Source: Maynard’s Horror Movie Diary
Vincent Price without his trademark mustache is still Vincent Price, but less menacing, so when he plays the part of the reluctant murdering psychologist Dr. Cross in Shock (1946), it all still feels right. He hates his wife and accidentally kills her; on the advice of his lover he arranges for the murder to look like an accident, and she is now urging him to kill the young woman who witnessed the crime, fell into shock, and came inadvertently under his care. His lover apparently comes without any sort of moral system, exhibiting none of the regret and guilt that is gradually enveloping Dr. Cross, but he allows her voice of sociopathic desire to control him until the bitter end, where his unfettered desires have shepherded him, like cattle to the slaughter. Only on the bitter edge does he find the moral courage to try to set things right.
Too bad about that voice of desire on his shoulder.
This is competent, if not absolutely exciting Vincent Price. The horror of coming under the care of a man who just committed murder – and him knowing your know? The danger of letting a vindictive spouse prod you into an unwise action? It’s provocative, has good acting and an OK script – a better script could have really enhanced this movie. But we enjoyed it, and while near the end we could guess where it was going, we enjoyed getting there.
Oh, and an uncredited appearance by John Davidson as a crazy dude was quite impressive – we thought the eyes starting from his head (who ever came up with that phrase?) were truly well done. Too bad he only had the one scene.
