The Strange Case of Doctor Rx (1942) User Reviews

Amusing Comedy-Mystery

[boblipton · 6/10 · 1 January 2019]

Patrick Knowles has had it with being a private detective in New York, and is about to head back to Boston. However, when the fifth acquitted murderer is found strangled with a note signed "Doctor Rx", attorney Samuel Hinds, whose clients all the victims were, and old buddy Police Chief Edmund McDonald rope him in on helping out with the case. Adding to the complications is Knowles' estranged wife, Anne Gwynne, who comes back into his life. She wants him retired from his dangerous profession and he agrees.

It's a decent comedy-mystery with most of the humor provided by Mantan Moreland as Knowles' manservant and Shemp Howard as McDonald's assistant. There is also Lionel Atwill as a "Doctor Fish" who always seems to be near at hand, Ray Corrigan in a gorilla suit to spice up proceedings, and a tiny but compelling role for a sultry Jan Wiley as a gangster's moll.

William Nigh, who had been directing movies for thirty years, helms the movie; he was one of the many A-list directors of silent movies who retreated to the Bs and never raised their heads after that. In the 1920s he had directed Marion Davies for Cosmopolitan and Lon Chaney for MGM. By 1932, he was directing B westerns, and spent the last fifteen years of his career at Monogram and PRC. This decent Universal programmer was as rarefied as he got in the sound era. He retired in 1948.

Swell night for a murder!

[Hey_Sweden · 5/10 · 16 October 2019]

The handsome Patric Knowles is cast as Jerry Church, a private detective who reluctantly agrees to look into an odd series of murders. The victims are criminals who had been acquitted of their misdeeds, and the killer would seem to be an avenging medico who leaves their literal calling cards on the body of each victim.

Despite how this may be advertised, "The Strange Case of Doctor Rx" is NOT sci-fi or horror but a mystery thriller with heavy doses of comedy. However, once this viewer got over his disappointment, he had some fun with it. Characters CONSTANTLY bicker and banter with each other; it would be true to say that there's way more talk here than action. And the dialogue is more silly than genuinely funny, although it garners some modest chuckles now and then. The convoluted plot (concocted by Clarence Upson Young) ultimately leads to a climactic scene where the villain comes out of the dark (so to speak) to terrorize our hero.

Knowles is good in the lead, and the cast is full of familiar and reliable actors: Anne Gwynne as Knowles' leading lady, Samuel S. Hinds as successful defence attorney Dudley Crispin, Mona Barrie as his wife, Paul Cavanagh as his brother, Edmund MacDonald as flustered police captain Hurd, and John Gallaudet as menacing mobster Ernie Paul. The most blatant comedy relief, unsurprisingly, is delivered by Shemp Howard as a REALLY dumb cop, and Mantan Moreland as Churchs' agitated manservant. Both men are hilarious. However, the film makes an egregious waste of Lionel Atwill, as a mystery man appearing throughout.

"The Strange Case of Doctor Rx" can get tiresome at times, but at least it has the typically short running time of many programmers from this era, so even if viewers dislike it, they don't have to stick it out for too, too long. It isn't until near the end that it introduces more of a sci-fi / horror element....complete with a dude in a gorilla suit.

Silly, put passable.

Five out of 10.

Cheesy but entertaining...provided your expectations are rather low.

[planktonrules · 4/10 · 7 February 2018]

In the 1930s and 40s, Hollywood made a ton of amateur detective films...ones in which supposedly ordinary folk solve crimes because they are brilliant and the cops total idiots. Because of this, "The Strange Case of Doctor Rx" is very familiar. Despite a few unusual twists here and there, the story is all too familiar...especially with the inclusion of Mantan Moreland was his usual scared black man routine.

There is a psychopath murdering people they think are worthy of death! And, these deaths are obviously related because with each victim is a letter from someone calling themselves 'Dr. Rx'. Jerry (Patric Knowles) is about to get married and keep his promise to his new bride--to give up crime-solving. But some of the baddies have a different idea.

