The Black Room
6.9
“Dead or Alive... He could kill!”
In a 16th-century European town, the ruling family has been given a prophecy that, should there ever be twin boys born, the younger will murder the older; so is dismayed when twins are born to the popular baron. The older grows to be a selfish, slovenly man, who inherits the castle at his father's death and becomes ruler over the formerly happy villagers. He enjoys his power until he learns his younger brother is returning from abroad and, afraid of the prophecy, he determines to murder his sibling, hide his body in the "black room" - an old torture chamber sealed away behind the fireplace - and then impersonate him, right down to his withered arm. In this way he hopes to not only avoid the prophecy, but also escape consequences of his other criminal deeds and obtain marriage to a local girl of the nobility...
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Cast
15 people
Boris Karloff
Baron Gregor de Berghman / Anton de Berghman
Known for
How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
Bride of Frankenstein
Marian Marsh
Thea Hassel
Known for
Svengali
Crime and Punishment
Robert Allen
Lt. Albert Lussan
Known for
The Awful Truth
Crime and Punishment
Thurston Hall
Col. Paul Hassel
Known for
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
Theodora Goes Wild
Katherine DeMille
Mashka
Known for
Call of the Wild
Unconquered
John Buckler
Beran - the gypsy
Known for
Tarzan Escapes
David Copperfield
Henry Kolker
Baron de Berghman
Known for
Holiday
Baby Face
Colin Tapley
Paul Hassel as a young lieutenant
Known for
The Dam Busters
The Lives of a Bengal Lancer
Torben Meyer
Peter, the majordomo
Known for
Judgment at Nuremberg
Sullivan's Travels
John George
Inn Waiter (uncredited)
Known for
The Unknown
The Mark of Zorro
John Bleifer
Franz - Captured Assassin-Villager (uncredited)
Known for
The Mark of Zorro
Les Misérables
Marion Lessing
Maria the Chambermaid
Also in
Seas Beneath
Downstairs
Roy William Neill Director · Henry Myers Screenplay Arthur Strawn Screenplay
United States release July 15, 1935 · Produced in United States
Production
Columbia Pictures
Production · Studio
United States
Produced in
Languages
Original language
English
Spoken on screen
English
Release dates
United States · July 15, 1935
Theatrical
Sweden
November 29, 1935 · Theatrical
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