Solemplex
To me, this movie is perfection.
Tymon Sutton
The acting is good, and the firecracker script has some excellent ideas.
Fleur
Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.
Alex da Silva
Rosemary La Planche (Maria) takes over the role of ferryman in the swamplands from her grandfather Frank Conlan (Joseph) when he is found dead. It seems that a previous ferryman Charles Middleton (Douglas) who was unjustly hanged is dishing out his revenge on the villagers that found him guilty. He doesn't stop there - he goes for their relatives as well. He 'strangles' his victims in the village swamp. When La Planche's boyfriend Blake Edwards (Chris) makes an appearance, the ghostly 'strangler' goes for him.....The film has quite a good foggy, swampy look to it that runs throughout the film. The phantom is effective and scary - if only he'd just make his peace with God. The older members of the cast are entertaining, and the dialogue is amusing in parts, especially in the scenes between Blake Edwards' father Robert Barratt (Mr Sanders) and Nolan Leary (Pete Jeffers). Listen to their logical debate as to who should sacrifice himself to the ghoul that lurks outside - very funny. The younger members of the cast are pretty wooden but it doesn't matter and La Planche is one seriously weird girl. Why would anyone love the job of working at night in a swamp where people are getting killed? She does. She is very odd but shows a strength of character that is to be applauded at the end of the film.
Michael_Elliott
Strangler of the Swamp (1946) ** 1/2 (out of 4) PRC film, which is actually very well made and also received quite a bit of critical praise. The film tells the story of a small village out in the middle of a swamp that seems to be haunted by the ghost of an innocent man they hung years earlier. There's a lot of great things about this extremely low budget film but there's one big flaw and that's that the film runs 59-minutes and even that seems a tad bit long. There are several segments of the film where it becomes too talky while the most interesting aspects are forgotten about. What really makes this film stand out and makes it worth watching are the wonderful sets and the terrific atmosphere brought by the director. This thing is very thick in atmosphere so much so that at times you can feel the heat of the swamp all over your body. The mystery of the film is pretty well written and the ending is a major winner considering how most of these type films end.
docdespicable
It's really a pity more people haven't seen this little number from PRC - it has a tight story, good acting, amazing atmosphere, just everything so many of their features lack. The joke was, and in some cases remains, that PRC stood for Pretty Rank Crap (actually Producers Releasing Corporation). They kept Bela Lugosi from going hungry and delivered quite a list of entertainingly awful crud - I mean, they made Monogram look like MGM! Generally considered the studio where name actors went to pick up enough cash to pay off their bar tabs (which explains the presence of otherwise outstanding actors like J. Carroll Naish, John Carradine and George Zucco), by the law of averages, they were bound to hit the mark, once in a great while.And here, they do. Despite, or perhaps because of the obvious sound-stage set, the film has an atmosphere of unreality, a similar effect attained in "City of the Dead" (1960) by the same means. Both films have an almost Lovecraftian sense of foreboding. The core of the film's success can be attributed to the "Strangler" himself, character actor Charles Middleton, perhaps most known for his turns as Ming the Merciless in the "Flash Gordon" serials and his menace of Laurel & Hardy in several of their shorts and features.Please understand - "Strangler from the Swamp" is never going to give Hitchcock or the Val Lewton horror pictures a run for their money, but all in all, it is still a very satisfying film.And yes, that Blake Edwards is THAT Blake Edwards!
bensonmum2
Strangler of the Swamp is a surprisingly nice little poverty row thriller from PRC. While many of today's horror fans would find little to frighten, it's a wonderful example of creating atmosphere on a VERY limited budget.The movie concerns the ghost of a ferryman, seeking revenge for being unjustly hanged. He's out to get those who 'done him wrong'. My biggest problem with the story is that it gets away from the spooky swamp too often in favor of a love story. Had the movie concentrated more on the Strangler and the creepy swamp and less on the love story, Strangler of the Swamp would have been much better. The direction of Frank Wisbar is tight and he gets the most out of the limited funding he was given. One final note, the movie stars Blake Edwards (of Pink Panther fame) in an early role.Not the best, but better than many of the films PRC was cranking out in the 40s.
