"Karloff alone makes it a worthy classic, but Wise's smart direction is enough to push it well up into the second-tier at least of Lewton films, though it just falls short of their extremest heights of great atmosphere and psychological perception. Still, it's a nice tight horror movie of the old school, heavy on implication and resolutely performed by people who didn't care if they were talented enough to deserve better material. A strong, well above-average effort in almost every way, there's no evidence at all that Lewton's first brush with money and success dulled his instincts, and while it is generally agreed that he would make no more great films after this one, it by no means feels autumnal or valedictory - just another one of the rock-solid B-pictures that he so consistently cranked out, making better horror movies than anybody else in that generation." - Tim Brayton, Antagony & Ecstasy