I Walked with a Zombie
Director: Jacques Tourneur
Writer: Curt Siodmak, Ardel Wray
Based on: Inez Wallace’s article/short story and (loosely) Charlotte Bronte’s novel Jane Eyre
Cast: James Ellison, Frances Dee, Tom Conway, Edith Barrett, James Bell, Christine Gordon, Theresa Harris, Sir Lancelot, Darby Jones
Seen on: 4.5.2026

Content Note: misogyny, racism, (mention of) slavery

Plot:
Betsy Connell (Frances Dee) is a nurse. She is hired by plantation owner Paul Holland (Tom Conway) to take care of his wife Jessica (Christine Gordon) in the Caribbean. Jessica’s affliction is strange, and the white doctor’s explanation doesn’t really seem to work. But maybe there is something to the zombie myth the locals tell of. As Betsy finds herself drawn to Paul more and more, her attempts to help Jessica also become more desperate – and lead her to Vodou.

I Walked with a Zombie is an interesting zombie movie in that it is not just a fantasy and a gross misrepresentation of Vodou, but also a somewhat accurate portrayal of parts of Vodou practices, as far as I can tell, and an acknowledgement of the lasting harm of slavery in the Caribbean.

I was surprised by I Walked with a Zombie as I expected there to be a whole lot of racism. It is a story about white plantation owners and their employees, after all. And I am not saying that the movie is racism-free, exactly. But in openly acknowledging slavery and in clearly showing the racial dynamics between white and Black folks there, it certainly makes more of a statement than I suspected.

The same goes for its portrayal of Vodou. I am not an expert and I am definitely not claiming that the representation here is completely accurate, but it also feels somewhat respectful in many ways. Of course, with the added magic and the entire necromancy thing, it is still more in fanciful and sensational territory than anything else.

What I also didn’t expect, was the utter misogyny that the film gives us. In the end, Jessica is blamed, while good, Christian Betsy is so good, she is even allowed to forgive her. Or at least, pray for her. (It’s the same hogwash that Cat People gave us, too.)

Still, I can honestly say that I have definitely seen worse zombie movies and maybe also worse takes on Jane Eyre, so altogether, I’d say that the film is a win and still worth seeing now, especially if you’re interested in the history of horror.

Summarizing: not bad.