The Return of Doctor X [The Return of Dr X] ** (1939, Humphrey Bogart, Rosemary Lane, Wayne Morris, Dennis Morgan) – Classic Movie Review 3,124

‘HE ROSE FROM THE DEAD…TO HAUNT THE LIVING!!!’ The intriguing 1939 horror thriller film The Return of Doctor X stars a just pre-superstardom Humphrey Bogart as the murderous bogeyman Doctor X. Bogart called it a ‘stinking’ film. 

‘HE ROSE FROM THE DEAD…TO HAUNT THE LIVING!!!’

Director Vincent Sherman’s intriguing 1939 horror thriller film The Return of Doctor X stars a just pre-superstardom Humphrey Bogart as the murderous bogeyman Doctor X, aka Marshall Quesne. It is not really a  horror movie, nor truly a sequel to the 1932 film Doctor X either, with the Doctor X character a different one from Lionel Atwill’s original Dr Jerry Xavier, though it bears lots of resemblances to it.

Doctor X was electrocuted and buried for his crimes, but is brought back to life by Dr Francis Flegg (John Litel) with his hair turned a fetching black and white, and with a thirst for blood. Dr Flegg tells us helpfully: ‘Interesting stuff, blood.’

Wayne Morris co-stars as New York newspaper reporter Walter Garrett, who’s fired after actress Angela Merrova (Lya Lys) threatens to sue his paper when he wrongly claims to have found her dead in her apartment. He then uncovers her involvement with a strange doctor who is a blood expert on human and finds a connection to a series of murders where the victims were drained of blood.

Incidentally, Morris is billed as ‘Walter Barnett’, but he is called ‘Walter Garrett’ in the film.

It also stars Rosemary Lane as Joan Vance and Dennis Morgan as Dr Mike Rhodes, who teams up with the investigating reporter.

Bogart despised what he called the ‘stinking’ film, and it is easy to see why. But it provides a few moments of ghoulish laughter and even some eerie chills.

Based on the novel The Doctor’s Secret by William J Makin, it comes from non-horror studio Warner Bros, reviving a rare excursion into the genre with the Doctor X character, though the other aspects of the movie are all new.

The Return of Doctor X also features Huntz Hall (as Pinky), Charles C Wilson (as Detective Roy Kincaid), Vera Lewis (as Miss Sweetman), Olin Howland (undertaker), Cliff Saum (Detective Sergeant Moran), Jack Mower, Creighton Hale (hotel manager), John Ridgley (Rodgers), Joseph Crehan, Ian Wolfe, Virginia Brissac, and George Reeves.

It is suspiciously short at 62 minutes, and Howard C Hickman and Arthur Aylesworth had their scenes deleted.

© Derek Winnert 2015 Classic Movie Review 3,124

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