History Film / TheOldDarkHouse

* ''Film/TheOldDarkHouse1932'', a Franchise/UniversalHorror film, based on the story ''Benighted'' by Creator/JohnBoyntonPriestley.
* ''Film/TheOldDarkHouse1963'', a comedy film by Creator/WilliamCastle, also based on the story by J.B. Priestley.

* ''Film/TheOldDarkHouse1932'', a Franchise/UniversalHorror film, based on the story ''Benighted'' by J.B. Priestley.

[[redirect:TheOldDarkHouse]]

[[quoteright:320:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/OldDarkHouse1_6240.jpg]]

'''''The Old Dark House''''' is a UniversalHorror movie from the year 1932. It is based on the 1927 novel ''Benighted'' by J.B. Priestley. It was directed by James Whale and features Creator/BorisKarloff among its cast. Both men previously contributed to the 1931 ''[[Film/{{Frankenstein 1931}} Frankenstein]]''.

In the countryside of UsefulNotes/{{Wales}}, several people are caught upon a raging storm and seek shelter from a mansion they encounter. There they meet the [[DysfunctionalFamily dysfunctional]] Femm family and their brutish servant, Morgan. As the night continues, the troubled past of the Femm family starts to threaten our heroes, mainly in the form of the locked-up and dangerously crazy Saul.

In 1963, William Castle directed a comedic version of the story.
----
!!It was a {{dark and stormy night}}, and the following tropes made themselves apparent:

%%* AxeBeforeEntering
* BerthaInTheAttic: Saul is kept locked up in the attic due to his anti-social behavior.
%%* ChairmanOfTheBrawl
* CrustyCaretaker: Morgan, the alcoholic butler.
* DramaticDrop: Done by Horace when he hears that the storm has [[ClosedCircle cut off the roads]].
* EverybodyLives: Debatable in Saul's case, but still highly rare for a horror film.
* FailsafeFailure: Morgan was brought into the servitude to stop Saul if he ever would escape. Morgan befriended him instead.
* GoodScarsEvilScars: The scar on Morgan's nose.
%%* HostileWeather
%%* KnifeNut: Saul.
%%* LaughingMad: Saul.
* LookBehindYou: Roger attempts to trick Saul with it.
* OldDarkHouse: The TropeNamer.
%%* PietaPlagiarism
%%* PyroManiac: Saul.
%%* RailingKill
* TheUnintelligible: Morgan, who can communicate only by mumbling and growling.
%%* UsefulNotes/{{Wales}}
* WindowPain: When the drunken Morgan sees Gladys outside, he breaks a window while trying to grab her.

!!In 1963, further tropes took a step into the light:

* ActingForTwo: Tom Bull plays the twins Casper and Jasper.
* TheArk: Potiphar is convinced that another biblical flood is imminent, and has built an ark, complete with animals, in the backyard.
* ChairmanOfTheBrawl: Tom tries to deter Morgan by breaking a chair on his head, to no avail.
* HoistByHisOwnPetard: [[spoiler:Cecily is blown up with one of the bombs she planned to kill everyone with]].
* ClosedCircle: The raging storm outside forces Tom to stay in the Femm household, to his dismay.
* HollywoodAcid: For his washup, Tom receives a bowl acid that only reveals its true colors when accidentally dips his tie into it.
* OnOnecondition: If a member of Femm family wants to keep their share of the fortune, they must live in the house, and be present for the daily gathering, or they'll lose it.
* OverprotectiveDad: Morgana's father Morgan is a silent and violent man who is ready beat the crap out of anyone who dares to touch his daughter. Since Morgana's taste for men insatiable, he's had to do plenty.
* RedHerring:
** [[spoiler:The possibility of Tom being related to Femms is only just that, a possibility]].
** [[spoiler:The violent Morgan and domineering Rodrick are posited as prime suspects]].
* TheReveal: [[spoiler:The seemingly sweet and innocent Cecily has been killing her relatives]].
* ShovelStrike: As Morgan approaches Tom with murder in his mind, Morgana whacks him in the head with a shovel.
* TrapDoor: If one rings uses the knock on Femm household's front door, he'll find himself in the basement.
* TheVoiceless: Morgan is mostly silent, and rather has his fists to do the talking.
----

In 1963, William Castle directed a comedic version of the story, which wasn't so well received as the original.

* AxeBeforeEntering
* BerthaInTheAttic: Saul.
* ChairmanOfTheBrawl

* HostileWeather
* KnifeNut: Saul.
* LaughingMad: Saul.

* PietaPlagiarism
* PyroManiac: Saul.
* RailingKill

* UsefulNotes/{{Wales}}

* EveryoneIsASuspect
* HoistByHisOwnPetard
* ImpromptuTracheotomy
* MadBomber

'''''The Old Dark House''''' is a UniversalHorror movie from the year 1932. It is based on the 1927 novel ''Benighted'' by J.B. Priestley. It was directed by James Whale and features BorisKarloff among its cast. Both men previously contributed to the 1931 ''[[Film/{{Frankenstein 1931}} Frankenstein]]''.

* {{Will}}

In the countryside of Wales, several people are caught upon a raging storm and seek shelter from a mansion they encounter. There they meet the [[DysfunctionalFamily dysfunctional]] Femm family and their brutish servant, Morgan. As the night continues, the troubled past of the Femm family starts to threaten our heroes, mainly in the form of the locked-up and dangerously crazy Saul.

* LandOfMyFathersAndTheirSheep

'''''The Old Dark House''''' is a UniversalHorror movie from the year 1932. It is based on the 1927 novel ''Benighted'' by J.B. Priestley. It was directed by James Whale and features BorisKarloff among its cast. Both men previously contributed to the [[{{Frankenstein 1931}} 1931]] ''[[{{Frankenstein 1931}} Frankenstein]]''.

* DropWhatYouAreDoing: Done by Horace when he hears that the storm has [[ClosedCircle cut off the roads]].

!!In 1963, further tropes step into the light:

!!In 1963, further tropes stepped into the light: