The head of a drug company mysteriously disappears, after taking credit for a new anesthetic that actually resulted from the work of several doctors, and his surgeon is found strangely murde... Read allThe head of a drug company mysteriously disappears, after taking credit for a new anesthetic that actually resulted from the work of several doctors, and his surgeon is found strangely murdered by a surgical instrument.The head of a drug company mysteriously disappears, after taking credit for a new anesthetic that actually resulted from the work of several doctors, and his surgeon is found strangely murdered by a surgical instrument.
- Kenneth Martin
- (as Gordon Elliott)
- Nurse
- (uncredited)
- Nestor - Policeman and Driver
- (uncredited)
- Herbert - the Morgue Attendant
- (uncredited)
- Intern
- (uncredited)
Featured reviews
The plot concerns a formula for a new anesthetic - I never did get the name - it sounded like Slaypen - and a Dr. Melady lays claim as the primary owner, though others, like Dr. Harrigan, had helped to develop it. Melady wants Harrigan to operate on him and use the Slaypen, However, Harrigan is murdered, and Dr. Melady disappears.
Most of the film revolves around the hospital elevator. For awhile, I couldn't figure out why the doctors and nurses kept manually closing the doors, and then I realized that although the elevator was automatic, apparently closing the doors was not yet automatic in 1936. Rather than use the elevator operator with that big wheel often seen in department stores years ago, they were just pulling the doors shut.
Even coming in at just over an hour, this movie seems long because it's so talky, and most of the action is described rather than seen, The star, Ricardo Cortez, lays out the whole solution to the murder to the detective in charge at the end - but we didn't see much of it.
The most entertaining things about this film are the old things: the elevator doors, the nurses' uniforms and caps, the rotary phones. As far as the acting, Cortez is an amiable presence, and Astor is very good. Mary Treen, a very familiar television face, has a small but showy role.
Only of interest because of RICARDO CORTEZ in the leading role as one of the helpful doctors who leads the detective to solve the case, and, in a brief supporting role, MARY ASTOR, who manages to make an interesting impression as a nurse who knows more than she's willing to tell. She makes more of an impression than KAY LINAKER who plays Cortez's romantic interest.
This is the sort of mystery fluff that played the lower half of double bills back in the '30s, watchable only for the fast pace and because of its "round up the usual suspects" kind of telling. Extremely dated, but amusing with enough plot complications to keep everyone guessing.
It's one of a dozen 'Clue Club' mysteries from Warner Brothers in the mid-1930s, and given it's from a novel by Mignon Eberhart, it's a decent enough mystery, if a trifle rushed at 67 minutes. The cast includes Mary Astor -- supposedly she turned down Miss Linaker's role and was made to play a lesser one as punishment, which makes no sense to me -- Mary Treen, Bill Elliott, and Don Barclay and Johnny Arthur as comic-relief patients. It's a trifle generic, but good.
Well made mystery with some clear question methods, some good red herrings and a good hospital atmosphere which adds to the drama and suspense. It's formulaic but a fast paced mystery with some good suspects and a smart hero in Ricardo Cortez.
Did you know
- TriviaFilm debut of Kay Linaker. The part of Nurse Sally Keating was originally intended to be played by Mary Astor. When Astor refused it, Warner Bros. signed Broadway actress Linaker to play it. As punishment, the studio forced Astor to play a supporting part in the film.
- GoofsDr. Harrigan tells Nurse Brody to take care of patient calls as he is wheeling Melady off to surgery. A close-up of the nurse call board is shown, but in the next longer shot, the pattern of lights on the board is different.
- Quotes
Nurse Sally Keating: What do you expect to find at the morgue?
Doctor George Lambert: What do you usually find at a morgue?
Nurse Sally Keating: A lot of your patients!
- ConnectionsFollowed by Murder by an Aristocrat (1936)
- SoundtracksThe Lady in Red
(1935) (uncredited)
Music by Allie Wrubel
Lyrics by Mort Dixon
Sung a cappella by Don Barclay with modified lyrics
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Clue Club #6: The Murder of Dr. Harrigan
- Filming locations
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime
- 1h 7m(67 min)
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1