The Spiral Staircase (1946)

A gaslight thriller with film noir and horror elements, The Spiral Staircase (1946) had a gimmick good enough to be remade three times but none of them could top the Robert Siodmak original. The old, dark house scenario traps its cast of characters inside a sprawling mansion where a killer - whose previous victims all suffered from some physical affliction - stalks a mute serving girl shocked into silence from a childhood trauma.

Helen (Dorothy McGuire) is understandably nervous after witnessing the latest crime scene. And even more so when her elderly employer, Mrs. Warren, insists she's not safe in their own house, insinuating that the murderer is someone she knows. The Warren brothers are both likely suspects, but so is the seemingly altruistic family physician, Dr. Parry (Kent Smith), who takes an unusual interest in Helen's disability. When a violent storm moves in and the killer's identity is finally revealed, Helen would seem to make the perfect silent victim.

Similar to the psychological horror films of Val Lewton, The Spiral Staircase is fairly tame as far as scares go. But it's all beautifully arranged, with director Robert Siodmak turning the Victorian mansion into a shadowy funhouse enhanced by creepy tracking shots and an endlessly stormy accompaniment. Each character's back-story and motivation is parsimoniously revealed, stringing along the mystery for nearly the entire 83-minute running time. Things can get a bit talky (it often feels adapted from a play rather than Ethel Lina White's original novel), but the finale eventually pays off with a perfect storm of suspense and gothic atmosphere.

Kino Lorber's Blu-ray is newly remastered in HD from a 4K scan of the restored fine-grain master. While not as flawless as some of the Universal titles of the era, it makes a strong visual impression nevertheless and includes an equally strong audio commentary from film historian Imogen Sara Smith (who delivers a perfect balance of facts and theory), 30-minute radio adaptation and theatrical trailer.