Retro Chiller: The Return of Dracula

Francis Lederer

There have been a number of cinematic variations on the story of Dracula, but do you recall the vampire tale whose story echoed that of a classic film by Alfred Hitchcock? That film is The Return of Dracula, an entertaining low budget chiller released in 1958. In order to elude a group of vampire hunters in Europe, the legendary vampire kills an artist named Bellac Gordal, and assumes his identity. Dracula visits Bellac’s family, who live in California, posing as their distant relative. The family consists of Bellac’s cousin, Cora, a widow who hasn’t seen him since they were much younger, and her two children; Rachel, a teenager who has ambitions to become an artist, and her younger brother, Mickey. Rachel is particularly intrigued and dazzled by Bellac's tales of his exotic life in Europe, much to the consternation of her boyfriend, Tim, who's pretty sure there is something odd about him.

Bellac has some strange habits; he sleeps all day, keeps his room locked, and only comes out at night. Of course, he’s got a coffin stashed in an abandoned mine shaft outside of town, and that’s where he’s really spending the daylight hours. Any self-respecting vampire needs his sustenance, so Bellac/Dracula slakes his thirst with the family cat, then hunts for bigger game. He feeds on Jenny, a young blind girl who lives at a parish house, which is run by the kindly Reverend Whitfield. Rachel volunteers there, and is distressed to see her friend’s failing health. No one can explain her strange condition. She tells Rachel she’s having eerie dreams and dark visions of her death. Jenny is later transformed into a vampire by Bellac.

Rachel (Norma Eberhardt) and her family continue to be charmed by Bellac, despite his eccentric behavior. Bellac wants Rachel to become his bride, and spend eternity with him. Meanwhile, the vampire hunters, posing as immigration agents, track Dracula to California, and try to locate his hiding place. Bellac discovers their presence, and dispatches Jenny to take care of them. Will Bellac’s true nature be revealed? Can Tim keep Rachel from becoming Bellac’s next victim? The Return of Dracula is a well-crafted B-movie that offers a slightly different spin on the story of the world’s most famous vampire. While the film is most definitely a low budget affair, it does have some interesting moments. In fact, Rachel’s fascination with her cousin is a neat parallel to a similar situation in the Hitchcock classic Shadow of a Doubt, where another young woman's charming uncle is later revealed to be a notorious killer.

Francis Lederer does a nice job in the role of Bellac/Dracula, radiating old world charm, touched up with an undercurrent of quiet menace. It’s not as florid as the performances by actors like Bela Lugosi, Christopher Lee or Frank Langella, but it suits the film’s understated style. Lederer actually reprised the role in an episode of Night Gallery in 1971. The rest of the cast is solid; you may recognize character actor Gage Clark, who plays Reverend Whitfield. Clark also appeared in films such as The Bad Seed and The Absent Minded Professor, as well as TV series like Maverick and The Twilight Zone. The excellent black and white cinematography by Jack McKenzie includes a brief (and surprising) splash of color during a key sequence. The Return of Dracula is an effective chiller, and worth a look for B-movie fans, and those with a particular taste for vampire tales. Here’s a link to the film’s trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ULuL07ptuY.