Boris Karloff stars as a Greek general commanding troops in the Balkan Wars of 1912. Because of the unsanitary conditions of the corpse-covered battlefields, the threat of plague is imminent. The story begins as Karloff travels to a nearby island to pay respects to his wife, who is buried in a tomb there. What's meant to be a quick trip turns into a several days-long stay when Karloff comes upon the home of an archaeologist (Jason Robards, Sr.) and his guests, one of whom seems to have perished from the plague. Until the group can decide whether the plague is really upon them, and whether or not it has been contained, Karloff commands that no one can leave the island, for fear of spreading the disease.
At first everyone goes along with Karloff, but the longer they stay on the island the more people turn against each other. Some want to leave, so Karloff prevents them. Others decide he's a tyrant and insane. Some even believe there are supernatural forces at play, instead of a plague – "vorvolaka", an evil spirit that takes over humans.
The movie has tons of atmosphere, including a stunning matte painting of the island itself, showcased as Karloff approaches via boat. There's a creepy old house, the misty woods on the island, a destroyed tomb and even a couple ghostly shots that will have you wondering if your eyes are playing tricks on you.
In a way this makes a nice companion with THE WAR OF THE WORLDS because it is about how society breaks down and mankind turns against itself. Karloff is well intentioned, but good intentions are not enough in the end.
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