You get to find out. You can probably guess what the secret of the Red House is but it doesn't matter as the film gently carries you through the story with some spookiness, tension and drama thrown in and used to good effect. It's a simple setting and a simple story about the effect of a house on nutcase Edward G (Pete) and the curse of the woods.After student Lon McCallister (Nath) takes his first walk through the woods at night-time, the scary woods become the most important cast member. No way would I be returning. We get a mystery/thriller as teenagers Lon and Allene Roberts (Meg) explore the woods in search of the Red House. There are many secrets and dangers that lurk in this forest setting.Julie London turns up in a role as sexually aware student Tibby before her singing career took off in real life. All the cast do fine although sometimes the dialogue delivery from Lon is slightly off – he has moments where he is a little too rude to Edward G and out of his depth when challenging farmhand Rory Calhoun. He's got guts but I don't think so!

THE RED HOUSE is an odd little mix of Southern Gothic and western adventure, featuring a young cast tangling with a kooky old-timer. The latter role is played by familiar gangster movie star Edward G. Robinson in a lip-licking performance that makes the whole movie; to say that he's hiding some pretty dark secrets is an understatement, and the whole story hinges on his highly entertaining performance.The rest of the film isn't quite in Robinson's lead, although it's watchable enough. The fresh and likable Lon McCallister falls for the pretty Allene Roberts, who is Robinson's likable daughter. An air of mystery hangs over Robinson's estate, in particular the titular dwelling which nobody is allowed to go near. The mystery, as it transpires, is quite straightforward, although there are shades of REBECCA and GASLIGHT in the build-up. Watch out for future western star Rory Calhoun as a thuggish type who prowls the woods with his rifle.

I had forgotten all about this film until I acquired it in the Dark Crimes 50-Pack Films Collection and watched it again. It's a pretty good mystery thriller. It is worth watching if you happen to run across the film. It is in fact a Dark Crime film.A secret is being harbored about the red house in the woods by Pete Morgan (Edward G. Robinson). Pete adopted Meg for his daughter after her parents ran off and raised her with the help his sister Ellen. Pete has a wooden leg and his sister insisted he is in need of some help around the farm. Pete finally agrees and hires Meg's friend Nath to help but tells Nath and reminds Meg NOT go to into the "haunted woods" where the red house stands. Nath and Meg are very curious and ends up trying to solve the mystery of the red house.Unnecessary to the core of the story is Tibby, Nath's girlfriend - their part of the story is really more of a time filler than anything.Overall a good little mystery film.6/10

. . . especially when he's down to his last leg, as "Pete" (Edward G. Robinson) is in THE RED HOUSE. This low-budget mess resulted from someone's lame idea that if you threw several unknown young actors together with "Mrs. Danvers" (REBECCA's Judith Anderson) and DR. CLITTERHOUSE himself (Robinson) you might get a passable suspense and\or horror flick. Unfortunately, the trashy script, based upon a magazine serial, plays like Eugene O'Neill Lite. Instead of DESIRE UNDER THE ELMS, we're treated to WAILING IN THE WOODS. Pete is mad as a hatter, but he lives in some alternate universe in which everyone else exists as his zombie-like enablers, whose sole purpose is to carry out his crazy commands. From sister Ellen to ward Meg, from gamekeeper Teller to handy boy Nath, from Nympho Tibby to Doc Byrne, everyone lets Peg-leg Pete get away with murder. To add insult to injury, this flop is filmed in grainy black & white. Truth-in-advertising dictates that it be retitled THE GRAY HOUSE.