One of the great injustices of the genre hierarchy that was so prominent during the Golden Age of Hollywood was that the supposed prestige films, such as westerns and melodramas, were promoted as being the most integral to every studio, whereas those shafted to the category of B-movie were seen as lesser achievements, and only worthy of being at the tail-end of more elite motion pictures. Despite what studios considered to be quite a clear hierarchy, the reality is that the majority of films that have remained in the public consciousness and become influential in their own right are from those very genres that were previously dismissed. You would struggle to find films from the 1940s that are more engaging and intriguing that the horror films that these studios produced at a rapid pace, knowing that they were popular enough with a certain demographic, but not nearly enough to take the focus. Yet, there’s still something so intriguing about a well-made classical horror, as we see in the form of Invisible Ghost, in which director Joseph H. Lewis (a few years before he started to make a name for himself) weaves a tremendous yarn about a mild-mannered nobleman who has been mourning the death of his wife, all the while his household begins to be terrorized by an unseen killer who starts to prey on the employees before making their way up the hierarchy to the family itself – and as we’d expect, there are a number of surprises lurking around every corner, and revelations aplenty that make it clear that nothing is entirely as it seems. Complex and genuinely unsettling in the way that only a classic-era horror can be, Invisible Ghost is yet another terrific entry into a genre that has only grown in estimation as the years have gone by, in one of the great subversions of studio-based logic we have ever seen.

During the Golden Age of Hollywood, it was very easy to make a horror – choose the most appropriate kind of villain, whether human or otherwise, place them in a single location (as very little more was required), have a few genuinely good characters and a couple that are more morally ambiguous, and start shooting. Many filmmakers would view this as awfully restrictive, but Lewis had consistently proven himself to be someone who appreciates the freedom he got, since these horror films were far less regulated than the prestige films, and as a result he made for free reign, and was able to set the foundation for a few decades of tremendous filmmaking. Invisible Ghost predates his masterpieces like Gun Crazy and The Big Combo, and its also the rare horror film he directed – but yet, the traits of his origins as one of the pioneering auteurs of his generation (a label that has come to be more widely accepted when discussing his work) are clear throughout this film, particularly in how he handles the narrative. Invisible Ghost plays like a blend of genres, containing elements of mystery, film noir, romantic melodrama and social satire, all woven together into this deft, genre-defying masterwork that goes against conventions in creative and daring ways. There are many elements that he brings to this film that were quite daring for the era – the sense of chaos that encompasses the film, the lack of a happy ending (although there is a clear resolution, which strikes us as having been tacked on by the studio, since everything leading up to it made it seem like Lewis was more interested in a slightly more nihilstic conclusion) and some of the stylistic details speak to a film that may have been produced cheaply, but not without artistic merit aplenty.

Fear as a concept is one that has a long history across many different disciplines, whether philosophical, psychological or artistic. The three converge together splendidly in Invisible Ghost, which fashions itself as the rare kind of horror film from this period that insists on finding a more human root to evil, rather than asserting the blame on the supernatural. This forces this film to focus less on the the abstraction and more on finding more concrete ways to explore its subject matter. The “invisible ghost” that the title refers to isn’t an actual entity, but rather likely refers to the psychological state of the main character, a man who has allowed his grief to manifest into a kind of delusion, triggered by the most inconsequential of moments, essentially anything that reminds him of his deceased wife. There are many bizarre elements behind this film (not once did it ever promise to be realistic), but its abstract ideas are firmly rooted in reality, and screenwriters Al Martin and Helen Martin do exceptionally well to conduct thorough research into real psychomatic and mental conditions, particularly those relating to grief and post-traumatic stress disorder, relaying them to this main character, with Invisible Ghost being one of the first notable uses of PTSD in a horror film, something that would become more common in later decades. This is not the only aspect of this film that was radically ahead of its time, but its the foundation on which most of the subversive and deftly complex elements of the story are developed.

The brilliance of this film comes in its smaller details, particularly those designed to progress the plot, which is filtered through the character development. Trivial and almost amusing quirks soon begin to be viewed as deeply unsettling characteristics of someone who is clearly mentally not well, and which in turn fester and become the foundation for his innermost psychological quandaries, carefully pieced together to form this unsettling and harsh portrait of someone who has allowed his grief to take over so much, it results in him developing into a psychopath when he is under this trance. Its a strange but compelling approach, and one that Lewis develops in detail, making sure that we are entirely engaged from beginning to end. To bring this part to life, Bela Lugosi was cast – and while he was undeniably playing a far more sympathetic character, he does turn out to be the villain, albeit only through the trauma-infused delusions that cause him to act out erratically. Its a fascinating performance from a truly terrific actor, and while it may not be the most complex work he did in terms of the overall film, his performance simmers with such incredible intensity and profound attention to detail, it becomes one of his most interesting portrayals, and one that aligns perfectly with how the film attempts to offer a very different perspective on the concept of evil as something designed specifically to challenge the artistic status quo.

As far as horror films go, Invisible Ghost is inexplicably obscure. If we are considering the films produced at the time, it makes sense why audiences may not have reacted favourably – its a thorny, harsh and often quite challenging film that fiddles with the psychology of the viewer, and presents the idea that evil is not innate, and that even the most valiant and upstanding citizens are capable of malice, which goes against the common principle that someone is born evil, or has some trait from the start that indicates their inner villainy. However, what audiences at the time viewed as unlikable and contradictory to their conservative values is repurposed to be exciting and enticing for modern viewers, which is precisely why Invisible Ghost has developed a small but significant following. It has many unique ideas, and a vision that points us in the direction of something much more bleak, but still wickedly entertaining. Its not a film that carries too much weight in terms of its underlying themes, but it is still very original in how it embraces certain ideas, proving to be a lot more experimental than we may have expected. Dark and deceptive, but thrilling all at the same time, Invisible Ghost is a terrific film, one that is narratively interesting and visually striking, filled with great performances and a sense of artistic curiosity that makes it one of the more bespoke entries into the B-movie horror genre from that era.