Another Val Lewton horror film, and one of the more iconic ones. Lewton's second film for RKO is a kind of voodoo version of Jane Eyre. Canadian nurse Betsy Connell (Francis Dee) is hired to care for the sick wife of Paul Holland (Tom Conway, actor George Sanders lesser known brother) at his sugar plantation on the Caribbean island of Saint Sebastian. The British Holland has an American half brother named Wesley Rand (James Ellison) the product of a his mothers (Edith Barretts) second marriage. Mrs. Jessica Holland (Christine Gordon) had been left a kind of high functioning comatose, as in she can walk and respond to basic commands, but can not speak or doing anything proactively. The circumstances under which she arrived at this state are shrouded in mystery, the Holland/Rand family not wanting to talk about it. It becomes pretty clear however that the fate of Mrs. Holland was tied up with a love triangle between her, Paul and Wesley.
Betsy quickly falls for the brooding Mr. Holland and paradoxically desires to cure Mrs. Holland to make him happy (she is not yet aware of the love triangle). Betsy learns of a native voodoo priest who can reportedly work miracles and takes Jessica there one night, the locals in attendance react badly as their rituals indicate that Mrs. Holland is a zombie and must be put down, though they keep another, rather creepy looking zombie around for some reason. Anyway Gothic, melodramatic, voodoo-centric plot ensues. The movie does a great job of creating mood, and even though most of it is obviously filmed on a studio sound stage, it felts like its a hot damp climate there. No standout performances, though Calypso legend Sir Lancelot has a small part as, surprise, a Calypso singer. **1/2
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