Bluebeard

Inasmuch as John Carradine spent a goodly portion of his film career in low-budget horror films, it should not be surprising that he delivered what may have been his finest screen performance in one of those films. Bluebeard casts the saturnine Carradine as Gaston, a popular artist-puppeteer in 19th century Paris. Unbeknownst to the authorities, Gaston is also the serial killer of beautiful young women that they have been seeking for several months. Whenever a girl fails to come up to Gaston's standards of perfection, she is summarily strangled and tossed into the streets. Gaston's latest model is the gorgeous Lucille (Jean Parker), who once she learns her employer's horrible secret courageously vows to bring him to justice. Though largely filmed in the cramped, rundown facilities of PRC Pictures, Bluebeard effectively exudes the proper Parisian ambience and successfully sustains a decent level of suspense, thanks to the faultless performance of John Carradine and masterful direction by cult favorite Edgar G. Ulmer.