Review: The Tomb of Ligeia

In the 19^th century, lady Rowena (Elizabeth Shepherd), daughter of Lord Trevanian (Derek Francis) meets gloomy widowed English nobleman Verden Fell (Vincent Price), and despite hardly being the life of the party, she’s utterly fascinated by him. He in turn falls in love, and before long the two are wed. However, after a while Rowena’s new husband appears to be driven mad with the idea that she is in fact inhabited by the spirit of his late, beloved wife Ligeia. Oliver Johnston plays Fell’s manservant, and Richard Vernon plays a doctor.

 

The best of the Roger Corman cycle of Edgar Allan Poe films (the other highlights being “Fall of the House of Usher”, “The Pit and the Pendulum”, and “The Masque of the Red Death”), this melancholic 1964 film benefits particularly from superb performances by Vincent Price and Elizabeth Shepherd. In fact, I really wish this film were talked about more, because this is arguably Price’s best-ever performance. Perhaps since this was the last of the cycle, critics were growing a bit restless and ready to move on, but surely it’s time for a re-appraisal? It may not be as theatrical or lively as his work in other films, but it’s not exactly subtle either. It’s just that the character Price plays is melancholy and tortured, and quite glum. For bluster and ham, we get the rock-solid Derek Francis for a few scenes if that’s what you’re interested in. Apparently the character Price plays was much younger in Poe’s story, but I’m not sure it would work any other way than with the middle-aged portrayal we get from Price. It just seems right this way, and I find it fascinating that Shepherd is drawn to the Price character for things beyond physical appearance or youthful vigour. I mean, John Westbrook is young and handsome…and entirely dull, in the film’s least interesting performance. As much as I’m a Barbara Steele fan, Elizabeth Shepherd gives by far the best female lead performance in any of these films, in what is actually a dual character performance. She handles the multi-facets very well indeed.

 

It’s a stunning-looking film, with incredible use of colour, particularly the colour red in Shepherd’s coat at one point, as well as the scenery and architecture in the outdoors scenes. The mixture of grey architecture and bold colours in clothing is gorgeous. In fact, this one is set apart from the other Corman-Price-Poe films by being set outdoors for quite a few scenes. When we do venture indoors, the interiors to Fell’s abode (a crumbling abbey) are dusty, crumbling, cobweb-infested ruins, pretty much. Like the man himself, the castle hasn’t been in a good state in quite a while. Also, look out for the bravura nightmare sequence, easily the highlight of the film. That gorgeous bit of Shepherd in a light blue sheer nightgown against a bed of roses on a red floor is to die for, bravo to cinematographer Arthur Grant (“Hell is a City”, “The Devil Rides Out”, “Dracula Has Risen From the Grave”). Scripted by Robert Towne (“Chinatown”, writer-director of “Personal Best”) it has a rather sad, haunting story that resonates for me a lot stronger than the other Corman-Price-Poe films, and is deliciously twisted and disturbing. Nice, classic fiery climax, too. It had to have a fiery climax, these films almost always have that.

 

Gloomy, melancholic, but utterly fascinating Gothic tale is expertly helmed by the still-underrated Corman, and expertly acted by Vincent Price (Also, can we talk about those cool shades?) and Elizabeth Shephard. The film looks absolutely terrific for what was likely not an especially expensive endeavour given AIP and Corman’s pedigree. Perhaps a bit talky for some tastes, this one stands out for being somewhat more restrained and dramatic than the other films in the cycle.

 

Rating: A-