As described in a film magazine review for an American audience,[3] a traveller tells a family, John White, his wife, and son, weird tales of a magical talisman, a monkey's paw, which has the power of granting its possessor three wishes, but only with hellish consequences as punishment for tampering with fate. The father falls asleep. In his dreams he acquires the paw and requests two thousand dollars. He gets the money but this results in the death of his son Herbert. His wife compels him to wish that her boy was alive again. This is accomplished, but when he appears as a soulless zombie, in his fright Mr. White makes his third and final wish that his son be dead once more, where he may hopefully rest in peace. Awakening, the father wants nothing to do with the magic charm.
Frank Elliot of Motion Picture News called the film "An unusual little tale" and "fairly satisfying." He praised the unusual plot development, directing, and acting.[4]
The Princess Theatre in Waterbury, Connecticut wrote a less positive report to the Exhibitors Herald about the audience reactions, saying: "Some said 'Terrible'... The 'Yessers' tried to be nice, but wouldn't commit themselves."[7]
References
^ abWorkman, Christopher; Howarth, Troy (2016). Tome of Terror: Horror Films of the Silent Era. Midnight Marquee Press. p. 265. ISBN978-1936168-68-2.
^Pardy, George T. (12 January 1924). "Box Office Reviews: The Monkey's Paw". Exhibitors Trade Review. 15 (8). New York: Exhibitors Review Publishing Corporation: 21. Retrieved 29 June 2022. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
