"During World War II, an American agent, his butler and a plot are searching for a missing admiral when their plane crash lands on a Caribbean island. Taken in by a German doctor and his strange wife, the trio discovers the island inhabited by zombies under the control of Dr. Sangre. The doctor is attempting to use the zombies to extract information from the missing admiral to help his country's war efforts. Through the efforts of the butler, the heroes are able to turn the tables on Dr. Sangre and set his zombies against him," according to the DVD sleeve's synopsis.
The predominance of Black actor Mantan Moreland (as Jefferson "Jeff" Jackson) in the film makes this a great one to watch for the "type" of racial character depicted. Pedagogical interests aside, "King of the Zombies" is a dull attempt to frighten and amuse. Strangely, Edward Kay's musical score was nominated for an Academy Award; Mr. Kay received five score nominations in the 1940s. Henry Victor (as Dr. Sangre) is a Lugosi-like zombie-maker. John Archer (as Bill Summers) and Dick Purcell (as Mac McCarthy) are one too many heroes. Resident "maid" Marguerite Whitten (as Samantha) and "voodoo high priestess" Madame Sul-Te-Wan (as Tahama) easily outdistance the higher-billed women.
** King of the Zombies (1941) Jean Yarbrough ~ Mantan Moreland, Henry Victor, John Archer