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Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs  Calling Dr. Death (1943)
The first movie in The Inner Sanctum Mysteries film series which was based on the popular radio series of the same name.
Lon Chaney jr plays Mark Steele, a neurologist who has lost his memory of the last weekend when he learns his wife has been brutally murdered at their cabin retreat. Their relationship having been at breaking point for ages he believes he could be the killer, something the police inspector on the case (J. Carrol Naish) also believes. Wracked with guilt when another man is charged with the killing Steele asks his nurse / secretary Stella (Patricia Morison) for help in recovering his memories.
Reginald LeBorg's film is a tightly plotted affair which goes at a fair pace, needed for something running only 62 minutes and is actually quite exciting as it races towards it's finale. Chaney was extremely sympathetic as the neurologist with a conscience and hold the film together nicely whenever he's on screen whilst his voice over gave a sense of the noir and Naish was almost Columbo like in his pursuit of Chaney and his probable guilt, although it became apparent even to me who the actual killer was long before the denouement.
I actually really enjoyed this and i look forward to seeing the other five films in the box set from Eureka - The image and sound quality was immaculate. |
Pleased you enjoyed this Dem. I must have missed you picking this set up. I think it helps that they are short snappy pieces rather than being drawn out. At least that's the case with Dr Death and Weird Woman. I'll have to get on with the others in the series.
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