The Smiling Ghost (1941)

Starring Wayne Morris, Brenda Marshall, Alexis Smith, Alan Hale, Lee Patrick
Directed by Lewis Seiler
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)

A struggling chemical engineer is targeted by a wealthy family to become the latest fiancee of a beautiful debutante whose previous lovers have all been assaulted, supposedly by a ghostly figure.

I think there's a lot to enjoy in this mystery-comedy from Warner Brothers, which has a terrific opening title sequence, introducing us to the face of the "Smiling Ghost," complete with a spooky underscore.  However, your tolerance for the film will likely depend on how much you can take of Willie Best again playing a stereotyped servant who is far too easily frightened.  Wayne Morris, who impressed me in The Return Of Doctor X, plays another likable protagonist, who soon becomes the object of interest not only by Smith's wealthy heiress, but also Marshall's reporter, trying to get the scoop on all the murders.  The ghost's creature makeup is more than effective, with a truly menacing grin, but don't be expecting too much in the way of horror, as the ghost is clearly never intended to be anything supernatural.  I liked Alan Hale as a sort of hip for the times butler, who's soon packing heat to try and protect Morris, and The Mad Ghoul's David Bruce also appears as a previous victim of the Smiling Ghost, confined to an iron lung.  I can't say all the comedy scenes work, but there's a few witty lines, and the cast is a nice ensemble with good chemistry together.

The Return Of Doctor X (1939)

Starring Humphrey Bogart, Rosemary Lane, Wayne Morris, Dennis Morgan, John Litel
Directed by Vincent Sherman
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)

When a newspaper reporter loses his job after mistakenly reporting a famous starlet dead, he recruits a doctor to help him discover the truth, and are led to a blood specialist and his sinister assistant.  

Humphrey Bogart's only horror film, which I've heard was a "punishment" levied on the actor by his studio's bosses, need not be looked at a low point in the dramatic actor's career, as I feel it's a gripping and enjoyable movie.  The cast is well worth watching, with Bogart joined by Wayne Morris in an entertaining performance as the glib reporter, a young Dennis Morgan as the noble but inquisitive doctor, and John Litel, who is underrated as the mysterious Dr. Flegg.  Huntz Hall, better known for his dimwitted persona in the East Side Kids and Bowery Boys movies, even shows up as an office boy at the newspaper.  Although Bogart's character is key to the story, the actor is essentially playing a supporting role here, but strikes the right eerie notes, with a creepy vocal delivery and a menacing walk.  Although Warner Brothers didn't venture into the horror genre often, they clearly looked at rival studio Universal for a template for their film, with a screenplay that calls upon elements of both Frankenstein and Dracula, and a Bride Of Frankenstein-like white streak through Bogart's hair.