Overall this is just a fair film to watch. This is because it ended poorly with a 'scene missing here' portion that disappoints. Additionally, the usual cliches abound.

The Strange Case of Doctor Rx (1942) *

[JoeKarlosi · 2/10 · 10 November 2009]

Easily the worst Universal "horror film" I've ever seen, and it makes previous candidates of mine like SHE-WOLF OF London, THE FROZEN GHOST, and JUNGLE WOMAN look like thrill rides alongside it. Hell, I'd even watch LIFE RETURNS again over this one; at least that's bizarre enough in its badness and resembles an Our Gang short in spots. DOCTOR Rx doesn't make one bit of sense, with nothing going on but talk, talk, talk, and feels like it goes on forever despite that it's only just over an hour. The cockeyed plot seems to be about a series of murders against criminals who got off, committed by a mysterious doctor. Shemp Howard and Mantan Moreland are mixed up in all of this, but they don't even offer anything fun in the comical department. Anne Gwynne had always been the cutest Universal gal for me, but despite all her pep here it's all for naught. And Lionel Atwill is just wasted. The only somewhat decent thing I can say for this turkey is that it was semi-interesting to see Patric Knowles cast as an insensitive jerk for a change, and the 3 measly minutes we spend in Dr. Rx's laboratory with a chained gorilla is a tad unsettling ... even though I can't for the life of me see how it fits into the rest of this picture! A wretched movie. * out of ****

THE STRANGE CASE OF DR. RX (William Nigh, 1942) **

[Bunuel1976 · 4/10 · 23 January 2010]

This obscure Universal "B" horror flick is also included in that yet-to-be released Box Set I mentioned in my review of HOUSE OF HORRORS (1946) above and, unfortunately, while I would certainly say that this one is more readily enjoyable, my verdict overall is equally lukewarm. For one thing, much of the film's entertainment value stems more from the interaction between "master" Patrick Knowles (an insurance salesman moonlighting as a private dick!) and klutzy valet Mantan Moreland (who even devices a convoluted method for remembering his most basic instructions)! Also on hand are Knowles' girl Anne Gwynne, distinguished lawyer Samuel S. Hinds (whose guilty but off-the-hook clients are meeting sudden death at the hands of the enigmatic titular medico), the bumbling investigating duo of Edmund MacDonald and Shemp Howard (of "The Three Stooges" fame) and even a brief, thankless "red herring" cameo from a mousy(!) Lionel Atwill. As I intimated earlier, the surfeit of comic incident (not to mention the endless, dull chatter in which various parties, including Hinds' brother Paul Cavanaugh, try to talk Knowles out of taking on the case) – far outweighs the film's horror elements which are puzzlingly relegated to the last five minutes of the 66-minute movie – as if the screenwriter suddenly realized which genre he was supposed to be working in! What happens towards the end, however – with the belated "in costume" appearance of the raspy-voiced doc suddenly hard at work on transplanting the brain of his caged gorilla with that of Knowles?! – comes so utterly out of left field as to seem ridiculously far-fetched and, therefore, unable to redeem this would-be chiller. But, at least, Moreland and, to a lesser extent Howard, are funny

"This morning I was slightly negligee - but it'll never happen again."

[utgard14 · 5/10 · 10 April 2020]

Lesser Universal horror starring Patric Knowles as a detective out to solve a string of murders by the titular evil doctor. This is not a particularly memorable movie, even for a Universal horror fan like myself. It's one of the few that I've only seen a handful of times. Patric Knowles does ok but he's not really the quippy type this part calls for. Lloyd Nolan would've been great in the role. Lionel Atwill is always worth a look but here he has a very small part. Shemp Howard and Mantan Moreland provide comic relief. I'll let you guess which one is more likely to generate discussion today. Anne Gwynne is the frustrated love interest. A few more recognizable character actors round out the cast. Oh and there's a guy in an ape suit. That's always great.

