Wasn't great, wasn't terrible. Right down the middle, in my opinion.

Even giving leeway to the year it was created, I wouldn't describe it as scary or even suspenseful. In fact, there were some funny parts, both intended and unintended. Obviously the special effects were a bit of a laugh but that's to be expected. I think something that bothered me most was [spoiler] the relationship between Roderick and Stella. Ray Milland was 37 in 1944 and Gail Russell was 20. However, Milland looks to be in his 40s and Russell could pass for 18 in my opinion. This made Roderick's advances seem cringe and, honestly, kind of disgusting. According to summaries of the book, Roderick is supposed to be 29 and Stella is 18. While still problematic, I think a choice of actors closer in age would have made this a non-issue. Their relationship also seemed rushed, like something extra tacked on. And the implied relationship at the end between Pamela and Dr. Scott was downright laughable as there was no development of that in the rest of the film. [/spoiler] It was funny to see some of the same horror tropes of today, like characters doing clearly stupid things or being secretive rather than providing a simple explanation. Like many classics, there's also more exposition than would be expected today.

I was surprised by the seemingly romantic expressions from one woman to another, given the time period. And it seems I wasn't the only one who noticed. Apparently, the film was criticized for its "lesbian overtones" at the time. A priest even went so far as to write a letter, which stated that "large audiences of questionable type attended this film at unusual hours drawn by certain erotic and esoteric elements in the film." Yeah.... To be clear, these "overtones" are hardly noticeable and, even if they were overt, who cares? It's just another reminder of the darker sides of the period, despite the glamour it portrays.

Overall, if you're a fan of classics, you'll enjoy this. While I'm not versed in horror or suspense classics specifically, it seemed right in line with other movies from the period that I have seen.