Ok, so the Invisible Man doesn't exactly return here. Instead of Claude
Rains, we get a 29 year old Vincent Price in the sequel, playing an invisible
man that's a bit more gentle and heroic, and a little less chaotic and
murdersome. Don't get me wrong, Price's character of Geoffrey Radcliffe does
encounter some of the same egocentric and power mad delusions that would
plague Rains' Dr. Griffin in the first installment, but never at such a high
level of madness. This time, instead of an invisible man that we fear, we end
up with a noble one that is in need of help if he is to get his name cleared in
the killing of his own brother. A crime that Geoffrey Radcliffe is set to hang
for.
When the film opens we learn that Geoffrey Radcliffe, played by
Vincent Price, is already in prison awaiting his execution for the murder of his
brother. A murder that his fiance nor his friend believe him to be guilty of.
Well, it just so happens that this friend of his is Dr. Frank Griffin, brother
of Dr. Jack/John Griffin, otherwise known to the viewer as the original
Invisible Man from the first film. Frank has his brother's old invisibility
formula, and though he hasn't yet found a cure these past nine years, time is
running out for Radcliffe, so the decision is made to put the invisibility
formula to use in order to help his friend escape. Of course the police connect
the dots fairly quickly here. Inmate vanished into thin air after getting a
visit from a scientist related to a guy that made himself invisible you say?
Of course we still have to prove this theory and a little bit of convincing, but
eventually the manhunt for the second invisible man is on. From there, the
police chase after Vincent Price, Mr. Price chases after the real bad guys that
framed him, hopefully proving his innocence before he goes power mad
crazy.
I like that we are treated to a performance by Alan Napier in this
movie. For those that don't remember, Alan Napier played Alfred, the butler in
the 1960's Batman TV series. I had no idea he was in this until I saw the
opening credits. Seems every so often we are treated with an actor at a time we
aren't suspecting him. It made me think of the Dwight Frye cameo in the first
Invisible Man, though Napier has a bigger role in this movie.
And as Alan Napier caused me to recall Dwight Frye, so too did the
annoying dog that wouldn't quit barking cause me to remember how annoying I
found Gloria Stuart and/or Una O'Connor to be in the first film. Don't get me
wrong though, I'd much rather listen to Una O'Connor's over the top screams
than the whiney howls of this dog.
The special effects weren't as impressive this time around but they do
work for the most part. Overall, I enjoyed this movie. How does one not enjoy
any sort of Vincent Price performance? Even if Mr. Price only really shows
himself at the end of the movie.
GRADE: B-
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