MovieChat Forums > House on Haunted Hill (1959) Discussion > Bickering between Fredrick and his wife.

Bickering between Fredrick and his wife.

posted 12 years ago by alextaber1
14 replies | jump to latest

For me, the best part of the movie is the sniping. These two hate each other, and can't help but insult one another. Fredrick's line. "Don't let the ghosts and the gouls disturb you darling." Her answer, "darling the only goul in the house is you!" And this is followed by him saying "don't stay up all night thinking up ways to get rid of me, - it makes wrinkles."

Vincent Price was a master at this type of conversation. And I love how he tortures her at the end. "Now you have it all, everything I have, even my life. But you're not going to live to enjoy it. Come with me murderess, come with me!"

While Fredrick Loren is dead serious (pardon the pun), Vincent price delivers the same humor in the movie Comedy of Terrors. He looks at his wife and says. "You're Mouth madam." She gives him a questioning look, then he delivers the great line. "Shut it!"

When he had to, Vincent Price could deliver serious conversation, but he was at his best in House on haunted hill. The voice over at the beginning as he introduces us to the 'guests.' Once we are in the house we get to see the game of cat and mouse in the bedroom, as these two trade insults. Annibelle will use the same conversation later, when it's time to 'lock up the house.' But at this point Fredrick has gotten tired of her banter.

As for her flerting with the pilot, it falls flat. He is on to her from the second he meets her. Then she meets Miss Manning, and tries to get into a cat fight. Problem is, she doesen't have the same spark as she does with Fredrick.

Vincent Price played this movie for comedy, and milked every line. As I said, he was a master at it.

[–] a_l_i_e_n 12 years ago

Vincent Price could deliver serious conversation, but he was at his best in House on haunted hill. The voice over at the beginning as he introduces us to the 'guests.' Once we are in the house we get to see the game of cat and mouse in the bedroom, as [Price and Omhart] trade insults.

Yes, they're great together. Of the Price films I've seen, I really consider this his greatest role. I so admire Geoffrey Rush, but what he did in the remake can't hold a candle to what Price pulled off in the original. He was born to play Frederick Loren.

[–] babettegillette 11 years ago

White wrote several good ones for Castle.

[–] iluvnyc 11 years ago

Oh a.l.i.e.n.! That 1999 remake was simply dreadful.

[–] holdencopywriting 11 years ago

I like the scenes between Vincent Price's character and his wife the best. The rest of the actors are so bland. I think the actress playing the typist, Nora, must have been somebody's girlfriend or daughter. There must be a reason she was hired: She's rather ordinary in looks and isn't much of an actress.

I mean, Richard Long? You can't get more bland than Richard Long. Elisha Cook, Jr. does his best as the ghost believer, but his lines don't give him enough to work with in this film.

[–] Kawada_Kira 9 years ago

I think the actress playing the typist, Nora, must have been somebody's girlfriend or daughter. There must be a reason she was hired: She's rather ordinary in looks and isn't much of an actress.

Really? I thought she was good enough. She has a perfect horror movie scream too. And I thought she was very pretty, not that that should matter though (just replying to you saying she was ordinary in looks).

[–] ElectricWarlock 10 years ago

I wonder how long they hated each other. It didn't seem like they were ever truly in love. If they hate each other so much you have to wonder why they got married in the first place. Unless Mrs. Loren faked having romantic interest in Fredrick just to get closer to the money she knew he had.

Death lives in the Vault of Horror!

[–] novastar_6 10 years ago

He'd already gone through 3 other wives, I'm sure she knew about the money long before she married him.

[–] Kawada_Kira 9 years ago

Chances are she married him for his money. And i'm not saying this to perpetuate a sexist "women are gold-diggers" stereotype. It just happens a lot with the upper classes, people with wealth, status or power. Men marry women for it, and women marry men for it.

[–] classics_guy 10 years ago

Carol Ohmart and Vincent Price were the best actors in this.
it's too bad Carol ohmart didn't have a longer and better Career.
she was a good actress.

[–] Disardor 10 years ago

Yes, without question the best part of the movie is the trading of barbs between Frederick and Annabelle. This is one of several Vincent Price movies that I watch (and quote) on a regular basis and it's primarily because of those lines of theirs.

[–] greenbudgie 10 years ago

Vincent Price expertly delivers those barbed lines to Carol Ohmart as his wife in the film. What surprises me is she gives as good as she gets. Well almost. I haven't seen Carol Ohmart in anything else. Which is a pity. I wish she had done more. And more with Vincent Price playing opposite her. Her looks and delivery in the film reminded me a lot of Barbara Stanwyck.

[–] ags123 10 years ago

Carol Ohmart - THE BEST!! Pretty hard to upstage Vincent Price, but she comes damn near close! She took what was essentially a bit part and made it memorable.

[–] spaceagegal 10 years ago

She and Hazel Court (The Raven and Masque of the Red Death) are probably the best female paring(s) Price has ever had. He needs a strong woman to bounce off of and, as has been said, the lines between Annabelle and Lawrence are priceless (no pun intended). 

[–] greenbudgie 9 years ago

If you want to see Vincent Price insulting his wife in another film, I recommend 'The Las Vegas Story' (1952). Vincent has another strong woman, Jane Russell, as his wife in that movie. Jane Russell slags off two of the other men in the film. But she comes off second best to Vincent Price in the acid remarks.