Murders In The Rue Morgue (1932)

In 1845 in Paris, mad scientist Dr. Mirakle abducts young women
and injects them with ape blood to create a mate for Erik, his
talking sideshow ape. Pierre Dupin, a young, naive medical
student and detective, Pierre's fiancée Camille L'Espanaye, and
their friends Paul and Mignette, visit Mirakle's sideshow, where
he exhibits Erik. Both Mirakle and his servant Janos are
enchanted by Camille, who Mirakle plans as a mate for Erik.
Mirakle invites Camille to take a closer look at Erik, who grabs
her bonnet. Pierre tries to retrieve the bonnet but Erik tries to
strangle him. Mirakle restrains Erik and offers to replace the
bonnet but Camille is suspicious and is reluctant to give the
doctor her address. When Pierre and Camille leave, Mirakle orders
Janos to follow them.


One of Mirakle's victims, a prostitute, is found dead in a river
and her body is taken to the police station. Pierre wants to
examine the victim's blood but the morgue keeper forbids it.
Pierre bribes the morgue keeper to draw some of the victim's
blood and deliver it to him the next day. Pierre discovers a
foreign substance in the blood of the prostitute and other murder
victims. Mirakle visits Camille and asks her to visit Erik again;
when she refuses, Mirakle sends Erik to kidnap her. Pierre, who
is leaving his flat, hears Camille's screams; he tries to enter
the room but it is locked. When Erik has retreated, the police
arrive and arrest Pierre. Neither Camille nor her mother are
found. A police prefect interviews three witnesses: Italian
Alberto Montani, German Franz Odenheimer and a Danish man, all of
whom state they heard Camille screaming and someone else talking
in a foreign language. Camille's mother is found dead; her body
is stuffed into a chimney and her hand is clutching ape fur, from
which Pierre deduces Erik may be involved.


The police, along with Pierre, run to Mirakle's hideout, where
Erik turns against Mirakle and strangles him. When the police
arrive, Erik grabs Camille and the police chase him and shoot
Janos, who tries to keep them at bay. The police corner Erik on
the roof of a small dockside house. Erik confronts Pierre, who
fatally shoots Erik, saving his fiancée from peril.