Brilliant doctor Boris Karlov (Warner Oland), driven mad by his daughter’s death and a thirst for vengeance against the family of the man responsible, and especially the man himself, pursues his mad schemes of destruction even after the passage of years and an intervening political revolution. Indeed, having made himself useful to the Communists, he gains the power to pursue the Russian nobles who are his targets to the United States, where one of them, Prince Nicholas Petroff (Lloyd Hughes), inadvertently involves a young woman, Kitty Connover (June Collier), in his plight, which makes her a target for Karlov as well. Oland is excellent as the menacing doctor, and Wallace MacDonald is suitably hiss-worthy as the rotter responsible for the ruination and death of Karlov’s daughter; Hughes and Collier are pleasant enough in their sympathetic roles, and Clara Blandick nearly steals the show with her portrayal of Kitty’s Aunt Abbie.

  Recommended. Otto finds this one pleasing enough to relax.

Movie 353 for 2021.