Dracula's Daughter

At this same time, Dr. Garth is becoming acquainted with a newly-arrived aristocratic European in London - little does he realize that Countess Marya Zaleska (Gloria Holden) is herself a vampire. The Countess solicits the help of Dr. Garth in overcoming a terrible compulsion in her life, but the doctor keeps getting pulled away from his talks with the desperate woman by the discovery of new victims of unexplained blood loss. He eventually puts two and two together, but by then his obviously love-struck assistant (played by the lovely Marguerite Churchill) has fallen into the clutches of Dracula's Daughter. This film does finally return us to Transylvania and the Count's forbidding castle, and it is here that the final drama plays out.

This is actually a very good movie, but Gloria Holden, despite delivering an impressive performance, never seems to exhibit the strength and presence of a true vampire. Of course, this may be explained in part by the fact that the Countess views her affliction as a curse and wants to be released from it. Additionally, Dracula's Daughter features nothing rivaling the suspense of Count Dracula's silent attacks on his victims, although the scenes featuring a young victim named Lili (Nan Grey) are played to great effect. This film also toys too frequently with comedy, and this robs it of any truly malevolent power. An anticlimactic ending also proves a bit of a disappointment.

Thanks to Gloria Holden's memorable performance and the unusual nature of the plot (a vampire seeking release), Dracula's Daughter does manage to secure an important place for itself in the Dracula pantheon. It does not, however, come across as a strong vampire film - even Professor Van Helsing is relegated to a secondary player in the action. We barely get a glimpse of the bestial nature of the vampire lurking within the heart and mind of the sophisticated European Countess, making this a horror film quite incapable of disturbing the sleep of its recent viewers with bad dreams.

As a horror film, "Dracula's Daughter" can not stand up to "Dracula," but the film is more of a horror/drama then a straight up horror flick. You can really feel sympathy for the Count's daughter, because she really wants to change, but comes to the sad realization that she can not. On a subliminal level, this film can sympathize with someone who is addicted substances, because they often want to change, but feel that they can not.

The plot is solid, and the cast is great! Looks is a really strong part of this film. The direction and production looks great! This film, also, stays true to the vampire rules set fourth in "Dracula" that later films, like "Abbot & Costello Meet Frankenstein" break.

All in all, "Dracula's Daughter" is no "Dracula," but it is a great movie and sends a powerful message to the audience. This film is worth the time and money and is a great chapter to the "Dracula" series.