ReaderKenka Let's be realistic.

Kien Navarro Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

Ezmae Chang This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

Quiet Muffin This movie tries so hard to be funny, yet it falls flat every time. Just another example of recycled ideas repackaged with women in an attempt to appeal to a certain audience.

clanciai Few great novels have been altered so completely for the screen as this one, but the result is, to say the least, interesting, and actually not worse than the book; lighter, of course, but adding very much to it of good quality, especially by the outstanding acting throughout, among which Vincent Price and Margaret Lindsay make very memorable performances. There are some scenes which go directly into your heart that the book is lacking, and no one can remain unmoved by the very deep human emotions around Clifford Pyncheon's homecoming after 20 years in prison. George Sanders is the usual outrageously elegant crook with unshakable superiority of wealth and confidence - in the book he dies in the library without pains in his sleep but surrounded by the ghosts of all his ancestors deeply loaded with vice. There are no ghosts in this film, there is no need for them, as the alternative story to the book's is quite enough of human interest.Another factor raising the film to a considerable level is the music. There is no music even mentioned in Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel, but here it is made to play an important part, underscored by Frank Skinner's wonderful score, and Vincent Price even sings and sings well.In brief, it's not a very extraordinary film, but it certainly makes the best of all resources at hand of the figures, the actors, the music and the gloomy story, while perhaps the greatest scene of all in the film is that between the women, two very different women, one marked by disaster and outrage and the other as fresh as a new spring.

Alex da Silva George Sanders (Jaffrey) is called to the family home – the House of Seven Gables – where his father Gilbert Emery tells him that he has to sell the house. Brother Vincent Price (Clifford) is keen on the idea but Sanders is not. Sanders has read that there is a fortune buried somewhere within the walls but Price is having none of it. There is also a curse that has been placed on the family. Does this curse come true? Which brother gets the upper hand? The film has an interesting title and an interesting beginning with a set-up that raises hopes for a good film. Unfortunately, everything just peters out and there is not much happening in this effort. I was expecting a spooky offering involving a house with some secrets unravelling themselves. It's nothing like that. Basically nothing happens. Vincent Price provides some hilarious over-the-top bad acting at the end of a court case when he breaks into hysterical laughter, deserved of a 60's camp horror film. And Sanders' final scene is equally appalling. Yep – the whole affair is a let-down.

MartinHafer This movie was made with a modest budget and was never intended as an "A-movie", though it had a bit higher production values and was a bit too long to be a true "B-movie" (i.e., the second and much cheaper film in a double-feature). With these modest expectations as well as some great but underrated actors, this film really delivers. You see, this film starred second-tier actors such as Vincent Price was a practically unknown and inexperienced actor as well as George Sanders who had been a supporting actor or B-movie leading man. Margaret Lindsay was probably the biggest name star in the film, though her career had seen better days in the 1930s. As a result of this and a very modest budget, none of the Universal Studios execs at the time suspected this would be one of their best films of the year. In fact, dollar-for-dollar, this film is one of the best films I have seen. Sure, it isn't GONE WITH THE WIND or THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES, but these films had very large budgets and the best writers/directors/producers and of course they had to be great films.Sanders and Price play brothers--Sanders is the money-grubbing amoral one and Price is the basically decent man who is framed by Sanders for murder. The plot is pretty complex and I don't want to spoil the suspense by explaining it further, but trust me the plot is exceptional--especially when it comes to irony. The ending is just terrific and drips with poetic justice.

fguerras I was absolutely knocked out by Margaret Lindsay's (NOT Lockwood !!!) bravura performance in this film. It is inconceivable that she wasn't nominated, but 1940 was one of the most competitive Best Actress years ever. She ran the gamut from lovely young girl to pinched spinster. Her range was worthy of Bette Davis (with whom she co-starred many times). I loved the film itself also, and was inspired to read the book, which I loved as well. Miss Lindsay should have received more comment from students of good acting in all these years since the film. She definitely gave one of the finest performances I have ever seen by an actress in the movies, and I'm 63 !