Review of “The Invisible Ray” (1935)

This is our latest Saturday pizza and bad movie entry. I knew it was an oldie just hearing the dramatic music scored by Franz Waxman. The flick was a classic mix of science fiction and horror I’d never heard of before. The print and audio were nice and clear, though I didn’t notice a note as to whether the film had been restored.

Plot:

Dr. Janos Rukh (Boris Karloff) has invited two imminent scientists up to his hilltop home/mad scientist lair to demonstrate a newfangled telescope he’s developed, one that captures light from earth hundreds of thousands of years ago, and projects on a planetarium dome.

Arriving are the skeptical Sir Francis Stevens (Walter Kingsford) and Dr. Felix Benet (Bela Lugosi). Dr. Rukh’s much younger wife, Diane (Frances Drake), and his mother (Violet Kemble Cooper) welcome them. Sir Francis brings his wife, Lady Arabella (Beulah Bondi), and her nephew, the charming Ronald Drake (Frank Lawton). Ronald makes doe eyes at Diane.

Dude, she’s pretty, but, you know, she’s married—to your host!

The group assembles in Dr. Rukh’s lab. After the appropriate lights flash and buzzers buzz, they watch an ancient meteorite crash into Africa somewhere around modern-day Namibia—my best guess. Dr. Rukh is convinced the meteorite contains a new element. There are congratulations all around and the guests invite Dr. Rukh to join them on their expedition to Nigeria—a fair hike from Namibia.

Mother Rukh warns her son not to go to Africa because he will not find happiness there.

Thanks to help from locals, the expedition successfully finds the ancient meteorite and the new element, dubbed “radium-X.” Rukh harvests some secretly and finds his skin glows in the dark. After he pats a dog, it drops dead with a glowing handprint in its fur. Rukh concludes he’s been poisoned and seeks help in secret from Benet. Benet whips up a serum that controls but does not cure the poisoning. Rukh must continue to inject himself with it at regular intervals.

Back in Europe, Rukh realizes that radium-x is also something of a cure-all and uses it to heal his mother’s blindness. Diane has left him and is working for Lady Arabella. Rukh claims to accept that, but—

Dr. Benet has set up shop in Paris, also using the radium-x to cure various grateful patients. Rukh claims the invention and discovery should be his. He feels betrayed and sets out to kill all those on the expedition he feels have not given him his due.

Thoughts:

This movie gives the reader a lot to enjoy. The elaborate sets and mattes are nicely done. The dialogue is a bit overdone. The science is silly, even for 1935. But it’s nice to see Bela Lugosi playing a good guy for a change. Karloff may ham it up a bit, especially when going nuts, but this is part of the mad scientist schtick.

Speaking of 1935, when black actors were maids and chauffeurs, the black actors in this film are “native” Africans in loincloths who say things like (of a messenger), “Da boy run fast,” and “Yes, boss?”

Things play out to their inevitable end with few surprises, though the few that show up are nice. And the special effects, while they hardly hold up to present expectations, are plenty and decent for the time.

This movie is not great or particularly good, but it is enjoyable. It meets the fun criterion. I liked it, warts and all.

Unfortunately, I could not find this flick available for streaming. I’d suggest trying a library if you’re interested in seeing it.



Title: The Invisible Ray (1935)

Directed by
Lambert Hillyer

Writing Credits

John Colton…(screenplay)
Howard Higgin…(original story) &
Douglas Hodges…(original story)

Cast (in credits order)
Boris Karloff…Dr. Janos Rukh (as Karloff)
Bela Lugosi…Dr. Felix Benet
Frances Drake…Diana Rukh
Frank Lawton…Ronald Drake
Violet Kemble Cooper…Mother Rukh

Released: 1936
Length: 1 hour, 20 minutes