The Vulture (1937 film)

The Vulture is a 1937 British thriller film directed by Ralph Ince. It stars Arthur Wontner, a popular actor known for portraying Sherlock Holmes in a series of earlier films, along with Tamara Desni and Alan Brooks.

The film revolves around a series of mysterious deaths linked to a legendary curse associated with a remote area in Cornwall. Wontner plays Dr. George Mortimer, a skeptical scientist who investigates the strange occurrences, suspecting a rational explanation rather than supernatural forces. Desni portrays Joan Sheldon, a woman connected to the cursed land, and Brooks plays her love interest, Robert Ford.

The plot involves local superstitions, suspicious characters, and a search for hidden treasure rumored to be buried within the cursed grounds. As Dr. Mortimer delves deeper into the mystery, he uncovers a web of secrets and deception, eventually revealing the true cause of the deaths and exposing the villain responsible.

The Vulture is considered a B-movie and a minor work in the filmographies of its director and star. It features a blend of thriller, mystery, and horror elements, typical of the genre films produced in Britain during the 1930s. While not a critically acclaimed film, it offers an example of the popular crime and mystery cinema of the period. It is notable for featuring Wontner in a role distinct from his Sherlock Holmes character. The film's atmosphere draws on elements of Cornish folklore and the perceived eeriness of the Cornish landscape.