IMDb RATING
5.7/10
2.6K
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A hotshot reporter and a young doctor team up to investigate a series of grisly murders and a mysterious sample of synthetic blood.A hotshot reporter and a young doctor team up to investigate a series of grisly murders and a mysterious sample of synthetic blood.A hotshot reporter and a young doctor team up to investigate a series of grisly murders and a mysterious sample of synthetic blood.
- Awards
- 1 nomination
Charles C. Wilson
- Detective Roy Kincaid
- (as Charles Wilson)
Howard Hickman
- Chairman
- (scenes deleted)
Arthur Aylesworth
- Guide
- (scenes deleted)
Glenn Langan
- Intern
- (as Glen Langan)
William Hopper
- Intern
- (as DeWolf Hopper)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaHumphrey Bogart said of this film: "This is one of the pictures that made me march in to [Warner Bros. studio chief Jack L. Warner] and ask for more money again. You can't believe what this one was like. I had a part that somebody like Bela Lugosi or Boris Karloff should have played. I was this doctor, brought back to life, and the only thing that nourished this poor bastard was blood. If it had been Jack Warner's blood or [Harry Warner's] or [Sam Warner's] maybe I wouldn't have minded as much. The trouble was, they were drinking mine and I was making this rotten movie."
- GoofsWhen Bogart abducts Rosemary Lane, they leave in a light-colored, late 1930's cab. As the police pursue them, it changes to a black vintage car. When they arrive at the hide-out in the woods, it is a newer light-colored cab again.
- Quotes
Dr. Francis Flegg: Interesting stuff, blood.
- Crazy creditsIn the opening credits, the three stars' order of billing is Morris, Lane, Bogart. But at the end, Bogart is listed first and Morris third.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Hollywood and the Stars: The Man Called Bogart (1963)
Featured review
Bogart as the first punk rocker
Bogart has been given a bad press for his role in "The Return of Doctor X." Why he even gave himself a bad press, saying the role was forced on him by the studio, a role intended for Boris Karloff. But actually Bogart's performance is one of the best ingredients in this campy flick. Bogart's two really terrible acting attempts were the same year in "The Oklahoma Kid," where he tried to play dastardly villain, Whip McCord, and "Dark Victory," where Bogart is completely miscast as an Irish horse trainer.
Nineteen thirty nine must have been Bogart's quirky year. He finally found himself in the early 1940's and with "The Maltese Falcon" became a screen icon. In "The Return of Doctor X," with his chalky makeup and streaked hair, Bogart resembles a punk rocker before his time.
The film is not bad entertainment. The weakest part is the attempt by Wayne Morris to be funny. He thinks falling into a room by leaning against a supposedly locked door which suddenly opens is hilarious. So much so that he does it twice. The funniest character is Huntz Hall early in his career. There is one funny line from Morris. After digging up Quesne's body and in a hurry to leave, morris tells the caretaker to "put it back," then rushes off.
The acting is top notch with the best performance coming from John Litel, closely matched by Bogart's left-field mad dead doctor. All in all a curious and worthwhile film, especially for Bogart fans.
Nineteen thirty nine must have been Bogart's quirky year. He finally found himself in the early 1940's and with "The Maltese Falcon" became a screen icon. In "The Return of Doctor X," with his chalky makeup and streaked hair, Bogart resembles a punk rocker before his time.
The film is not bad entertainment. The weakest part is the attempt by Wayne Morris to be funny. He thinks falling into a room by leaning against a supposedly locked door which suddenly opens is hilarious. So much so that he does it twice. The funniest character is Huntz Hall early in his career. There is one funny line from Morris. After digging up Quesne's body and in a hurry to leave, morris tells the caretaker to "put it back," then rushes off.
The acting is top notch with the best performance coming from John Litel, closely matched by Bogart's left-field mad dead doctor. All in all a curious and worthwhile film, especially for Bogart fans.
helpful•333
- krorie
- Oct 4, 2005
Details
- Runtime1 hour 2 minutes
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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Top Gap
By what name was The Return of Doctor X (1939) officially released in Canada in English?
Answer