The Doctor Perscribes Death

[Mike-764 · 7/10 · 18 February 2007]

A killer is going around murdering men who have eluded the clutches of the law thanks to the legal system, known only as Doctor Rx. The police ask private detective Jerry Church to help them, but he insists on returning to a legal practice in Boston. When DA Crispin asks for Church's help, he say he'll go watch the end of his latest case (involving gangster Tony Zarini) as a favor, but when Zarini mysteriously becomes Rx's 6th victim Church says he'll work on the case. This all changes when Church meets up with former flame, mystery writer Kit Logan, and after they marry Church now wants a peaceful life and decides to drop the case again, but after he is threatened by suspect Ernie Paul, he gets even worse treatment from Dr. Rx himself who plans to transplant Church's brain into the head of a gorilla. Is there no stopping this fiend? The film doesn't exactly stay in one genre with mystery, crime, comedy (thanks to Mantan Moreland & Shemp Howard), and romance, but you can't say the film isn't fun. After the midway mark of the film, it seems to get more interesting and curious to know what's going on here and when Dr. Rx actually appears, boy the film jumps up in fun. The cast is full of the usual Universal stock company of actors and they play their roles to the best they can. Fun film all together, Rating, 7.

Very little to recommend - even for fans of classic Universal horror

[bensonmum2 · 4/10 · 25 February 2010]

Private Detective Jerry Church (Patric Knowles) is asked to investigate the strange deaths of several recently acquitted men. The only clue is the mysterious calling card found on the body of each victim of a man known only as "Doctor Rx". Soon after taking the case, Church is on hand to see a man named Zarini acquitted, only to fall dead before he can leave the courtroom. To solve the series of murders, Church is kidnapped, his wife's life is threatened, and he is strapped to a table by Doctor Rx and prepped for an operation involving organ transplantation with a gorilla. Will Church survive this ordeal and unmask the killer?

As far as the classic Universal horror (and horror is used very loosely here) films of the 30s and 40s go, The Strange Case of Doctor Rx is about as bad as you'll run across. I place it at the bottom of the heap with the unfortunate She-Wolf of London. I described The Strange Case of Doctor Rx to a friend as a Charlie Chan movie without any of the charm or interest of a Charlie Chan movie. Knowles' Church doesn't make for a very effective or interesting lead. He's just too bland. Lionel Atwill is billed second, but he has so little screen-time you'll forget he's even in the film. And when Atwill is on screen, he's reduced to playing the role of the most embarrassing red herring I've ever run across. Gwynne is okay as the love interest / wife, but she can't save the film on her on. The highlights of the cast are Shemp Howard and, especially, Mantan Moreland. They have a scene together involving shooting dice that's laugh-out-loud funny. Moreland, as usual, steals most every scene in which he appears. Other weaknesses: the films plotting is plodding, the direction is pedestrian, the mystery isn't very mysterious, and the horror is pretty much missing altogether. As most everyone who has written about The Strange Case of Doctor Rx has pointed out, the one scene of real horror feels like it was cut from another film. Other than Moreland, the one bright spot worth mentioning is the "look" of the film. Like most other Universal pictures from this period, the movie looks like a million bucks. Overall, a very disappointing affair that I'll be generous to and give it a 4/10.

Hard to define as either mystery or horror

[AlsExGal · 6/10 · 24 November 2019]

In spite of a title which sounds like something for a horror film and the second billing of Lionel Atwill, this Universal programmer is a breezy "mystery" (not a lot of mystery here) which opens with a series of murders committed of men found innocent of a crime by a killer who leaves notes nearby signed, you guessed it, Doctor Rx.

Patric Knowles plays a dapper detective who lives in a beautiful penthouse apartment with a servant. Don't they all? He spends much of his time looking suave and bantering, with the servant (Manton Moreland), his girlfriend (Anne Gwynne) or a hard nosed police captain (Edmund MacDonald) who wants him to work on the Dr. Rx case because, well, he's hopeless to solve it on his own.

