The Ape Man (1943)
Directed by William Beaudine and released by Monogram Pictures, The Ape Man is a quirky, low-budget horror film starring the legendary Bela Lugosi in one of his more bizarre roles. Based on Karl Brown’s story They Creep in the Dark, the film blends mad science, murder, and a touch of pulp absurdity—all wrapped in a brisk 64-minute runtime.
Plot Summary
Dr. James Brewster (Lugosi) has conducted a radical experiment that transforms him into a grotesque ape-human hybrid. Desperate to reverse the effects, he believes the only cure is human spinal fluid. When his colleague Dr. Randall refuses to help, Brewster resorts to murder, aided by a mysterious captive gorilla.
Meanwhile, reporter Jeff Carter (Wallace Ford) and photographer Billie Mason (Louise Currie) investigate Brewster’s disappearance, uncovering a trail of strange clues—including ape-like hair and ghostly sounds. The climax unfolds in Brewster’s basement lab, where the gorilla turns on its master, breaking his back and ending his reign of terror.
Cast Highlights
- Bela Lugosi as Dr. James Brewster
- Louise Currie as Billie Mason
- Wallace Ford as Jeff Carter
- Henry Hall as Dr. Randall
- Minerva Urecal, Tom Neal, and Emil Van Horn (as the gorilla) in supporting roles
Behind-the-Scenes Trivia
- Shot in just 19 days, typical of Monogram’s “Poverty Row” production style
- Actress Louise Currie replaced Amelita Ward shortly before filming began
- A line referencing gasoline rationing reflects real WWII-era concerns: “All right, let’s go… if you’ve got any gas”
- The film was successful enough to spawn an in-name-only sequel, Return of the Ape Man (1944), also starring Lugosi—but with no plot connection
- The character Billie jokingly calls Jeff “Mr. Brisbane,” a nod to famed journalist Arthur Brisbane
