The Return of the Vampire, starring Bela Lugosi, proves that war can be hazardous to the health and day-to-day activities of the Un-Dead.
Background
The Return of the Vampire (1944), a Columbia Pictures release, tells the tale of Romanian scientist turned vampire, Armand Tesla (Bela Lugosi). Due to his obsession with the occult, Dr. Tesla is relegated to the eternal un-death and takes a werewolf named Andreas, portrayed by Matt Willis, as his slave.
Tesla’s Tussle with Dr. Saunders
For some reason, Dr. Tesla lands in London during World War I. Dr. William Saunders (Gilbert Emery) treats several of the Romanian’s victims, coming to discover the unholy truth about their attacker. He and his assistant, Lady Jane Ainsley (Freda Inescort), hunt down the not-so-good doc during the daytime and stick a stake through his heart. However, that’s after Tesla bites Saunders’ granddaughter Niki on the neck.
While the Not-So-Good Doctor Slept
Over 20 years after Tesla’s death, things have changed quite a bit. Niki and Lady Jane’s son, John (Rolando Varno) are engaged to be married. Lady Jane has followed in her mentor’s footsteps as a respected doctor, and Dr. Saunders has passed on.
Lady Jane eventually discovers some of Dr. Saunders’ writings. She takes these to Scotland Yard and Sir Fredrick Fleet (Miles Mander). She asks for Tesla’s body to be exhumed. However, Sir Fredrick, who doesn’t believe in vampires, would rather commit Lady Jane, who saved Andreas from Tesla’s clutches so he could work in her lab, to an asylum or have her prosecuted for murder.
Tesla’s Return
Between Dr. Tesla’s involuntary internment, WWI ended and World War II began. During a bomb raid, the graveyard where his body was kept was disturbed. Two volunteer gravediggers inadvertently take out the stake in the Romanian’s heart, reviving him.
The Aftermath
Immediately, Tesla makes contact with Andreas, who has been helping Lady Jane rescue scientists from Nazi Germany in addition to his lab duties. Andreas reluctantly returns to the doctor’s employ. They kill Doctor Bruckner, who never appears on screen, and Tesla assumes his identity.
Tesla also resorts to his blood-sucking ways, calling Niki to him in the night. Under his control, she attacks her fiancée, John. Lady Jane begs for Sir Fredrick’s help. It seems that, with time, she has come to suspect that Dr. Bruckner is really Armand Tesla. Unfortunately, the detective is still an un-believer and offers little help.
The Outcome
Tesla realizes the heat is on so to speak and puts his plans in motion. He tries to take Niki for his own at the same time as yet another, convenient bomb raid. However, Andreas remembers that there is good in him as Lady Ainsley told him. He struggles to save his own soul – and perhaps Niki’s as well. The vampire delivers a fatal blow to his faithless werewolf servant. However, Andreas doesn’t die alone. He rams that stake in Tesla’s heart at dawn, ensuring that the vampire will not return again.
