House Of Horrors (1946)

Starring Robert Lowery, Virginia Grey, Bill Goodwin, Martin Kosleck, Rondo Hatton
Directed by Jean Yarbrough
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)

After a maddened sculptor saves the life of a brutish killer, he's able to convince him to reward him by disposing of the critics of his art.

One of Universal's last horror films in their classic period, and I've always been rather fond of it, with a delightfully wicked performance from Kosleck, and acromegaly victim Rondo Hatton used rather well.  Hatton was limited as an actor, and he doesn't have to do much besides stalking his victims, but the exaggerated bust built of him within the film is an inspired work and a memorable image.  At times the comic relief in the movie is almost a little too breezy, but I enjoyed the supporting cast, with Virginia Grey coming off very appealing with His Girl Friday-like patter, and Alan Napier excelling in a choice role as a detested art critic.  Goodwin, whom I know best for pitching Maxwell House coffee on the Burns and Allen radio series, is entertaining as a homicide detective, alternating between gruffly making accusations against suspects and shifting to a smooth operator when plying a beautiful model with a glib smile on his face.  The film's definitely a minor horror, when compared to the studio's greats, but is fun along the same lines as many of their 1940s efforts.