House of Wax (1953 film)

House of Wax is a 1953 film about an associate who burns down a wax museum with the owner inside, but he survives only to become vengeful and murderous.

Directed by André de Toth. Written by Crane Wilbur, based on the short story The Wax Works by Charles S. Belden.

The Wax Figures Also Looked Like Other People - People Who Had Disappeared..........  taglines

Prof. Henry Jarrod

• Once in his lifetime, every artist feels the hand of God, and creates something that comes alive.

• I'm afraid that the visit of a such distinguished critic may cause my children to become conceited. To you they are wax, but to me their creator, they live and breathe.

• Everything I ever loved has been taken away from me, but not you, my Marie Antoinette, for I will give you eternal life.

• Here's President Lincoln and his assassin John Wilkes Booth. One of my few concessions to the macabre.

• Jarrod is dead. I'm a reincarnation.

Dialogue

Prof. Henry Jarrod: People say they can see my Marie Antoinette breath, that her breast rises and falls , look at her eyes they follow you wherever you go.

Bruce Allison: You know her eyes do follow you.

Prof. Henry Jarrod: They're made of glass more's the pity, the exact size and color of the originals, they're inserted from inside by way of the hollow neck before the head is attached to the body. ..[looking at the figure of Marie Antoinette] Forgive me my dear for discussing your intimate secrets, forgive me gentlemen I lose myself at times.

Sidney Wallace: Professor if people knew what you had inside these walls you couldn't accommodate the crowds, what you need here is exploitation more advertising.

Bruce Allison: That's what I've been telling him.

Prof. Henry Jarrod: I'm afraid my partner wouldn't agree, he's not happy here he wants to invest in something else, Mr. Wallace would you care to become a partner in this venture would you buy him out?

Sidney Wallace: I just might take you up on that if my lawyers approve and the price is right.

Prof. Henry Jarrod: With your help I could do wonders and I'd make any sacrifice.

Sidney Wallace: Unfortunately I'm leaving for Egypt I'm financing some excavations there, however I'll be back in three months and I'll be glad to discuss it then.

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Cathy Gray: [Sue is helping Cathy get ready] Pull it tighter Sue, pull it tighter, I want a waist like Anna Held.

Sue Allen: If I pull it any tighter you're not going to be able to breath.

Cathy Gray: Oh that's alright, I don't need much breath anyway, as my late friend Matty used to say, if a girl don't watch her figure the men won't.

Sue Allen: Matty? Wasn't that the man you were going to marry?

Cathy Gray: Yes but he hung himself instead. [giggling] Oh Matty was such a card.

Sue Allen: Well where's your new friend going to take you tonight?

Cathy Gray: To the Hauffman House for dinner, then to Tony Pastors for the vaudeville show.

Sue Allen: That sounds like fun.

Cathy Gray: Oh yeah he's a free spender alright, a little bit older than I like them, but awfully distinguished looking, I'm moving up, [stops and breathes in slowly] I'm moving up honey, no girl ever hits the jackpot till after she passes 14th street.

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Matthew Burke: You ever thought of what would happen if we had a fire here? In the cellar, there are six barrels of wax. Wax is paraffin based. It's highly inflammable. This place would go up like a paint factory.

Prof. Henry Jarrod: Burn? Burn all of my people? You think I'm a murderer?

Matthew Burke: Stop dreaming, will you? These dummies are insured for $25,000. That's $12,500 for each of us. You wouldn't need Wallace, you'd have enough to begin again.

Prof. Henry Jarrod: No, I'd rather die myself than see my friends destroyed; I won't let you do it, and I'll kill you if you try!

Matthew Burke: Don't be stupid! All you have to do is strike a match, and the thing is done.

[Lights the fire and begins to scorch the wax museum]

Taglines

• The Wax Figures Also Looked Like Other People - People Who Had Disappeared..........
• Beauty and Terror meet in your seat...as every thrill of its story comes off the screen right at you in NaturalVision 3 dimension
• Nothing that has gone before can compare with this!
• You've never been scared until you've been scared in 3-D.
• Now Warners Bros bring you 3 dimension natural vision unlike anything you've seen before! A feature picture! A story sensation!
• Nothing that has gone before can compare with this
• UNLIKE ANYTHING YOU'VE SEEN BEFORE!
• Now Warners Bros bring you 3 dimension natural vision unlike anything you've seen before! A feature picture! A story sensation!

Cast

• Vincent Price — Professor Henry Jarrod
• Frank Lovejoy — Lt. Tom Brennan
• Carolyn Jones — Cathy Gray
• Phyllis Kirk — Sue Allen
• Paul Picerni — Scott Andrews
• Roy Roberts — Matthew Burke
• Paul Cavanagh — Sidney Wallace
• Dabbs Greer — Sgt. Jim Shane
• Angela Clarke — Mrs. Andrews
• Charles Bronson — Igor (credited as Charles Buchinsky)

External links

• House of Wax quotes at the Internet Movie Database
• House of Wax at Allmovie