When you hear the name Vincent Price, you think of horror. The sinister laugh, the gothic castles, the Poe adaptations. But the Master of the Macabre was more than a one-trick pony, with a career filled with varied and brilliant performances.
Laura (1944)
Long before
he became a horror icon, Price was a reliable contract player, and his turn in this classic film noir is a masterclass in ambiguity. He plays Shelby Carpenter, the slippery, weak-willed fiancé of the titular murder victim. Price plays Shelby not as a monster, but as a kept man, an opportunistic Southern aristocrat who is perpetually in over his head. Watched by a homicide detective who becomes obsessed with the dead woman, Shelby is a prime suspect, and Price's performance keeps you guessing. Is he a harmless fool or a cold-blooded killer? It’s a subtle, non-horror role that shows the dramatic chops he had from the very beginning.
Champagne for Caesar (1950)
Price's comedic talent is one of the most tragically underutilized weapons in his arsenal. In this sharp satire on the burgeoning television era, he plays Burnbridge Waters, the magnificently eccentric and humorless CEO of the Milady Soap Company. When a jilted genius played by Ronald Colman decides to get revenge by winning all the money on Waters' quiz show, Price's character descends into hilarious, over-the-top panic. He schemes, he despairs, and he even consults a tiny devil on his shoulder in one memorable scene. It's a joyously camp performance that proves Price could generate just as many laughs as he could screams.
The Last Man on Earth (1964)
While this is a horror film, it’s a world away from his work with Roger Corman. As the first-ever adaptation of Richard Matheson’s novel 'I Am Legend,' this Italian-made production features Price as Dr. Robert Morgan, the sole survivor of a plague that has turned humanity into vampire-like creatures. The film is a bleak, lonely character study, and for long stretches, it’s just Price on screen, wordlessly going through his haunting routine of survival. His performance is filled with pathos and exhaustion, capturing the profound psychological toll of total isolation. It's a raw and influential role that directly inspired George A. Romero's 'Night of the Living Dead'.
Theatre of Blood (1973)
This is the role Vincent Price was born to play. He stars as Edward Lionheart, a Shakespearean actor who, after being savaged by critics, fakes his own suicide. He then returns, with the help of his daughter (played by Diana Rigg), to murder each critic using methods drawn from Shakespeare's plays. The film is a perfect marriage of high camp and Grand Guignol horror, allowing Price to fully lean into his theatricality. He delivers soliloquies while committing grisly acts, donning elaborate disguises and clearly having the time of his life. It’s both a celebration and a satire of his own macabre persona.
The Whales of August (1987)
In one of his final film roles, Price gave a performance of quiet dignity and grace that stands in stark contrast to his horror legacy. He plays Mr . Maranov , an elderly Russian aristocrat who finds himself a guest in the Maine summer home of two legendary actresses , Lillian Gish and Bette Davis , playing elderly sisters . His character is a gentleman from a bygone era , full of courtesy and a gentle sadness . There are no monsters or murders , only the subtle drama of aging , memory , and companionship . Sharing the screen with two titans of Hollywood ' s Golden Age , Price is wonderfully understated , delivering a touching performance that earned him an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Supporting Male .
