13 Nights of Shocktober: She-Wolf of London

by A.J.

This is my favorite time of year, second only to Christmas. Autumn has arrived, the weather is cooling down, and October becomes the month-long celebration of scary movies called Shocktober. So, in the days leading up Halloween I’ll be posting some horror movie recommendations to help you celebrate Shocktober.

Night 10: Werewolf Party Night!
“It’s the she-wolf herself!”

She-Wolf of London 

Good werewolf movies are hard to find, so even a decently made, entertaining movie that may, or may not, have a werewolf is quite welcome. Made by Universal in 1946, She-Wolf of London took a different approach to the Universal Monster movie. The heyday of the Universal Monster movies (Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy, and their many sequels) began in the early 1930's and now was on the decline. The monsters were already meeting each other, though they wouldn’t meet Abbott and Costello until the 1950’s. Thanks to producer Val Lewton, RKO was the big name in horror movies. Lewton’s approach to horror was nearly the opposite of the Universal model. His films were more psychological often only hinting at the supernatural, emphasizing mood and atmosphere over monsters. She-Wolf of London was almost certainly made to compete with the RKO Val Lewton horror pictures. Like Lewton’s Cat People or I Walked With a Zombie, She-Wolf of London takes a sensational title and delivers something more than just a monster movie. Though admittedly, She-Wolf of London doesn’t match the substance or quality of the better RKO Lewton movies, it is still a solid and entertaining mystery and thriller.

Set in London during the early years of the 20^th century, She-Wolf of London centers on Phyllis Allenby (June Lockhart), the sole living descendant of a wealthy family with a dark history. She lives with her cousin Carol (Jan Wiley), and stern aunt, Mrs. Winthrop (Sara Haden), who became the guardian of Phyllis and caretaker of the the Allenby estate after Phyllis’s parents died. Now Phyllis is about to be married to a wealthy lawyer, Barry (Don Porter), but she worries that the Allenby curse is now affecting her. The family dogs bark at her angrily and constantly. She has dreams of turning into a wolf and wakes up with her hands covered in dirt and blood. 

The next morning, Carol reads newspaper reports of night time attacks by a wolf in the nearby park. We also see the family dogs escape at night, presenting the possibility that Phyllis might not be responsible for the attacks. Mrs. Winthrop isn’t much comfort or help and won’t let Barry visit Phyllis. Detective Latham (Lloyd Corrigan) believes that the animal attacks are being done by a werewolf, specifically a female werewolf. He is not exactly comic relief, but he does not come across as especially sharp either. He simply has a hunch based on witness reports that he believes is worth pursuing, even if it is outlandish.

Don Porter gets top billing over June Lockhart though she is clearly the main character and even Carol and Mrs. Winthrop have bigger role than him, or at least more interesting ones. Barry is a pretty dull hero. There is not much to him aside from being a decent man and good fiancé. Lockhart gives a good performance as the distraught Phyllis; she has big, wide eyes great at conveying worry and anxiety. She is just on the cusp of a nervous breakdown but never goes into shrieking hysterics, drawing out her anxiety and fright.

The period setting gives the story several elements that create an eerie fantasy atmosphere. Costumes, horse drawn carriages, foggy roads and woods lend this movie a visual style. Fog and shadows obscure the attacks which adds to the atmosphere and saves on special effects. This may not be the straight up horror werewolf movie you would expect from the classic era of Universal, but it works as a mystery and thriller and effectively uses the possibility of the supernatural to create tension and suspense and atmosphere. This is definitely a less well-known horror movie from the classic era but I’ll count it as one of the better werewolf movies.