Lionel Atwill, prominently displayed in posters advertising the film and wearing coke bottle bottom glasses, also pops up on the rare occasion, as a suspect. But he's barely in this 65 minute feature. There is, for those who enjoy it, a lot more in the way of clowning from Mantan Moreland and Shemp Howard, the latter playing a police detective who, at one moment, plays craps with Moreland then arrests him for illegal gambling.

As the film is winding down suddenly, out of no where and seemingly from another film, there is a ten minute sequence involving a caged ape straight out of a mad scientist horror film. It's a fun over-the-top piece of stereotypical melodrama, certainly enjoyable while it lasts, but the viewer has to wonder, "Why didn't we get this kind of stuff in the first 50 minutes of this film?"

For those who enjoy Universal "B"s this is a minor effort, but they will still probably get a kick out of some of it, certainly the horror portion, brief as it is, towards the end.

Great cast wasted in a nonsensical mystery turkey of a movie. Its just not worth the time.

[dbborroughs · 3/10 · 23 July 2006]

Detective Jerry Church returns of Rio after a year and immediately finds himself embroiled in the Dr Rx murders. It seems that some one is killing off the high profile defendants that have been acquitted and leaving a note signed Rx and a number. As the sixth victim falls, in the court room seconds after being acquitted Church finds himself pressed by the police to aide them as well as the defense attorney responsible for most of the acquittals (he fears the end to his career because who would hire him if you win only to die?).

Sounds like a promising mystery? Well forget it its not. Its a mystery looking for some one to pay attention to it. This film is mostly concerned with Church, played a bit too cocksure by Patrick Knowles, and his relationship with Kit, a one time girlfriend who becomes his wife in the second scene she appears. She's a mystery writer who bugs his apartment for ideas. They bicker and quarrel and would be an interesting update on Nick and Nora Charles if they had a (better) script. The mystery comes and goes and is never really solved.

In all honesty this film is a turkey. How can I tell? Because out of left field Church is tied to a gurney by a hooded villain who tries to use a gorilla in a cage to get rid of the detective. Normally I would find this fun, but here it just destroys any notion of credibility (and probably the series they were hoping to start). This is a bad bad movie.

The only reason to watch this is the cast that includes Knowles, Montan Moreland, Lionel Atwill (a red herring with maybe five minutes of screen time) and Shemp Howard. The scene of Howard and Moreland gambling for a bottle of liquor is amusing.

3 out of 10 for the cast and some witty dialog. This is a movie thats not worth your time- even if it is only an hour.

Interesting little whodunit

[the_mysteriousx · 5/10 · 8 October 2004]

(possible spoilers) If you're looking for a lot of Lionel Atwill, you will be disappointed as he only has a few scenes playing the most obviously named red-herring in film history, Dr. Fish. However, if you're looking for a good little suspenser, this is a solid b-movie from Universal. The cast is generally good, only Patrick Knowles comes off as too brash and pompous as the hero. It's hard to root for him as his charm is very thin and his arrogance fat. It is nicely paced and directed. The best part about the film is Dr. Rx himself - a madman vigilante killer with an evilly raspy voice and a gorilla for a sidekick. It's a fun time-passer and one of the better horror/mysteries from Universal.

Good, Rare Fun

[Michael_Elliott · 28 February 2008]

Strange Case of Doctor RX, The (1942)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Here's another forgotten thriller/mystery from Universal. A mysterious man is killing off client's gotten off of serious crimes by a local attorney. There's really not too much here but director William Nigh keeps things moving pretty pace even though this thing contains the worst red-herring in film history. Patrick Knowles, Lionel Atwill, Anne Gwynne and Shemp Howard star.

This rare Universal film hasn't been released officially yet but there are 16mm copies floating around out there.

