Yet another movie that has fallen prey to poor copies released by numerous companies since it fell into public domain titles is saved by The Film Detective. While perhaps not the greatest film ever made it does offer an evening's worth of entertainment that all ages can watch leaving children with a bit of dread and adults with a chuckle or two.Agnes Moorehead, just before her stint as Endora in the popular TV series BEWITCHED, stars as mystery writer Cornelia van Gorder who has just rented a country home known as The Oaks in a small town where her celebrity status is well known. Her constant companion Lizzie tells her that the house is supposed to be filled with mystery, enough so that the servants eventually all leave save two. At the same time a local killer has returned to wreak havoc on the town, a killer who leaves no trace and is known only as The Bat.While this is going on the local bank president has gone on a hunting trip with his trusted friend Dr. Malcolm Wells (Vincent Price). There he reveals that he is responsible for embezzling $1 million dollars from the bank and is willing to split it with Wells if he will simply help him with killing a local guide and passing the body off as his own. Apparently Wells isn't as good a friend as he thinks since he kills him first but not before finding out with certainty where the money is hidden in his home, The Oaks.After returning home Wells is contacted when Lizzie is bitten by an actual bat inside of the house and fearful she might get "the rabies". This gives Wells an excuse to visit the house and perhaps a chance to find the hidden stolen loot. But his plans go wrong when The Bat himself, the person responsible for releasing the actual bat into the house, continues to visit the home as well.Local police chief Lt. Any Anderson is called out and sets up an officer to keep an eye on the house. The Bat eluded him once before and he doesn't intend to let him slip through his fingers again. The suspects are plentiful from Wells to the house's chauffeur turned butler Warner. The clues are there but never certain enough to identify just who The Bat is and why he's returned. All comes to a finale when Cornelia invites over several friends to help her piece the puzzle together. But can they survive another night of The Bat? Based on the novel THE CIRCULAR STAIRCASE by mystery writer Mary Roberts Rinehart, this was the fourth time the book had been adapted for the screen. The film itself is definitely of the low budget variety and every scene is definitely shot on soundstages, including outdoor sequences. There is little doubt in my mind that many of the sets used in this film weren't made just for this movie but probably reused in countless other films as well.Perhaps what makes this movie stand out is the caliber of the actors involved here. Price had played as a leading man in many films prior to his stint as horror film icon. This was made just after his turns in THE FLY, THE TINGLER and THE HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL but before his memorable performances in the Roger Corman Edgar Allan Poe films. Moorhead had begun as an actress in the Orson Welles films like CITIZEN KANE and THE MAGNIFICENT AMBERSON before a long career in series television. Both add to the production here.While a bit over the top in some ways the film does offer a solid mystery to be solved and one that isn't quite so obvious in its conclusion. To my knowledge it is also the first time the film has been offered on blu-ray. The Film Detective has once more brought forth the best quality print possible of the film and offered it without extras to get in the way. Instead you find yourself with a fun movie that will entertain while seeming silly in other ways. But if you put that aside and take the movie in on its own terms you're bound to have a good time.

The Bat has a woman writer who is like Agatha Christie. She stays at a house that has a mysterious reputation.A person called the "Bat" kills women. Miss Cornelia wrote murder mysteries and does not scare easy. She does her own investigating in this story.The story was good but some things did not make sense. They throw you off guard to make you think someone else as the Bat. They make 4 men looks like suspects. The Bat kills women with gloves that have claws and wears a mask. There is more than one killer in this movie. The Bat cuts all the telephone wires in the house so the women cannot call out. Police are stationed around the house no one is caught. One cop is stationed in the house. He drinks wine that is drugged and passes out. He is supposed to guard 5 women and a butler.The goofy thing that happens is this drugged cop calls the police station from the phone in the house where the wires were cut recently. Then to me the suspense falls apart a bit. If they cannot see their own mistake about making the phone work when it has been cut I don't know. Vincent Price is in this and he is always a nut case. The movie is in black and white. Agnes Moorehead plays the writer. She is young, beautiful and smart.Really a pretty good mystery. Free to watch or download on this link. http://free-classic-movies.com/movies-05/05-1959-The-Bat/index.php

I've gotta love these ladies! They are quite funny, tough and pretty smart. They are out to help crack the mystery of "the bat"! Who is "the bat"? You'll have to watch this interesting mystery-thriller to find the answer.This movie is worth watching if you love a good mystery with a few thrills involved. There's a bit of humor thrown into the mix for those that like a little comedy in their mysteries - just enough to spice things up a bit.Agnes Moorehead is about as tough as she can be as Cornelia van Gorder - I can tell you she's not "the bat" but she's out to get him. Moorehead's role as Gorder is almost as scary as "the bat" because she can be as mean as a bat in at times in this flick. Great performance from Agnes - which is one of the reasons this film is worth watching! Vincent Price- what can I say? He's got a quiet wickedness in this film that is, well, "Priceless" ;) Good film over all - makes a great late night flick! 8/10

Horrible crappy little low budget film. A female crime writer rents a mansion with a suspicious history to write a new novel. Meanwhile, said mansion owner steals a million dollars from his own bank and is murdered by Vincent Price for the money. He just has to find it, as it is hidden somewhere in the house. Meanwhile (again), a thief and murderer named The Bat is on the prowl in and around the mansion, also after the money. The story was pretty bland, the acting in some parts was so terrible it was weird (mainly the police detective) and I got too bored to watch to the end.