King of the Zombies
- Directed by: Jean Yarbrough
- Starring: Dick Purcell, John Archer, Mantan Moreland, Henry Victor
- Academy Nominated
- Made: 1941 (16mm), Runtime: 67 minutes
Summary
On a spooky island, three stranded travellers find a rich doctor, a bunch of foreign spies and a whole horde of zombies.
King of the Zombies Description
While flying between Cuba and Puerto Rico, pilot James McCarthy (Dick Purcell) runs low on fuel and is blown off course by a storm. Unable to pick up any radio transmissions over the Caribbean, he and his passengers are forced to land on a remote island. On board with McCarthy, we have Bill Summers (John Archer) and his man servant, Jefferson Jackson (Mantan Moreland).
What do we do now?
With few available options, the three stranded travellers take refuge in a mansion owned by Dr. Miklos Sangre (Henry Victor) and his wife Alyce (Patricia Stacey).
Jefferson Jackson is immediately alarmed by his surroundings and is convinced the mansion is haunted by zombies. When the servants in the mansion confirm his suspicions, our stranded travellers become aware that mysterious events really are taking place in the mansion.
Maybe we should check the cellar?
A major clue that all is not as it should be is revealed when the group stumble upon a voodoo ritual taking place in the cellar, presided over by their host, Doctor Sangre. Even the doctor is not what he seems to be. It turns out that along with being a voodoo master, he is also a foreign spy trying to acquire war intelligence from a captured US Admiral, who had previously also crash landed on the remote island.
Proving things can always get worse, our intrepid pilot, James (Mac) McCarthy falls under the spell of the voodoo practicing, foreign spying, kidnapping, doctor.
No spoilers here
Will our intrepid travellers ever catch a break? Has the admiral given up all his secrets to the evil spy doctor? When faced with the jungle or the plush mansion, is it always wise to go for the soft option?
To find the answers to these questions and more, click the image above to watch a good ol’ fashioned scary zombie movie 1941 style.
Mantan Moreland
The true gem in this movie is Mantan Moreland who dominates the screen time and gives a thoroughly polished performance.
From a young age Mantan Moreland knew he was destined for the bright lights of vaudeville and beyond. Born in 1902, the son of a Dixieland bandleader, by 1920 Mantan was a seasoned performer in musical revues performing on Broadway and touring Europe. His first foray into films was in a one-reel short film called That’s the Spirit (1933) with his stage partner, Flournoy Miller.
At the height of his career, Mantan Moreland was receiving steady work from major film studios and independent producers alike. When Monogram Pictures signed him to appear oppoiste Frankie Darro in the studio’s popular action pictures, Moreland quickly became a favorite supporting player in a string of Hollywood movies.
Perhaps best known for his role as chauffeur Birmingham Brown in Monogram’s Charlie Chan series, Mantan Moreland’s performance in King of the Zombies is one of his most endearing and enduring roles.
A great comedic actor, he is most definitely the star in this picture, stealing every scene in which he appears. The movie may well have been billed as a horror movie, but with laugh out loud moments such as when Jeff tells his boss that he had been “zombiefied”, the accolade for raising the movie to comedic status definitely goes to Mantan Moreland.
King of the Zombies (1941) was followed two years later in 1943 by a sequel called Revenge of the Zombies. This gave Mantan Moreland a chance to reprise his role as Jefferson Jackson for another run in against those zombies. You can watch Revenge of the Zombies in our Top 12 classic Zombie Movies.
King of the Zombies Verdict
King of the Zombies is well worth a watch and belongs in any respectable zombie movie collection. This is a fun entertaining film, nominated in its day for an Oscar. King of the Zombies is pure entertainment with a low gore factor and great comedy. The lesson we should all learn from this escapade? Always carry enough fuel and check the weather report before you leave home.
Made in 1941, King of the Zombies is a throw back to how zombie movies used to be before the advent of George Romero’s cult classic Night of the Living Dead, changed our perception of zombies forever.
Visit our “Are Zombies Real?” article to find out more about the origins of zombies and how they have evolved..
For more old fashioned zombie movies check ou our Top 12 Classic Zombie Movies
