Wax sculptor Ivan Igor (Lionel Atwill) is devastated when his partner burns down their wax museum to collect insurance money, and his hands are ruined in the incident. Years later when his exhibit is reopened, he can no longer sculpt but instead directs other artists. When people start disappearing (including a body from the morgue that looks suspiciously like the new Joan of Arc statue) and Igor develops an obsessive interest in his assistant's fiancée (Fay Wray), reporter Florence (Glenda Farrell) gets mighty interested in the case.
No, this isn't the better-known House of Wax (1953) starring Vincent Price. In fact, this film was believed to be lost until the sixties, and has since been eclipsed by the flashier 1953 remake. The only reason I saw this film at all was that it was included on the House of Wax DVD. But I think this film deserves recognition in its own right. The plots are almost identical except for one obvious difference: the wisecracking reporter! She's smart, she can hold her own in a room full of men, and she's the ONLY one who sees what's going on. The remake is filled with helpless women, but in this original Florence saves the day! Why they eliminated this character I'll never know. And get a load of that two-strip Technicolor! Oh, to live in a world so pink!
Yes, the film is dated and a little silly at moments (see: cheesy tacked-on ending and wax figures that flinch), but it's still entertaining. Watch it if you're a fan of early horror, or just watch it for Glenda Farrell's scene-stealing performance. Either way you'll have a good time!
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