The Alligator People (1959)

"I'll kill you Alligator Man! Just like I'd kill any four-legged gator!" - Manon

A lady tries to find the mysterious whereabouts of her husband.
Starring: Beverly Garland, George Macready, Frieda Inescort, and Lon Chaney Jr.

Link to IMDB

A seemingly untroubled and normal lady is put to sleep under hypnosis, and then she recounts a strange story that apparently happened to her...

Joyce and Paul are happy newlyweds on their honeymoon, but suddenly Paul disappears and leaves Joyce mystified. Years later, after tracking down a few clues about Paul's past, Joyce finds herself in the south bayou at a plantation that might be his childhood home.

Mrs. Hawthorne owns the place but she's never heard of Paul, but she invites Joyce to stay the night and rest anyways. The house is mysterious and has a sense of evil about it, and Joyce soon realizes that Mrs. Hawthorne is hiding something from her.
A man named Dr. Sinclair also lives there, and he's conducting some dangerous tests in his laboratory that involves alligators and radiation.
Gee, I wonder if that's going to lead to trouble?


When Joyce sees a disfigured man lurking about, she decides to unravel the mystery of what is going on here, and how it involves her missing husband. She's not going to get any help from the locals though, and what she uncovers might just be too uncanny for her mind to grasp!

Mrs. Hawthorne                         Dr. Sinclair                           Mystery Man

I picked this movie for the excellent cast and the hopes of seeing a crazy alligator monster. The movie delivered what I wanted, but it still left me disappointed. For the most part, things are well put together and skillfully executed, but it's rather dull at times and feels too much like a melodramatic soap opera. Instead of embracing any campiness of the premise, it remains serious and without any humour.

Gator tests

Keeping a serious tone does allow the mystery to unfold quite nicely, but I was hoping for more wackiness, or at least creepiness. The titular "alligator man" does eventually get into action and it's pretty schlocky, but of course it's saved for the final 10 minutes.

For an old-timey mystery movie it gets the job done and the actors are good, but it's not going to be remembered as a classic.


Be sure not to miss:
- A box labelled "Caution Radioactive Material" is as good a place to sit as any.
- Swamp Buggy.

Internet review:
"A charmingly stupid film, but nothing to write home about." - El Santo

Should I watch it?
It's not a classic, but still decent.

Where can I find it?
Here on YouTube.

The Alligator People gets...