As I watched Gloria Holden’s portrayal of Count Dracula’s daughter, the Countess Marya Zaleska, I just kept thinking one thing: Why isn’t the character of Countess Zaleska more well-known?
All horror fans (and beyond) are familiar with the iconic image of the Bride of Frankenstein (performed by Elsa Lanchester). But the truth is that the Bride only had a few minutes of actual screen time (with no lines) before her almost-husband collapsed the roof down on top of her.
Zaleska was the lead character for an entire film – yet she’s unknown except for the most diehard of Universal Monster movie fans.
[Watch the trailer for the movie HERE.]
Poor old Gloria didn’t even get top billing in her own movie. It’s a travesty of justice!
I suppose it all comes down to the iconic look of the Bride. The famous make up artist Jack Pierce & superstar director James Whale collaborated on the Bride’s look. They based her iconic Marcel-wave hairstyle on the Egyptian queen, Nefertiti.
Lanchester’s performance, including her infamous goose-hissing, cemented the Bride. I do love the Bride. But I also love the Countess.
She’s beautiful, elegant, well-spoken and well-mannered – and when the thirst gets to her, she is as ruthless as Count Dracula himself. But unlike the Count, Zaleska is a tragic and sympathetic character.
Zaleska doesn’t kill because she wants to… but because her cursed disease creates insatiable cravings that are more powerful than her will. Like an alcoholic, she is powerless against her disease.
If only there were scenes with the Countess in a more dramatic costume she would be more popular. Maybe then horror artists would paint her as the Countess painted women in her studio. Maybe her face would be shown around Halloween, or emblazoned on a few t-shirts.
Alas, she remains unknown.
Except to those few of us to recognize her for the fantastic creature that she was.
PLOT SUMMARY (SPOILERS)
Having just destroyed Count Dracula, Professor Von Helsing is arrested by two Whitby policemen, Sergeant Wilkes and Constable Albert. He is taken to Scotland Yard, where he explains to Sir Basil Humphrey that he indeed did destroy Count Dracula, but because he had already been dead for over 500 years, it cannot be considered murder. Instead of hiring a lawyer, he enlists the aid of a psychiatrist, Dr. Jeffrey Garth, who was once one of his star students.
Sergeant Wilkes leaves the Whitby gaol to meet an officer from Scotland Yard at the train station. Meanwhile, Dracula’s daughter, Countess Marya Zaleska, enters the gaol and mesmerises Albert with her jewelled ring and with the aid of her manservant, Sandor, steals Dracula’s body from the Whitby gaol, and after tossing salt on the pyre, ritualistically burns Dracula’s body, hoping to break her curse of vampirism.
However, Sandor soon begins to discourage her, telling her that all that is in her eyes is “death”. She soon gives in to her thirst for blood. The Countess resumes her hunting, mesmerizing her victims with her exotic jeweled ring. After a chance meeting with Dr. Garth at a society party, the Countess asks him to help her overcome the influence she feels from beyond the grave. The doctor advises her to defeat her cravings by confronting them, and the Countess becomes hopeful that her will, plus Dr. Garth’s science, will be strong enough to overcome Dracula’s malevolence.
The Countess sends Sandor to fetch her a model to paint. He sees a pretty young woman, Lili, and follows her onto a bridge. The woman pauses at the railing looking despondent. Sandor promises her food, warmth, and money. She hesitates, but Sandor explains that he seeks her for his mistress. Lili returns with Sandor. Countess Zaleska initially resists her urges, but succumbs and attacks her.
Lili survives the attack and is examined by Dr. Garth through hypnosis; she reveals enough information to let Dr. Garth know that Countess Zaleska was who attacked her, but she suffers heart failure and dies. The Countess gives up fighting her urges and accepts that a cure is not possible; she lures Dr. Garth to Transylvania by kidnapping Janet Blake, his secretary, with whom he has a playfully antagonistic relationship, but now realises that he cares for her.
Zaleska intends to transform Dr. Garth into a vampire to be her eternal companion. Arriving at Castle Dracula in Transylvania, Dr. Garth agrees to exchange his life for Janet’s. Before he can be transformed, Countess Zaleska is destroyed when Sandor shoots her through the heart with an arrow as revenge for her breaking her promise to make him immortal.
He takes aim at Dr. Garth, but is shot dead by a Scotland Yard policeman, who along with Von Helsing, has followed Dr. Garth from London.
Source: Wikipedia