A typical William Nigh film — boring and lousy

[mgconlan-1 · 3/10 · 22 November 2009]

"The Strange Case of Doctor Rx" is billed as a horror film, but it really isn't. It's an all too obvious murder mystery with just one horrific scene that seems spliced in from another movie altogether. William Nigh probably relished the chance to direct at a major studio instead of the salt mine of Monogram, but though the film has handsome production values Nigh brings to it all the trademarks of his Monogram work: dullness, no sense of pace and an unwillingness to tell any of the actors they're overacting. Though billed second, Lionel Atwill is barely in the movie at all until the final reel. The title is obviously intended to evoke memories of Atwill's great film "Doctor X" from Warners in 1932, but the comparison only makes this film seem even worse than it is. The great Black comedian Mantan Moreland easily steals the movie out from under all the white stars; he's genuinely witty and a charismatic screen presence, and he gets the first line of dialogue as well as the final gag. Next to Moreland, the most entertaining aspect of the movie is Patric Knowles' gorgeous Art Deco apartment, where all too much of the film takes place. Why Universal and TCM chose this for their "Cult Horror Classics" boxed set instead of the neglected 1934 masterpiece "The Man Who Reclaimed His Head" (also with Atwill) or the interesting 1942 Edgar Allan Poe adaptation "The Mystery of Marie Roget" (also with Knowles) is a bigger mystery than the supposedly "mysterious" identity of Dr. Rx in this plot.

Seen on Pittsburgh's Chiller Theater in 1976

[kevinolzak · 5/10 · 8 May 2011]

1941's "The Strange Case of Doctor Rx" was part of Universal's popular SHOCK! package of classic horror films issued to television in the late 50s, turning up twice on Pittsburgh's Chiller Theater, on May 8 1976 (following Cameron Mitchell's "Nightmare in Wax") and Jan 29 1983 (solo). Yes, Lionel Atwill is criminally wasted, but what's worse is how the ads promoted it as a horror film prominently featuring his countenance (billed second, as he also was in "The Mad Doctor of Market Street"). Patric Knowles is the actual star, before "The Wolf Man" and "Mystery of Marie Roget," and has no trouble carrying the picture, but the on again-off again sparring between his detective Jerry Church and new bride Kit (Anne Gwynne) wears thin very quickly. Church has just returned from South America, only to be bludgeoned by the recent series of murders committed by a mysterious Doctor Rx (not to be confused with Atwill's 1932 "Doctor X"), who executes criminals that escape the justice system. The couple are likable performers, but the 'Battling Churches' were mercifully not granted a sequel (it really is less a horror film than a domestic mystery/whodunit, certainly no THIN MAN). Still entertaining for those who encountered it long ago, particularly for the excellent cast, with Samuel S. Hinds, Paul Cavanagh, Mary Gordon, pretty Jan Wiley, and Ray 'Crash' Corrigan as the gorilla Nbongo, in the lone nightmarish sequence that climaxes the picture. The underrated Mantan Moreland, who always rose above his material, easily steals every scene he's in, which the better known Shemp Howard fails to do (some 5 years before he rejoined The Three Stooges).

"Why don't you get yourself a job shovelling coal?"

[hwg1957-102-265704 · 5/10 · 17 December 2022]

A talky mystery story with a rushed explanation at the end spiced up with a mad masked man and a gorilla in a cage, not to mention unfunny comic relief. My main pleasure was watching some of the cast; perky Anne Gwynne as the detective's old flame/new wife Kit, the briefly appearing Lionel Atwill as the fishy Dr Fish, Mary Gordon as the sorrowful mother and languid Jan Wiley as the mobster's moll Lily. Mantan Moreland sadly has to indulge in the demeaning comic actions that dogged his film career but when allowed to act properly as he was near the end of this film he showed himself to be a more than capable actor. On the whole less attention should have been paid the the comedy and romantic side and more to the mystery side which needed much more setting up.

And how detective Jerry Church and aide Horatio B. Fitz Washington escaped from the killer and the gorilla escapes me to this very day, years after I first saw the film on television as a lad.

