Basil Rathbone

Ellen Drew

John Howard

Barbara Jo Allen

Ralph Morgan

Martin Kosleck

Kitty Kelly

Hugh O'Connell

Henry Victor

Wanda McKay

James Seay

William Benedict

George Chandler

Edward Earle

Chuck Hamilton

Harry Hayden

Douglas Kennedy

John Laing

Charles McAvoy

Howard M. Mitchell

Ruth Rogers

Sheila Ryan

Hugh Sothern

Max Wagner

Edith Head

Gordon Jennings

Hans Dreier

Tim Whelan

Archie Marshek

Victor Young

Robert Usher

George M. Arthur

Ted Tetzlaff

Howard J. Green

Adolph Zukor

A. E. Freudeman

Harry D. Mills

Farciot Edouart

Joseph C. Youngerman

John Cope

Stephan Pasternacki

Crime

Romance

Thriller

The Mad Doctor

Paramount Pictures

United States of America

CinemaSerf

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.

English

The Mad Doctor (1940) Original Trailer [FHD]