The plot

The plot involves Lugosi as the mad scientist Von Housen, who needs a map to a South American uranium deposit so he can build an army of robots and take over the world. To accomplish this, he kidnaps the daughter of an Italian scientist who, conveniently, has this very map. Von Housen is awaiting the arrival of his first robot, but due to a comic misfortune, the robot was sent to Old Mother Riley.  Not to be discouraged, the scientist has his robot bring her to him. Old Mother Riley is promptly loaded into a sack and delivered to Von Housen.  Once there, he offers her a job as his maid, relishing in the idea that Old Mother Riley is the right (blood) type for the job.  Meanwhile Old Mother Riley discovers the kidnapped girl, and escapes to the police station.  Naturally, with an incredible tale involving a robot and a kidnapped girl (and the fact that Mother had just crashed into a man with a drink and got soaked with booze) the police assume she is drunk.

Left on her own, Mother Riley returns to Von Housen's, intent on saving the girl.  However, Von Housen is not so fond of that idea and he orders his robot to kill Old Mother Riley, making it a "perfect crime," or so he thinks.  Through a series of comic misadventures, a merry chase is led through Von Housen's house. Eventually, Old Mother Riley saves the girl and chases Von Housen and his cohorts in an antique car, but arrives in time to see them captured by the police.

It is important to note that the producers of the film were afraid of Bela being too scary in this role.  The Old Mother Riley films were family fare in Britain, and to have Lugosi actually play a real vampire would cause the film to have a harsher rating, thus losing its family appeal.  Any other actor might not have been up to the challenge of balancing between comedy and melodramatic terror, but Bela was not just any actor.  Bela, with years of theatre experience, did fairly well with the role.  When he is explaining his plan of world domination or putting the kidnapped girl in a trance, one sees the classic Bela with his gestures.  However, Bela did have a touch with comedy, especially in the scene when he discovers the package mix-up and pulls out pots and pans instead of his killer robot.  He seems to be having a little fun with the role, but there is also a bittersweet realisation for the fan watching this.  This would be the last time we would see Bela Lugosi close to his prime."

Continued 

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Dora Bryan

A much loved, veteran character player, often in eccentric or lower-class roles. Dora Bryan - pictured above -  went on to made an indelible impression as Helen, the boozy, blowsy mother in Tony Richardson's British classic film  "A Taste of Honey" (1961).