A couple of films by William Cameron Menzies.

Address Unknown (1944) directed by William Cameron Menzies.. This is a rare thing: an epistolary movie. Letters carry the plot; they are also central to the unfolding of character. The story takes place on the eve of the Second World War. Two friends and partners in the art business in San Francisco live comfortable lives and look forward to a marriage between the one friend’s son and the other’s daughter. First, however, one friend, Martin Schulz (Paul Lukas) is returning to his homeland, Germany, to conduct some business for the two partners. Accompanying him is his family and the daughter of his friend. The young woman, Griselle Eisenstein (K. T. Stevens), hopes to begin an acting career in Germany. Staying at home with the Eisenstein’s is Heinrich Schulz (Peter van Eyck), Martin’s eldest son. So begins the story that takes place both in Berlin and in San Francisco. In Berlin, Martin finds a new friend in the oily Baron von Friesche (Carl Esmond) who convinces Martin to cease correspondence with his American Jewish partner. Soon Giselle’s identity as a Jew (she had changed her name for the stage) becomes known and things grow dark, very dark. This is a chilling tale of authoritarianism and hatred of others who supposedly differ from those in control. It involves self-interest and cowardice. The film is short and blunt. Of course, it is also a feast for the eyes with art direction by Menzies and cinematography by Rudolph Mate who knows a thing or two about shadows and light.

 

The Maze (1953), directed by William Cameron Menzies. Menzies is one of the great set designers in the Hollywood Studio era. The Maze is his last film and lesser known than Invaders From Mars of the same year. The Maze will not disappoint viewers looking for atmosphere and gothic delights. The Scottish castle has oversize stairs, doorways, windows, tables, cavernous hallways, everything to make the characters look smaller than they are. No one speaks with a Scottish accent – well, almost no one. The lighting is suitably dark, enhancing the macabre feel to this strange tale. The maze is also nicely done, although we do not spend much time inside its tall thick greenery. Some find the end disappointing, but not me. Once the secret is fully revealed, what we have is a bizarre monster both absurd and wildly appealing (to me – reminds me of the Grimm story, “The Frog Prince”). Throughout much of the film, the hero, Gerald MacTeam (Richard Carlson), sits reading a book with the ominous title: Teratology. What he hopes to glean from this tome remains unknown, but we understand he looks for anything to explain the weird creature that has inhabited Craven Castle for over 200 years. The Maze is a stylish exercise in the gothic. The acting may be somewhat stiff, the narrative point of view may be slightly odd, the dialogue may be a bit stilted, but, man, the look of the film is stunning.