This horror comedy pits Bela Lugosi against a by-now forgotten comic duo - Wally Brown and Alan Carney - whose intention, obviously, was to pose a threat to the success of the Abbott & Costello team (but this was not to be); their antics here aren't exactly deplorable, but neither are they very inspired...
Anyway, the film is more interesting for the various elements it borrows from one of the classic Val Lewton horrors (like this film, an RKO production), namely I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE (1943): not only is the narrative partly set on the island of San Sebastian (in fact, the Broadway section is restricted to the first half and the final reel!) but it also utilizes two cast members (in virtually the same roles) - Darby Jones as the bulging-eyed zombie and Sir Lancelot as a local troubadour (even his haunting song from the earlier film makes an appearance here, albeit with revised lyrics). Another connection with the Lewton horror cycle is cinematographer Jack Mackenzie (who shot ISLE OF THE DEAD in the same year as ZOMBIES ON Broadway); as for director Douglas, while he may have been chosen for this film because of his comedy background - having helmed among others the Laurel & Hardy vehicle SAPS AT SEA (1940) - his greatest success probably came when he made one of the milestones of horror/sci-fi cinema, THEM! (1954).
Lugosi (with eyebrows ridiculously joined together) is a long-lost scientist obsessed with bringing the dead back to life, and Joseph Vitale (who resembles Joe Spinell!) is his sinister-looking aide. The supporting cast also includes Sheldon Leonard (who appeared in two Abbott & Costello comedies) as a gangster threatening our heroes, Ian Wolfe as an eccentric museum curator and an old acquaintance of Lugosi's, and Louis Jean Heydt (Joe Brody in THE BIG SLEEP [1946]) as a radio personality trailing Leonard's shady exploits. As I said, the film's climax relocates to the U.S. and has Carney, Leonard and Brown (in that order) take turns donning the zombie make-up!
Anyway, the film is more interesting for the various elements it borrows from one of the classic Val Lewton horrors (like this film, an RKO production), namely I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE (1943): not only is the narrative partly set on the island of San Sebastian (in fact, the Broadway section is restricted to the first half and the final reel!) but it also utilizes two cast members (in virtually the same roles) - Darby Jones as the bulging-eyed zombie and Sir Lancelot as a local troubadour (even his haunting song from the earlier film makes an appearance here, albeit with revised lyrics). Another connection with the Lewton horror cycle is cinematographer Jack Mackenzie (who shot ISLE OF THE DEAD in the same year as ZOMBIES ON Broadway); as for director Douglas, while he may have been chosen for this film because of his comedy background - having helmed among others the Laurel & Hardy vehicle SAPS AT SEA (1940) - his greatest success probably came when he made one of the milestones of horror/sci-fi cinema, THEM! (1954).
Lugosi (with eyebrows ridiculously joined together) is a long-lost scientist obsessed with bringing the dead back to life, and Joseph Vitale (who resembles Joe Spinell!) is his sinister-looking aide. The supporting cast also includes Sheldon Leonard (who appeared in two Abbott & Costello comedies) as a gangster threatening our heroes, Ian Wolfe as an eccentric museum curator and an old acquaintance of Lugosi's, and Louis Jean Heydt (Joe Brody in THE BIG SLEEP [1946]) as a radio personality trailing Leonard's shady exploits. As I said, the film's climax relocates to the U.S. and has Carney, Leonard and Brown (in that order) take turns donning the zombie make-up!