The Vincent Price Movie Review

Released in 1939
Directed by Rowland V. Lee
Written by Robert N. Lee
Based on Shakespeare’s Richard III

“Marry your enemies and behead your friends”

Tower of London was Vincent Price’s third movie right after he did Elizabeth and Essex. It is based somewhat on Shakespeare’s Richard III play, which I read for the first time before viewing this movie. Starring alongside Vincent Price are Basil Rathbone as Richard and Boris Karloff as Mord, his menacing executioner henchman. The plot, like the original play, is somewhat convoluted and involves many side characters. If you haven’t been exposed to British historical legends or aren’t familiar with the play, you will probably find yourself a little confused as to what is going on in the movie. Some dramatic license is taken as well. A brief background:

The events take place during the last part of the War of the Roses between the houses of York and Lancaster. On the York side are the brothers Edward, Clarence, and Richard. On the Lancaster side is Henry VI and his son, the Prince of Wales, and Henry Tutor who is in exile in France. Richard III is the younger brother of King Edward IV, who claimed the throne from the mentally incompetent King Henry VI. Richard III wants the throne for himself, but there are many people ahead of him in the line to be king. The first is King Edward IV, his brother. Then next in line are Edward IV’s two sons. After that is the Duke of Clarence, Richard’s older brother. Another strong claim on the throne comes from the Prince of Wales, Henry VI’s son.
To ascend to the throne Richard III must do away with all of these people; British history lesson concluded.

Well, let’s get back to the movie. Putting Karloff, Rathbone, and Price all together in a film is a good idea. I think the only other movie with all three of them was The Comedy of Terrors. Rathbone and Karloff both know how to play creepy and sinister, and they do so with good effect in this movie. Rathbone portrays Richard with an icy confidence. This is highlighted thoughout the movie but in particular when Richard is murderously musing over his little throne room dolls, plotting the death of each person with a sneer. (For some reason his appearance kept reminding me of Spock, from Star Trek. Rathbone would have made a good Vulcan.) The role of Mord seems to be created just for Karloff. It’s a brutish, lurching, frankenstein looking character who delights in the torture and murder of others. Vincent Price plays the Duke of Clarence, who in this movie is portrayed as effete and cowardly. His favorite activities include whining and drinking malmsy wine. One of my favorite parts in the film is when Richard and Clarence agree to have a drinking contest to determine the ownership of some disputed territory between them. Awesome.

The supporting cast is somewhat forgettable. John Sutton is okay as Wyatt. (he was in half a dozen movies with Vincent Price) Ian Hunter as Edward IV is not bad.

It’s an old movie, but it’s worth seeing.

There was another Tower of London movie made in 1962 starring Vincent Price as Richard.