Right from the gitgo we know it is Basil Rathbone as the mastemind behind all these axe murders, The trick is to see how long it takes the Chicago, PD to catch
on. Why is he doing this? Why do any of these movie mad scientists do their
thing?
In Rathbone's case he's a psychiatrist with a skill in hypnosis. And while we all know that you can't make folks do something against their nature under hypnosis he picks out certified psychotics as subjects and it is there very nature to do such deeds.
He's foiled here by out of work ham actor Lew Ayres and society girl Laraine Day. As Ayres is called on to don a tuxedo through a lot of this film this must have been a part intended for Franchot Tone at some point. Maybe this is why Tone left MGM.
Ayres also was leaving MGM to serve in the Army as a medic. Ayres and Day co-starred in the Dr. Kildare series. Ayres has two narrow escapes from death in this film because he was getting too close to Rathbone.
Rathbone is his usual sinister self and Ayres is breezy and insouciant. But this is not one of MGM's better B films from the studio where even the B fiilms would be As in another studio.
In Rathbone's case he's a psychiatrist with a skill in hypnosis. And while we all know that you can't make folks do something against their nature under hypnosis he picks out certified psychotics as subjects and it is there very nature to do such deeds.
He's foiled here by out of work ham actor Lew Ayres and society girl Laraine Day. As Ayres is called on to don a tuxedo through a lot of this film this must have been a part intended for Franchot Tone at some point. Maybe this is why Tone left MGM.
Ayres also was leaving MGM to serve in the Army as a medic. Ayres and Day co-starred in the Dr. Kildare series. Ayres has two narrow escapes from death in this film because he was getting too close to Rathbone.
Rathbone is his usual sinister self and Ayres is breezy and insouciant. But this is not one of MGM's better B films from the studio where even the B fiilms would be As in another studio.