The Mad Doctor

1940

Action / Crime / Film-Noir / Romance / Thriller

5
Rotten Tomatoes Audience - Upright 80%
IMDb Rating 6.6/10 10 439 439

mad doctor

Director

Tim Whelan Photo
Tim Whelan

Top cast

Douglas Kennedy Photo
Douglas Kennedy as Hotel Clerk
Edward Earle Photo
Edward Earle as Librarian
Norma Varden Photo
Norma Varden as Charity Bazaar Woman
George Chandler Photo
George Chandler as Elevator Operator
720p.BLU 1080p.BLU
834.26 MB
1280*932
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles
23.976 fps
1 hr 30 min
Seeds 3
1.51 GB
1472*1072
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles
23.976 fps
1 hr 30 min
Seeds 3

Movie Reviews

Reviewed by TheCapsuleCritic 8 / 10

Rare Basil Rathbone Flick Is Now Available Once Again.

I remember seeing THE MAD DOCTOR on TV back in the early 1960s and although I didn't see it again until the release of this Blu-Ray half a century later, parts of it, especially the ending, had remained with me. Why this film has not made its bow on home video until now is beyond me. It's an A Movie, as can be seen by the big budget, but with B Movie sensibilities regarding its use of character players outside of Rathbone and its overall Film Noir look which is due to cinematographer Ted Tetzlaff. Even the title sounds like a B Movie. However the strongest element in the whole mix is the screenplay. More about that later.The plot concerns a suave Svengali-like psychiatrist played by Rathbone who marries wealthy women and then disposes of them. He meets a wealthy socialite who has suicidal tendencies (Ellen Drew) and plans to make her his next victim. Can her reporter boyfriend (John Howard), whom she has rejected, save her in time? Nothing out of the ordinary there. What IS different in THE MAD DOCTOR is the relationship between Rathbone and his constant companion played by Martin Kosleck. It is clearly a gay relationship in everything but name and how it got past the 1940 censors is a question worth asking.The screenplay was originally written by top writers Ben Hecht & Charles MacArthur in the early 1930s and intended for John Barrymore (hence the Svengali angle). It was originally called "The Monster" and later "Destiny". That explains the quality dialogue which is one of the movie's highlights. When Barrymore bowed out, the script sat on the shelf for 5 years before Paramount used it. They had changes made by Howard W. Green who received sole screen credit. Although full of dark moments, there is a lightness of touch from director Tim Whelan which adds to the enjoyment. Kino deserves credit for resurrecting this forgotten gem. Once you see it, you'll wonder why it stayed hidden for so long...For more reviews visit The Capsule Critic.
Reviewed by Fishkinist 8 / 10

Under appreciated cinematic Noir.

Strangely lacklustre reviews to this quite novel 1940 Noir. Insightful, knowledgeable scripting, wonderful schwartz photography from Ted Tetzlaff. A sinister Rathbone undulating between predator and smitten, with both his male accomplice and the full lips of Ellen Drew on the way to more resolute acting ahead. The opening 10 minute rainstorm introduces the maelstrom perfectly and it continues at a good pace, with a variety of well edited sequences adding to the narrative flow, the high night time shots above 5th Avenue conjured well by subtle SFX. The ubiquitous Ben Hecht had a hand in the screenplay, alongside Harold J. Green, and it shows in this robust, ballsy psycho-drama.
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