(1946) ***1/2
I must admit, I've always kinda had a school girl crush on Vincent Price. The man was such an icon in my horror obsessed youth. He could radiate pure unadulterated evil in one film then slip into the role of tormented soul in another. This single man inducing fear one moment and sympathy the next. That said, I chose to conclude this years Horrorthon with a classic Vincent Price film. And no this isn't my last review, I still have 4 more I'm dragging my feet on.
Shock puts Vincent Price in the role of the ill-fated Dr. Richard Cross. Prodded by the influence of his voluptuous nurse/lover the lovestruck doctor unintentionally commits murder. The crime is witnessed by a young bride staying at the same hotel awaiting the arrival of her young husband. Seeing the violent act leaves her in a catatonic state of shock. The hotel manager calls Dr. Cross to help with the young woman. The sight of him drives her deeper into a self induced coma state. Under the doctor's advice she is committed to a sanitarium where he can give her constant care. Now the doctor, tormented by the unfortunate turn of events must decide if he will cure the woman and pay the consequences or succumb to the demands of his zealous lover and commit murder once again. 
Although this is not one of my favorite Price films it is a fine example of him playing that tortured soul. The kind doctor truly finds himself trapped within a web of bad decisions and cruelty. He is forced to commit acts as far from his gentle nature as he ever could have imagined. Lynn Bari does a bang up job as the pushy Nurse Jordan forcing the doctor's hand through every bad choice. What a total bitch, she knew enough not to commit the acts herself so she just kept pushing his buttons to get him to do it. I wanted to punch her in the face. How I do love the acting in these old films. It was a nice film to finish with.
