"I took part in pagan rites. I assumed the form of a wolf. I even hunted with the wolves."
She-Wolf of London is a 1946 horror thriller from Universal, directed by Jean Yarbrough and starring June Lockhart.
People are being attacked by a mysterious individual at a London park, to the bafflement of Scotland Yard. Meanwhile, Phyllis Allenby (Lockhart), a rich heiress who lives nearby, is worried that it's all her doing, due to the legend of the "Curse of the Allenbys". According to the legend, the Allenby bloodline was cursed by partaking in "pagan rites" in the past and they are bound to transform into wolves....
Has nothing to do with the 1990 television series of the same name — and practically nothing to do with the rest of the Universal Horror cycle, for that matter.
This film contains the examples of:
- Almost Dead Guy: When the fatal blow is struck on Detective Latham, he manages to tell to the constables nearby that he was attacked by the "wolf-woman" before dying.
- Bond Villain Stupidity: Instead of simply killing her, Martha tells Phyllis her entire plan.
- Britain Is Only London: London is the only part of Britain featured in the film.
- Dutch Angle: The climactic scene is shot in this.
- Evil-Detecting Dog: Allenby Mansion's guard dogs, which don't like Phyllis much. Averted as it's revealed that Phyllis is innocent.
- Hoist by His Own Petard: Martha dies on her own knife when she falls down the stairs while chasing the maid Hannah, who heard Martha telling her plan to Phyllis.
- In the Hood: The killer's onscreen appearances is shown hiding behind the hood.
- Impairment Shot: Pale splotches swim across the camera for a few shots when Phyllis has been drugged.
- Manipulative Bastard: Martha Winthrop.
- The Reveal: Martha has been making Phyllis believe that she been committing the murders.
- Shout-Out to Shakespeare: While talking about werewolf lore, Barry quotes The Merchant of Venice to Phyllis.Barry: To hold opinion with Pythagoras,
That souls of animals infuse themselves
Into the trunks of men: thy currish spirit
Govern’d a wolf, who, hang’d for human slaughter,
Even from the gallows did his fell soul fleet,
And whilst thou lay’st in thy unhallow’d dam,
Infus’d itself in thee; for thy desires
Are wolfish, bloody, starv’d, and ravenous.Phyllis: Please stop it Barry! - Starving Artist: Dwight Severn, the target of Carol's affections is described as this by her mother.
- Titles May Be Deceiving: There is no actual werewolf anywhere in the picture.
- What Happened to the Mouse?: The Allenby Mansion's guard dogs are shown going after the killer and disappear completely after that.
- The X of Y
