Oh, to be young again. To have that vitality of youth, to bask in the sun without a care in the world, worry-free with none of the ailments and problems that come with time. Everybody wants to be young and to be young again, to remain in those years when one’s body did not betray them and be able to do all those things they once did and all those things they did not. Such is the desire of June Talbot whose life has been a waste and when given a chance to be as such, she takes it without caring about the cost that comes with it.

The Leech Woman is a movie, one of many, about the quest for eternal life. It is a low-budget effort from director Edward Dein and Universal Pictures that was originally paired with The Brides of Dracula when released and comparing the two is like night and day. That being said, one has to forget about the Hammer affair as there is no way that this film could live up to it and simply take it as its own being and on its own, it is not all that bad. There are three acts to the film, one that sets things up Stateside, the next when the players head to Africa to procure what they are looking for and finally the final act where things get even more interesting and come to a head. Blending horror, drama and science fiction, Dein uses a steady hand when bringing this picture to the big screen even if it is a little slow-paced. Some say the first act is almost unnecessary, yet it paints a portrait of a woman who is deeply depressed and whose life is not her own, instead her happiness and all of her feelings wrapped up in the whims of her husband, one Dr. Paul Talbot as played by Phillip Terry. It is here where viewers are introduced to everyone, where their characters are fleshed out and where one sees the hapless June as portrayed by Coleen Gray begin her journey from subdued drunk into a woman who takes control of her destiny.

All of this begins when an old woman named Malla walks into Dr. Talbot’s office one day, offering the secret to being eternally young. After Talbot is done berating and mentally abusing his wife, he takes Malla up on her offer and soon he and June are off to darkest Africa to find that which nobody else has been able to discover. With an able guide, they make their way to Malla’s village and learn of the ancient secret and watch her turn from an old woman into one decades younger before their very eyes. June too can go through the ritual, becoming a young and vital woman once more and after her husband is killed, she heads back home in the hopes of starting her life anew, but the effects of the potion are temporary and soon June is forced to kill again and again to retain the beauty she craves.

Released in 1960, The Leech Woman seems more like it was made twenty years previous so closely does it follow the Universal formula. It is not necessarily a bad thing as it ended up being quite entertaining despite the slower pace but horror was changing with the years and this film seemed to be stuck in time so to speak. One only has to look at the movie it was paired with to prove that very fact. Aside from that, there were few flaws to be had with the end product despite what some might claim. Gray was perfect in the lead and the movie was obviously made on the cheap given the makeup and special effects but there are dozens of films that would take the easy way out when it came to the budget and the desired end result. If one came away with the same feeling whether something was shown on the screen or not, what does it really matter? True, the story was a little cliche, but plots and themes and so forth were recycled quite regularly during those decades and in fact, continue to this very day. As long as people find the movie enjoyable, it matters little. If there was one quibble, the first act could have been a bit shorter and the third a little longer but overall, The Leech Woman is a solid way to spend an hour and a half on any given day.

2.5 out of 5