October 9- Dracula's Daughter (1936)

Today, we've got the sequel of the classic 1931 Dracula, Dracula's Daughter. Although it is a sequel, there is only one returning cast member from the original, Edward Van Sloan as Professor Van Helsing. This movie is based on a work of Bram Stoker, Dracula's Guest, published in 1914, although the film has very little to do with the story itself.

Edward Van Sloan as Professor Van Helsing

Gloria Holden as Countess Marya Zeleska

At the start of the movie, Van Helsing is found having just killed Dracula by 2 policemen, who subsequently is arrested for the murder of Count Dracula. Van Helsing's main defense is that "you can't murder a man that's been dead for 500 years." While the bodies of Renfield and Dracula are being held in the prison safe, a woman, Countess Marya Zeleska, the daughter of Dracula (played by GloriaHolden) comes and with the help of her manservant Sandor, steal Dracula's body. She then burns Dracula's body in the forest, believing that by destroying her father's body, she will be free of the curse of vampirism. 

Otto Kruger as Dr. Jeffrey Garth

Marya meets Dr. Jeffrey Garth (played by Otto Kruger) at a society party and decides to ask him for help to cure her affliction. Eventually, having admitted that she can't be cured, decides to try and trick Garth into becoming her eternal companion by kidnapping his love Janet (played by Marguerite Churchill) and trading his life for hers. She is then destroyed by an arrow shot by her jealous servant. 



Overall, I felt that the original was leaps and bounds above this film. It lacks the star power and nostalgic value of the original, and although this movie received relatively positive reviews at the time of its release, the lack of the star studded cast really hurts this film in the long run. Still, not a bad movie to watch, but I give it a 3 out of 5.