The Mad Doctor

Plot: Dr. Rathbone, fake psychiatrist, has a phobia against all women, resulting from the unfaithfulness of his first wife in Vienna, whom he caused to commit suicide through the power of suggestion. He wins the affections of wealthy women, marries them, then methodically does away with them. In New York, he opens a swank suite of offices and acquires an expensive practice among wealthy neurotic women. Ellen Drew is one of his patients, and he plans to do away with her, too. Through his charm and suavity, he wins her, marries her. Meanwhile, Howard, a newspaper reporter and in love with Ellen, has been investigating Rathbone. When all the facts are sifted together, the psychiatrist, who by now is really in love with Ellen, tries to eliminate every obstacle that would reveal his past. When Ellen learns the truth, she faints. He plans to drop her from the roof of their apartment building, but Howard and the police arrive. In desperation, he jumps to his death.

Comment: When a picture can hold a spectator in its grip for 90 minutes without a letdown, that picture is great audience entertainment. Such is "The Mad Doctor." Dealing with a mad psychiatrist who woos wealthy women, then causes their deaths so he will inherit their money, here is a film that moves slowly and methodically, yet suspensefully and grippingly, to its conclusion. Although one would class it as a horror drama, it is so well done and the performances so realistic, especially on the part of Basil Rathbone, Ellen Drew, Martin Kosleck and Ralph Morgan, that in truth it seems to be even above this designation, which has been pinned on other films far inferior. However, since the horror angle is a guaranteed method of during maximum crowds, it is evident that the designation will be profitably applied in this case. In every department, direction, photography, etc., the picture is first-rate, and whether those who see it are horror fans or not, it is bound to please them. Build your campaign along sensational lines, capitalizing on the eerie, psychological plot. In Los Angeles, incidentally, the picture was teamed with "The Monster and the Girl" on a "double horror and thrill show," with terrific business resulting at the box office. That's a cue for other exhibitors, though if yours is a strictly single-feature situation, you can make money by getting behind "The Mad Doctor" with every ounce of showmanship.

Catchline: "He loved ... to kill! He killed for love!"

—Showmen's Trade Review, Feb. 15, 1941, p. 11

Psychiatry here makes its bow into the field of melodrama, sharing with murder, grave robbery and other deeds of violence the center of interest in this story of psychoses, neuroses and, if the villain's psycho-analysis of himself be credited, the reasons therefore. The film is, in this sense, a novelty among thrillers, although lacking none of the ingredients from which theatregoers have been trained to expect their hair-raisers to be compounded.

Basil Rathbone plays, in the manner to which he has dedicated his art, a doctor who, disappointed in his first marriage which has ended in murder of wife and lover, has set out upon a career of marrying and murdering women of means. By the practice of psychiatry, which is demonstrated on the screen, he wins the love of a girl whose affection for him, he believes, will effect his reformation. When the facts in the death of her predecessor in his life threaten to come to light, on the day of his marriage, two more murders are committed in an attempt to conceal them. He fails, however, and commits suicide.

Direction by Tim Whelan is for tension and thrill throughout.

—Motion Picture Herald, Feb. 8, 1941, p. 36

Basil Rathbone is seen as the doctor, Ellen Drew as the girl he marries, Barbara Allen as her sister, John Howard as her reporter sweetheart, Martin Kosleck as the doctor's companion in crime, and Ralph Morgan as an honest practitioner.

Origin of the doctor's impulse to marry and murder women of wealth is, according to his explanation, his betrayal by his first wife and his best friend, both of whom he murdered. Having wed and killed two more women, he meets and psycho-analyzes a girl whose influence, he believes, will reform him. His last previous murder is detected, however, and, although two more murders are committed by way of trying to prevent capture and conviction, his plot fails and he commits suicide. A bit of body-snatching is an incident in the film. Direction is by Tim Whelan.

—Roscoe Williams, Motion Picture Daily, Feb 7, 1941, p. 7

Basil Rathbone, a doctor who had been educated in Vienna, practices medicine in a small town in the United States. No one, except his assistant (Martin Kosleck), knew of his past—that he had been married in Vienna, that his first wife had been unfaithful and that he had killed her; that since his arrival in America he had made it a practice to marry wealthy women and then kill them, thereby collecting their fortunes. Ralph Morgan, the local physician, is suspicious of Rathbone after his last wife dies; and he is unhappy, too, for she had been a fine woman and a good friend. But there is nothing he can do. Rathbone and Kosleck leave for New York. Rathbone becomes acquainted with Ellen Drew, a wealthy young girl with a suicide complex. He becomes her constant companion and helps bring her back to normalcy. And for the first time he finds that he is really in love. This changes him completely and he decides to forget his past and try to marry Miss Drew and live a normal life. But John Howard, a young reporter who loved Miss Drew, is suspicious of Rathbone and starts investigation. He soon learns the facts. Rathbone and Kosleck realize they were trapped, and attempt to cover up their deeds by murdering Morgan, who could give the most damaging testimony against them. Rathbone hurriedly marries Miss Drew, who knew nothing of his past, hoping to leave the country with her. But she finds out about it on the day of their marriage and is horrified. Realizing everything was lost, Rathbone plunges to his death. Miss Drew and Howard are reconciled.

—Harrison's Reports, Feb. 15, 1941, p. 27