The Brute Man (1946)

Director: Jean Yarbrough

Writer: Dwight V. Babcock, George Bricker

Tagline: His brain cried "Kill, kill, kill!"

Actors: Rondo Hatton, Tom Neal, Jan Wiley, Jane Adams, Donald MacBride, Peter Whitney, Fred Coby, Janelle Johnson Dolenz

Runtime: 58m

Category: Killer, Thriller

Synopsis: “Extra, Extra, Read All About It!” A killer named, “The Creeper,” has been terrorizing a quiet port city. The police have no usable sketches from witnesses because anyone who has witnessed the Creeper is dead. His brutish murder tactics and his illusiveness have stumped the police, until one night The Creeper…well…creeps, into a blind piano teacher’s apartment. They end up becoming friends but he police have a hidden agenda. Will The Creeper continue to terrorize this quaint little port city, or will the police hatch a brilliant scheme to take him down, and fast!

Review: Even though I watched this movie through Mystery Science Theatre 3000 (MST3K), I was still able to catch the nuances. I noticed that even though this movie seems hokey and boring to us today, these were the times where killings started popping up. I know that people have been killing each other since Cain and Able but I think you get the point. In an era that was very laid back and lax, the thought of some one robbing, mugging, or even strangling you was unheard of! That is what is so scary about this movie: the fact that in a time where these things were not a concern, throwing that kind of behavior into a peaceful town is terrifying! These are things that we hear about daily on the local news; “Two stabbed to death in downtown Detroit,” or “A local, elderly woman was savagely beaten earlier today by a group of thugs…strangely, none of her possessions seemed to be missing.” You see? That is what is so scary; these people were petrified because this was behavior that was never a problem before…and now all of the sudden, it seems to be lurking around every corner. Apart from all that, there is something to say about The Creeper being a “manual killer,” meaning he physically kills his victims without weapons. This fact showed just how deranged The Creeper was, that he didn’t just go around shooting people, he took time to wrap his hands around some one’s neck and squeeze until the life literally seeped out of them. These were not random killings…these were revenge murders! There is actually a huge difference; revenge murders are actually more brutal. If you decide to see this movie, do not be expecting much. It was scary for the time and that’s it. If you are a nostalgic movie person than by all means find this movie!

Rating: 17. This movie must be taken into context…which is that it was made in 1946 and these were the things that scared people back then. Properly noted, this movie was scary as hell! With the hideous face of the famous Rondo Hatton as The Creeper, and the fear of that face creeping right around the corner really scared people back then. The acting wasn’t terrible and the story and plot line were both solid. I liked how they portrayed The Creeper as a menacing killer with a soft spot for blind piano teachers; it showed that his killings were not to just kill, but take revenge on those who betrayed him and anyone who gets in his way! Sorry for the length of this review…it is hard to just sum-up sometimes, especially with older movies most people take out of context. (17of25).