Dracula’s Daughter (1936)

☆ ☆ ½

Dracula’s Daughter (1936) – L. Hillyer

This first sequel to Universal’s Dracula (1931) starts off pretty great as Professor Van Helsing is arrested for the murder of Dracula after being caught at the scene of the crime (and Dracula with a stake in his heart and all).  There is some funny business with two daffy cops charged with looking after the body (and that of Renfield).  Of course, no one believes Van Helsing’s story about vampires, except his former protégé and now eminent psychiatrist Jeffrey Garth (played by Otto Kruger).  He wants to clear his mentor’s name but has no clues until Dracula’s body is stolen by a mysterious woman who later turns up at Garth’s office seeking psychiatric help (foreshadowing Abel Ferrara’s The Addiction, 1995, I guess). This film is famous because Dracula’s daughter (played by Gloria Holden) seems very likely to be same-sex attracted (and there is a seduction scene of sorts where she hypnotises a young homeless girl…and then apparently sucks her blood, but this isn’t shown onscreen).  Unfortunately, most of the proceedings here are not exactly riveting and there is more talk than action, taking place in undistinguished parlours rather than spooky castles or other gothic settings.  A few scenes stand out but, as far as Universal’s sequels go, the no holds barred absurdity of later entries (Son of Dracula, 1943, or House of Frankenstein, 1944) makes them more fun.