A Shemp Howard Masterpiece

[LoUfRoMpRiSoN · 5/10 · 28 October 2008]

If you consider yourself a fan of Shemp Howard (of The Three Stooges) and have never seen this picture, DO SO IMMEDIATELY! Even though screen time for Shemp is relatively small, he and Mr. Church's "man" steal the show!!! The movie, overall, is your standard 1940's-1950's whodunit with a bit of a "weird" plot twist to throw you off course. It certainly does that, but it could have been done in a more "meaningful" manner. Aside from all that, SHEMP IS LAUGH OUT LOUD FUNNY! I picked my copy up off of eBay for around ten bucks and even though there are a couple of video glitches in it, I still consider it worth the price to catch this classic. SHEMP RULES!!!

Practically all of Universal involved...

[mark.waltz · 4/10 · 27 December 2017]

Outside of Lugosi, Karloff, Rathbone and Deanna Durbin...

This B Universal thriller creates a mysterious new monster, an unseen allegedly doctor who decides to play judge and jury when the jury commits travesties of justice. Patric Knowles is a famous detective brought into the case when nobody else can find any clues as to who the guilty party is. "The most notorious case since Jack the Ripper", Sherlock Holmes would say, and while there's no Holmes and Watson, there is a brief appearance by Scottish Mary Gordon, not Mrs. Hudson here from the "Sherlock Holmes" films, but the mother of one of Dr. RX's victims who survived. This is initially intriguing, but quickly stagnates as talk takes over any suspense, giving either clues and suspects which are possibly red herrings. Anne Gwynne, as Knowles's wife, does nothing but fret, while Mantan Moreland and Shemp Howard provide low brow comedy. Other familiar faces pop up in needless roles, and it's surprising that they didn't include Lugosi, Karloff and Chaney in uncredited cameos. It's not hideous and flies by pretty quickly, culminating in a tense chase sequence, but I think most viewers can simply agree that this had been done before but better. The twist at the end makes really no sense and seems desperate to get chills when it really only provides groans.

The Strange Case of Doctor Rx

[Scarecrow-88 · 5/10 · 22 November 2010]

Clients for a certain lawyer are bumped off by a maniacal physician who leaves his calling card by "Rx" along with each individual victim's number as he kills them via poison. Dr. Crispin hopes a well-renowned detective, John Church, will halt his plans of retirement and seek the identity of the killer before he winds up as the next victim(not to mention, rescue his law practice which took a hit thanks to the fact that if you attain Dudley as your lawyer you wind up dead).

Patric Knowles, as Private Eye Jerry Church, many will know from FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE WOLF MAN, is the star while Anne Gwynne(HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN)is his worried newspaper reporter wife, Kit Logan. With Samuel Hinds(THE RAVEN)as attorney Dudley Crispin, Paul Cavanagh(THE SCARLET CLAW)his brother John, bug-eyed Mantan Moreland as Church's oft-abused butler Horatio(sure to make African-Americans cringe as honkies push and slap him around as the poor guy is used as a bumbling foil), and Shemp Howard(of all people)as a goofy cop. Edmund MacDonald is a cop who wants Church to partner with him on the case of the mysterious psychopath, Dr. Rx. Marital shenanigans between Knowles and Gwynne are used as comic touches as is the casting of Moreland and Shemp to off-set the morbid plot of a killer who keeps to taking out low-life criminals in the mobster underworld. The signature of Rx could be the key to the murderer's undoing. Lionel Atwill, in coke-bottle glasses, is the character of suspicion(which means he's likely a red herring), but his part is so small he's almost a non-entity. I was disappointed in this one more because it plays too much for laughs and not chills. The only real "horror" to the movie is the gorilla scene where it appears that Church will be another victim on Rx's hit list.

"Why, I Oughta Break Your Neck!"...

[azathothpwiggins · 4 May 2023]

In THE STRANGE CASE OF DR. RX, private detective, Jerry Church (Patrick Knowles) is drawn into the murder spree of the titular mad physician, in spite of his plans to the contrary.

