The Vampire’s Ghost – Review

Director: Lesley Selander

Release Date: 1945

Contains spoilers

The Vampire’s Ghost is a virtually lost little gem of a film that is said to be based on Polidori’s The Vampyre. Whilst the film does owe some of its lore to Polidori – and to Varney the Vampire to be honest - it is only loosely based on the story, after all The Vampyre was not set in Africa with a backdrop of voodoo. However this film does astounding things with vampire lore that should set a student of the genre aquiver with anticipation. It is also astounding just how much lore and story is crammed into just 59 minutes.

The film starts with jungle drums and there is mention through the film of voodoo. In fairness we see little of voodoo activity, except a few fetish dolls pinned to a door, but it is a wonderful back drop on which to base the story. We are in the port of Bakunda and the voice over is given by Webb Fallon (John Abbott), the vampire of the piece. He explains that he always seems to return to the lands of Africa and yet even there he can find no rest – there is no rest for Webb Fallon. We see a ringed hand open a door, a woman sleeps. She awakens, sees someone approach and screams. The first thing of interest comes in straight away, Fallon is weary. He goes on and on relentlessly and yet he also wearies of his eternal life.

The next day the body of the woman is removed from her home as drums sound through the village and surrounding jungle. Local missionary Father Gilchrist (Grant Withers) has returned, brought back because of the drums. Also there is Roy (Charles Gordon) who has been reunited with his sweetheart Julie (Peggy Stewart), daughter of plantation owner Tom Vance (Emmett Vogan). There have been several murders, the bodies pierced at the neck and drained of blood and the drums claim it to be the work of a vampire.

They discuss the natives’ fears and Julie gives us a description of a vampire: “A dead man denied Heaven because of his crimes. Doomed to remain on Earth in a hideous semblance of life, sustaining his body on the blood of the living.” The superstition is dismissed and Roy determines to go and see recent newcomer Fallon, who owns a seedy bar and seems to know all the comings and goings of the port.

In the bar we pause to watch Lisa (Adele Mara) dance and, given when the film was shot, it is a particularly risqué dance, with midriff on show and flying skirt revealing panties. Today it would be nothing but, given when the film was made it is quite daring. Fallon is playing craps with Capt. Jim Barrett (Roy Barcroft) and takes all of his money and his share of his river boat. Fallon gives the money to another sailor.

Fallon and Roy talk and then Barrett returns, having decided that the dice were loaded. There is a bar room brawl, which Fallon ends by staring at the sailor and giving him some eye mojo. Now the filmmakers obviously decided that light over the eyes or eerie music was unnecessary, we know it is eye mojo by the strength of the stare and the reaction of the Captain – brilliant.

Fallon takes Roy to clean up and Roy notices there is no mirror in Fallon’s quarters. Fallon explains that he removed the mirror as sun glare is bad for his weak eyes. This vampire goes around in daylight and wears sunglasses to protect his eyes. Roy also finds a box that Fallon is defensive of. It was presented to Webb Fallon by Queen Elizabeth following the Spanish Armada – an ancestor explains Fallon. Roy invites the man to dinner. There is an aside regarding the sailor who was given the money having died, perhaps of a heart attack, this may be an indication that whom-so-ever the vampire touches is cursed also.

After the dinner, lore comes thick and fast (not that it hasn’t already). Gilchrist touches Fallon’s shoulder and he seems faint – a remnant of the Malaria he once suffered he explains but we know that the vampire reacts to things which are holy, including priests. A servant brings Fallon a drink and notices he has no reflection. Just look at the screenshot, however, to see how this was done. It is only the vampire that is invisible, his clothes can still be seen – inspired. Fallon looks to the mirror and it shatters. Fallon has translated the latest drums as saying that the evil may come from Molongo village – a place known for housing a witch cult. Roy determines to go there and Fallon goes with him.

During their trek Fallon pushes Roy as a gun trap goes off, saving the young man’s life. The native bearer, who was grazed in the arm by the bullet, realises that it should have hit Fallon. They check his shirt whilst he sleeps and the bullet passed straight through him. They know he is the vampire and fashion a spear tipped in molten silver. Before it can be used the camp is attacked. At the end of the attack the spear is thrown, hitting its mark, and the silver burns Fallon.

Fallon explains what he is to Roy. Four hundred years earlier Fallon caused the death of a woman and was cursed. He uses eye mojo on Roy and puts him in thrall. He then has Roy take him and his box (which contains the earth of his grave) to a mountain top and put him in the light of the moon. This method of healing, and the general premise of this part of the story, is lifted from The Vampyre but is also similar to how the vampire heals in Varney the Vampire, we are talking pre-Stoker lore here. Roy is commanded that he must never speak of what he knows and Fallon sets his sights on Julie.

There is plenty more lore within the film, it is packed with the stuff. The other lore I’m going to mention includes how a vampire can be killed. A cross may ward and silver may burn but the only way they can be destroyed is to be burned to ashes and scattered. That said, Fallon might be weary of life but he has no desire to die making him a fascinating character. Also I should mention that Fallon states that a vampire does not bring death, rather, those he kills receive new life. We do not see the risen victims he refers to thus Fallon is the only vampire we see.

Abbott is fantastic as Fallon, stealing the show. The character is complex, much more so than the two dimensional embodiments of evil we often get and he has an arrogance, exemplified when he mocks the ensorcelled Roy with knowledge the tortured mortal is unable to use. The rest of the cast all give solid performances. We do not see a bite, unfortunately, just a near miss but given when the film was made this should come as no surprise. The film does end up with a very pro-Christian message, suggesting that it is only through the church that a man can become master of his own will – though I guess they did need a way to free poor old Roy.

Some might miss the standard gothic back drop but the placing of the film in Africa replaces the Gothic with the exotic. It also, perhaps, gives the film a bit of a feel of a Boys Own Adventure, which actually is no bad thing. As I said, a little gem of a film that is not to easy to get to see but which I’d urge you to seek out – now if only a kindly DVD company would release a well restored version… 7.5 out of 10.

The imdb page is here.