When an errant bomb unearths the coffin of a vampire during the London Blitz, a gravedigger unknowingly reanimates the monster by removing the stake from his heart
In 1918, an English family are terrorized by a vampire, until they learn how to deal with it. They think their troubles are over, but German bombs in WWII free the monster. He reclaims the soul of his wolfman ex-servant, and assuming the identity of a scientist who has just escaped from a concentration camp, he starts out on a plan to get revenge upon the family.—Ken Yousten <[email protected]>
On October 15, 1918, the Wolfman [Matt Willis] awakens vampire Armand Tesla [Bela Lugosi] from his grave in Priory Cemetery on the outskirts of London. Meanwhile, at Ainsley Sanitarium, Dr Jane Ainsley [Frieda Inescort] and an associate from Oxford, Professor Walter Saunders [Gilbert Emery] , tend to a patient whom they suspect was bitten by a vampire. The patient dies, and the vampire drinks from Saunders' granddaughter Nicki instead. Saunders saves her by transfusion, then sets out with Lady Ainsley to find the vampire's resting spot and drive a stake through his heart. As they do, the Wolfman is released.
It is now 23 years later. Saunders has died in a plane crash, Dr Ainsley is aiding the antiNazi Underground, Andreas Orby [the Wolfman] has become her technician, Nicki [Nina Foch] remembers nothing about the vampire incident and is engaged to John Ainsley [Roland Varno], and Dr Ainsley has presented Sir Frederick Fleet [Miles Mander] of Scotland Yard with Saunders' notes detailing the 1918 death of Armand Tesla, the vampire. Of course, Fleet doesn't really believe her and, as he and Lady Ainsley prepare to visit Tesla's gravesite, an air raid occurs. Tesla's grave is overturned by a bomb; two cemetery employees find his body, remove the stake from his heart, and rebury him. On his way to aid German escapee Dr Hugo Bruckner, Andreas is reunited against his will with the re-awakened Tesla. As the Wolfman, Andreas finds a new resting place for Tesla, kills the real Dr Bruckner, and gives Bruckner's identity to Tesla.
At Nicki and John's engagement party, Bruckner/Tesla is introduced to Lady Ainsley, and she gives him free run of her laboratory and hospital. The next evening, Saunders' manuscript is subsequently stolen and turns up in Nicki's bedroom. Nicki reads it and remembers. When Tesla summons her telephathically, she goes to him. The next morning she is found drained of blood, and she is transfused. That night, Nicki forbids the maid to close the blackout curtains. Nicki is again contacted telephathically by Tesla. She goes to John's room; the next morning John is found drained of blood and is transfused. Fleet and Lady Ainsley visit Bruckner's bedroom and find that all the mirrors have been turned to the wall. They also find a ring which belonged to Armand Tesla, and Lady Ainsley concludes for certain that Bruckner is Tesla. She devises a plan.
When Tesla summons Nicki telephathically, Fleet and Lady Ainsley attempt to follow her into a cemetery. An air raid interrupts their pursuit, although Fleet manages to shoot the Wolfman in the shoulder. When Andreas begs Tesla to save his life, Tesla refuses. Andreas remembers Lady Ainsley's words about goodness being stronger than evil. He grabs a crucifix and holds it between Tesla and Nicki. At that moment, a bomb hits. Andreas carries Tesla's body outside into the morning sun and drives a stake through his heart, releasing Nicki. Of course, Andreas dies but "he found his soul after all." [Original synopsis by bj_kuehl.]
