The Mad Doctor

1940

Action / Crime / Film-Noir / Romance / Thriller

4
IMDb Rating 6.6/10 10 435 435

mad doctor

Plot summary

A reporter sleuths the mystery behind an oft-married Viennese doctor whose wives met mysterious fates.

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.BluRay 1080p.BluRay
834.26 MB
1280*932
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles us  
23.976 fps
1 hr 30 min
Seeds 2
1.51 GB
1472*1072
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles us  
23.976 fps
1 hr 30 min
Seeds 1

Movie Reviews

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.
Reviewed by CinemaSerf 7 / 10

The Mad Doctor

There is something really quite sinister to Basil Rathbone's title performance in this rather intimidating psychological thriller. We know from the outset that he has disposed of his wife "Ida" - ostensibly pneumonia - but the local physician "Dr. Downer" (Ralph Morgan) is suspicious. Shortly after cleaning up on the inheritance, he moves with his friend "Maurice" (Martin Kosleck) to start afresh. Now you don't have to be Einstein to recognise that these two men are more than just roomies, and that causes a bit of consternation when "Dr. Sebastian" finds new prey. This time, in the guise of the deeply troubled "Linda" (Ellen Drew). With a marriage and a trip to Quito on the cards, might history be about to repeat itself? Well, fortunately for "Linda" reporter "Sawyer" (John Howard) is also a bit suspicious of the man, and after a bit of investigation and a chat with "Downer", the two begin to piece together quite a different persona for Rathbone than the one he has been successful peddling thus far. Can they act in time to thwart his malevolent plan? Tim Whelan allows his star to exude menace here. The script is really only adequate, but the pace is good and the gradually accumulating sense of peril - and a wonderfully seedy contribution from the increasingly envious "Maurice" leads us towards a conclusion where nothing is predictable. Actually, on that front I was a little disappointed, but all in all, this is a dark and effective tale of manipulation that is well worth a watch.
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