One of the lesser-known horror films from Universal Studios, it's more of a crime-mystery movie. It's rather lighthearted considering the subject matter. Any real terror is saved for the finale. Mr. Knowles is a serviceable gumshoe. Both Shemp Howard and Mantan Moreland are on hand to help keep things from getting too serious. Lionel Atwill plays the mysterious Dr. Fish, hiding behind his ultra-thick eyeglasses.

A harmless timewaster...

Dull, dull, dull.

[alexanderdavies-99382 · 4/10 · 23 May 2017]

This obscure "Universal" film is one of the lesser ones by a considerable margin. Even Lionel Atwill couldn't save this one. The plot is so unimaginative and boring, it felt more like serving a prison sentence than watching a movie! I have this one but I only keep it to see Lionel Atwill.

More Dull Than Strange.

[AaronCapenBanner · 2/10 · 25 October 2013]

Patrick Knowles plays private detective Jerry Church, who is recruited by the police to help solve a series of murders where wrongfully acquitted criminals were subsequently murdered by a mysterious vigilante calling himself Dr. RX. Meanwhile, his girlfriend Kit Logan(played by Anne Gwynne) pops back into his life, and they get married, though she will later get mixed up in the case itself. Who can the mysterious Dr. RX. be, and what does a locked up gorilla have to do with anything? Despite some brisk performances,(and Jerry's gorgeous Art Deco apartment and hallway!) this is a most dull, unfocused and ridiculous film, that feels much longer than its hour running time...

It's never too late to introduce a gorilla.

[BA_Harrison · 5/10 · 22 September 2022]

For the most part, The Strange Case of Doctor Rx is an unremarkable detective B-movie in which brilliant sleuth Jerry Church (Patric Knowles) tries to solve the case of Dr. Rx, the killer who has been ensuring that any criminals who manage to escape justice in court still get what they deserve. Mantan Moreland irritates as Church's comic-relief manservant Horatio B. Fitz Washington, but the whole thing is made more bearable thanks to the presence of gorgeous Anne Gwynne as Jerry's feisty wife, mystery novelist Kit.

Fifty five minutes of sleuthing passes with very little of interest happening, but the final ten minutes of this film have to be seen to be believed...

Dr. Rx, his identity hidden by a hood, kidnaps Jerry and Horatio and takes them to his hideout. The detective is strapped to a gurney and is told that his brain will be transplanted into the body of the gorilla in a nearby cage! The film has officially entered schlock territory; however, it gets even sillier...

Later, Jerry and Horatio are found near the docks, the detective suffering from shock and loss of memory. He is taken to his apartment where Kit is horrified to find that her husband has lost his mind. Jerry's condition, however, turns out to be a ruse by the detective to flush out Dr. Rx., who hadn't really intended to transplant Jerry's brain into the ape, just frighten him enough to drive him crazy. A more convoluted and contrived plot development it is hard to imagine, but the sheer lunacy of it all is what makes the end of the film so much fun - it certainly left me feeling better about the film as a whole.

Lionel Atwill, who gets second billing, is only in the film for a few fleeting seconds, and is, as his character's name suggests, a red herring. Look out too for Shemp Howard of The Three Stooges as Det. Sgt. Sweeney.

Neither Fish nor Fowl

[Prichards12345 · 5/10 · 19 July 2019]

Dr Rx falls between two stools -the B Movie mystery and the B movie Horror flick. Unfortunately, while not a complete failure, it isn't particularly good at either.

Patrick Knowles takes on the detective duties trying to solve a series of killings involving exonerated felons. Lionel Atwill does his best to look sinister, but he turns out to be a red herring named Dr. Fish! We have a lurch into horror territory when Dr. Rx threatens Knowles with a gorilla (all mad scientists need one!) and seems to be preparing for a quick brain transplant between the two!

No one is going to mistake this for The Maltese Falcon, but it passes an hour in a modestly entertaining way. Knowles is pretty good, and with better handling his character might have made for an okay mystery series. With better handling. This is not one of Universals star jewels, but it's okay.