" manages to successfully incorporate the 'devil dolls' as a genuine plot element.

The story actually becomes about a father's quest to redeem himself in his daughter's eyes. The able Lionel Barrymore, grandpa of the golden age, brings a bittersweet touch to the finale. I love Barrymore, especially when he's in drag as an elderly old woman.

Unfortunately, a big chunk of this movie resorts to a paint-by-numbers approach all too common among revenge tales. There's also something unsettling about a movie that asks us to sympathize with a character who kidnaps, miniaturizes, and zombifies his victims.

Despite any setbacks, I still find "The Devil Doll" more compelling than most other genre flicks from the period.