A decapitated head arrives at the sanitarium of Dr. Von Ee and his daughter-in-law collapses in a spasm of terror. The woman is driven insane with fear by haunting memories and villainous strangers. A ghastly green mask materializes in the windows of the manor and a hypnotist (Bela Lugosi) arrives with his sadistic henchman, a mute dwarf. The doctor and his family fall victim to violent attacks and the household is rocked by a shocking and bizarre revelation that is both surreal and treacherous.

Bela Lugosi's only color picture, "Scared to Death" is narrated by a corpse in a series of nightmarish flashbacks. The chilling sterility of the city morgue provides a puzzle-like contrast to the dramatic confrontations that lead up to her death by fright. This Screen Guild production also features horror mainstay George Zucco as the doctor and Angelo Rossitto as Lugosi's assistant.