Regarding the crematory machine, would an apartment of I guess the story's set in the 1890s actually be able to handle the intense incinerator heat of such a machine, considering that the ceiling just above would be I suppose a combination of wood and plaster? Heat rises - and that machine (which is fully open in the front) obviously puts out tremendous heat. It doesn't appear to have (that I noticed) any connection to a brick chimney or the such. Wouldn't the apartment not only speedily become intolerably hot but be quite likely to catch fire when flames are at full force?

This is a pretty good, in a no big deal sort of way, movie. I give it a 7. While watching, I kept thinking that had it been made in the '30s or early to mid '40s it somehow would have had the additional "oomph" factor and classic horror flair that it needs, but that by being a mid 1950s production it wound up with too much slick gloss or whatever. Some freewheeling reckless abandon would have served the film well.