The Werewolf

The Werewolf

Year: 1956

Runtime: 79 mins

Language: English

HorrorScience FictionHorror the undead and monster classicsChilling experiments and classic monster horrorCreepy chilling and terrifying horror

The arrival of a disheveled stranger in a quiet mountain town sparks brutal killings blamed on a mysterious animal. The town doctor and his daughter try to help him while the sheriff investigates, uncovering a secret experiment by two rogue scientists involving a car‑accident victim, his family and a serum that turns a man into a ravenous werewolf.

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Timeline & Setting – The Werewolf (1956)

Explore the full timeline and setting of The Werewolf (1956). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

1950s

The story unfolds in a Cold War era atmosphere, where the fear of a nuclear holocaust permeates everyday life. Scientists pursue a radical serum to ensure survival, revealing the era’s preoccupation with science outpacing ethics. The setting uses wintery isolation and small-town urgency to heighten the tension surrounding imminent catastrophe.

Location

Mountaincrest

Mountaincrest is a small rural town that becomes a claustrophobic stage for fear and pursuit on a cold winter night. The main street, a bar, and narrow alleys create a tight, eerie environment as the threat emerges. A nearby mineshaft provides a hidden, ominous backdrop for the dramatic confrontations between townsfolk and the creature.

❄️ Winter setting 🏚 Rural town 🧭 Isolation

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:52

Main Characters – The Werewolf (1956)

Meet the key characters of The Werewolf (1956), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Duncan Marsh (Steven Ritch)

Amnesiac man who has been involved in a car crash and is hunted after transforming into a werewolf. He is tormented by flashes of memory and a fear of losing control to the animal within. His humanity clashes with a brutal, violent side that surfaces under transformation, making his fate central to the moral tension of the story.

🐺 Werewolf 💔 Inner conflict 👨‍👩‍👦 Family ties

Amy Standish (Joyce Holden)

A nurse who aids Duncan and tries to mediate the crisis. She shows pragmatism and compassion, attempting to treat Duncan while also protecting Helen and Chris. Her involvement underscores the tension between medical protocol and personal ethics.

🩺 Care 💡 Reason ❤️ Compassion

Dr. Jonas Gilcrist (Ken Christy)

One of the doctors who treats Duncan and part of the group pushing for experimental intervention. He advocates for a radical approach to survival and becomes a key figure in the plan to inject or control the subject. His stance embodies the ethical ambiguities of scientific experimentation.

🧪 Science 🧠 Ethics 🧭 Ambition

Dr. Emery Forrest (S. John Launer)

Co-conspirator with Gilcrist in developing the serum, driven by the belief that only a select minority will survive the nuclear threat. He is pragmatic and unflinching, prioritizing outcomes over consent or safety. His actions propel the central confrontation in the jail and chase sequences.

🧬 Experimentation 🔬 Control ⚖️ Ethics

Dr. Morgan Chambers (George Lynn)

A scientist who argues for the potential benefits of the serum and participates in the attempt to subdue or inject Duncan. His perspective highlights the utilitarian calculus often present in high-stakes scientific endeavors. He embodies the cold, clinical approach to crisis management.

🔬 Science 🧭 Pragmatism 🧪 Risk

Sheriff Jack Haines (Don Megowan)

Lawman leading the posse and coordinating efforts to capture the werewolf threat. He represents authority and the drive to restore order, sometimes clashing with medical judgment. His decisions shape the chase and the ultimate pursuit of Duncan.

👮 Authority 🗺 Pursuit ⚖️ Duty

Deputy Ben Clovey (Harry Lauter)

Deputy who has first-hand experience with the creature after a brutal encounter. He provides wary insight into the creature’s capabilities and contributes to the sense of danger the town faces.

🛡 Protection 🗡 Danger 🧭 Suspense

Ma Everett (Jean Harvey)

Old woman who witnesses the initial attack and provides crucial testimony about the creature. Her memory of the encounter anchors the town’s fear and drives the sheriff to organize a manhunt.

🌙 Witness 🧭 Perception 🧩 Clues

Chris Marsh (Kim Charney)

Preteen son of Duncan and Helen, whose innocence highlights the protective stakes of the conflict. His interactions with Duncan underscore the emotional cost of the werewolf crisis on a family.

👶 Innocence 💞 Family 🛡 Protection

Helen Marsh (Eleanore Tanin)

Duncan’s wife who tries to reconcile fear with love, guiding her son through the danger and pleading for Duncan’s humanity. Her presence adds a personal, emotional dimension to the conflict between science and compassion.

💖 Family 🧭 Hope 🕊 Mercy

Joe Mitchell (Charles Horvath)

Local thug who confronts the disheveled stranger, illustrating the town’s rough, survivalist dynamic. His confrontation ends violently, underscoring the precariousness of fear-fueled violence.

🗡 Aggression 🧱 Local townsfolk 🌀 Tension

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:52

Major Themes – The Werewolf (1956)

Explore the central themes of The Werewolf (1956), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🧬 Science ethics

The doctors experiment with an irradiated serum, intending to save a chosen minority from a looming holocaust. The narrative questions whether scientific progress justifies dangerous, untested methods on human beings. The amnesiac Duncan becomes a test subject whose fate raises moral concerns about manipulation and consent.

🐺 Monster within

Duncan Marsh’s transformation into a werewolf serves as a literalization of inner conflict between humanity and animalistic impulses. The townspeople’s fear of the creature mirrors a fear of the uncontrollable. The line between man and monster blurs as Duncan struggles to retain his sense of self.

💥 Cold War fear

The looming nuclear holocaust drives the plot and actions of characters, shaping decisions to suppress or eliminate the threat. The town’s response—pursuit, containment, and aggressive intervention—reflects collective anxiety about existential risk. The story uses speculative science as a vehicle for critiquing how fear can justify extreme measures.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:52

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The Werewolf Summary

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The Werewolf Timeline

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The Werewolf Timeline

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