Prof. Van Helsing is in danger of prosecution for the murder of Dracula...until a hypnotic woman steals the Count's body and cremates it. Bloodless corpses start appearing in London again, and Hungarian countess Marya Zaleska seeks the aid of Jeffrey Garth, psychiatrist, in freeing herself of a mysterious evil influence. The scene changes from foggy London back to that eerie road to the Borgo Pass...
Written by
Rod Crawford
Plot Synopsis:
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NOTE: "Dracula's Daughter" picks up from where "Dracula" (1931) ends.
Two constables find Professor Van Helsing [Edward van Sloan] in the crypt standing over the bodies of Dracula and Renfield. They take Van Helsing into custody because "this is a case for Scotland Yard." Dracula's body is stolen by his daughter, the Countess Marya Zaleska [Gloria Holden]. Looking for release from the Dracula curse, she burns his body.
Meanwhile, psychologist Jeffrey Garth [Otto Kruger]is called in to defend Van Helsing. Garth meets the Countess at a party, and she confesses to him that she is looking for release from 'an obsession'. He visits with the Countess, much to the dismay of his girlfriend and assistant Janet Blake [Marquerite Churchill]. Unbeknown to Garth, the Countess and her assistant Sander [Irving Pichel] search at night for young women to pose as models but really so that the Countess can drink their blood. One night, Lili [Nan Gray] is found in a 'post-hypnotic trance' with marks on her neck. Garth is called in, and he calls in Van Helsing. The diagnosis is 'wampire'.
The Countess comes to Garth's office. She has decided to return to Transylvania and wants Garth to accompany her. He hedges and, while he's busy with Lili, the Countess and Sander abduct Janet. Lili reveals enough to cue Garth to the Countess's intent, but she has left for Transylvania with the entranced Janet. Garth pursues them. The Countess offers him a deal: "I'll release (Janet) if you'll stay with me." Realizing that the Countess has abandoned him for Garth, Sander shoots an arrow through her heart. As he re-arms to shoot Garth, Van Helsing and Scotland Yard arrive, and they shoot Sander. Janet awakens from the trance. [Original synopsis by bj_kuehl.]