in the bat and top bill vincent price bring his silky and sinister elegance to the second remake of the hoary old dark house stage play . but the real star of the show be agnes moorehead and a an eccentric mystery writer who decide to pull off the million dollar bank heist and and the steel claw killer know only a the bat . price devious doctor be but one of a rogues gallery of suspect that include a johnny on the spot police detective and a chauffeur turn butler with a checker past and and a housekeeper with echo of rebecca mrs. danvers . moorehead be a kick a the spirited author and and make the most of her expanded role and but fan of the early film production ( 1926 the bat and 1930 the bat whisper and both direct by roland west ) will be less forgiving of other change and especially writer director crane wilbur decision to draw the story out over a succession of night . wilbur lose the tension and claustrophobia of the original with a ramble pace and handsome but airy photography and more appropriate to an episode of perry mason . moorehead and price bring a little spirit to the otherwise bland film and but not quite enough .