Watch Dracula's Daughter

Dracula's Daughter is a 1936 horror classic and a direct sequel to the legendary Dracula (1931) directed by Tod Browning. The movie is supposedly based on Bram Stoker's novel 'Dracula's Guest' and follows the story of Count Dracula's daughter, Countess Marya Zaleska, who struggles to break free from her father's undead legacy. The movie opens with Van Helsing (Edward Van Sloan) and Dr. Jeffrey Garth (Otto Kruger) getting questioned by the police about their involvement in Dracula's death. However, after being released, Garth finds himself stalked by a mysterious woman who later reveals herself as Countess Marya Zaleska (Gloria Holden). She is seeking the help of Garth to find a cure for her vampirism and become a normal human being.

Despite trying to distance himself from vampires and their ilk, Garth agrees to help the Countess after being offered a large sum of money. However, it doesn't take long for Garth to realize the Countess's immortality is no different from her father's, and her desire for blood is insatiable. Despite feeling guilty about what he's gotten himself into, Garth can't leave the Countess's grasp, especially with the growing danger of her turning more and more people into vampires.

In the meantime, Garth falls for Janet (Marguerite Churchill), a model he meets during one of his escapades with the Countess. Despite their chemistry, Garth’s past with vampires threatens to destroy their relationship. Meanwhile, Garth continues to spend time with the Countess, even as it becomes increasingly clear that she is growing more unhinged by the day. In a desperate attempt to find a cure, the Countess convinces Garth to steal Dracula's corpse from its resting place to perform a ritual, which she believes might kill her vampirism.

The story's central conflict lies in the Countess's effort to resist her vampiric desires and Garth's efforts to help her achieve that goal. The movie is an excellent take on the classic vampire trope and explores more about the character Dracula, something that the original movie couldn't achieve due to copyright issues. The theme of redemption and search for oneself is evident within the movie, as well as the exploration of women's liberation in the pre-World War II era. The Countess is an incredibly complex character and is equal parts gruesome, erotic and sympathetic.

Gloria Holden's portrayal of Countess Marya is widely touted as brilliant, she manages to portray the Countess's vulnerability, sensuality as well as her dangerous nature convincingly. Couple that with the brilliant Gothic cinematography, and the movie stands out in the horror movie genre even today.

In conclusion, Dracula's Daughter may not have gained the cult following that its predecessor had, but it still remains an important part of the Universal Pictures horror franchise. It lives up to the weight of expectations and doesn't seem undeserving of the Dracula name. It offers a fresh perspective on the genre, a damsel in distress - who is also the monster, and explores deeper into the character of Dracula himself, something that is relatively rare in vampire movies. The movie is a hidden gem and deserves a watch for all the horror fans.

Dracula's Daughter is a 1936 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 12 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.3.