the black castle be one of those film that have find it way into a boris karloff collection and be mistakenly expect to be an outright horror movie . whilst some horror element exist within nathan juran movie and this really be a multi genre piece that tightly produce and effectively portray . join karloff and in what be a small but critical role and be richard greene and stephen mcnally and lon chaney jr and rita corday and john hoyt and michael pate . it produce and unsurprisingly and out of universal international picture . the plot see greene english gentleman travel to the castle home of the sinister count von bruno { mcnally } . he follow an investigation into the disappearance of two friend and an investigation that be fraught with danger and surprise at every turn . this have everything that fan of the old dark house or castle sub genre could wish for . genuine good and bad guy and a fair maiden and dark corner for do dark deed and devilish trap and tick clock finale and we even get a good old fashion bit of swashbuckling into the bargain . the cast be all turn in effective performance and particularly greene and the wonderfully sneer mcnally . whilst jerry sackheim writing be lean and devoid of the pointless filler that have so often bogged down similar film of this ilk . a very recommended film on proviso that karloff fan understand it not really a karloff movie and and perhaps more importantly and that horror fan do not expect blood let to be the order of the day . a fine atmospheric story with a sense of dread throughout and the black castle be a fine viewing experience . positive .