Strangler of the Swamp

Strangler of the Swamp is a 1946 American horror film, produced and distributed by Producers Releasing Corporation.^[1] It was written and directed by Frank Wisbar, and stars Rosemary LaPlanche, Robert Barrat and Blake Edwards. It is a remake of Wisbar's earlier German film Fährmann Maria (1936).^[2]

Strangler of the Swamp
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Frank Wisbar
Screenplay by	Frank Wisbar Harold Erickson (additional dialogue)
Story by	Frank Wisbar Leo J. McCarthy
Produced by	Raoul Pagel
Starring	Rosemary La Planche Robert Barrat Blake Edwards Charles Middleton Nolan Leary Virginia Farmer
Cinematography	James S. Brown Jr.
Edited by	Hugh Winn
Music by	Alexander Steinert
Production company	Producers Releasing Corporation (PRC)
Distributed by	Producers Releasing Corporation (PRC) Madison Pictures Pathé Pictures Ltd.(UK)
Release date	5 January 1946 (1946-01-05)
Running time	59 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Plot

A ferry operator named Douglas (Charles Middleton) was accused of a murder he did not commit and executed for the crime. Now Douglas' ghost walks the marshlands he once called home, seeking vengeance against those who wronged him. The village's new ferry operator, the beautiful Maria (Rosemary LaPlanche) must find a way to save her boyfriend Christian (Blake Edwards) from becoming the ghost's next victim.

Cast

• Rosemary La Planche as Maria Hart
• Robert Barrat as Christian Sanders
• Blake Edwards as Christian 'Chris' Sanders Jr.
• Charles Middleton as Ferryman Douglas
• Effie Laird as Martina Sanders
• Nolan Leary as Pete Jeffers
• Frank Conlan as Joseph Hart
• Therese Lyon as Bertha
• Virginia Farmer as Anna Jeffers

Release

The film was released on January 5, 1946.^[3]

Home media

The film was released on DVD by Image Entertainment on September 21, 1999. It was later re-released by Films Around The World Inc. on January 1, 2013.^[4]

Reception

Author and film critic Leonard Maltin awarded the film two and a half out of a possible four stars, his most frequently given rating, writing "Moody, atmospheric, full of fog, it's far more cinematic that other horror films from bargain-basement PRC studio, but still suffers from a low budget as well as a lethargic pace."^[5] Hans J. Wollstein, in his review of the film for Allmovie, gave the film a positive review, complimenting LaPlanche and Middleton's performances.^[6]