EVEN DeepER Blurting!: DBNS: The Bogie Man

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DBNS: The Bogie Man

Posted by Kenneth Morgan on 10/30/2008, 10:16 pm

For his Halloween review, Kenneth Morgan watches a movie that’s not really the stuff that dreams are made of.
*****
As I may have written in the past, for these reviews I tend to look for movies that are not exactly on the proverbial radar screen for one reason or another. One particular idea is an actor in an early and/or atypical role. Richard Basehart as a murderous crook in “He Walked by Night” was one, and Vincent Price in a comedic role in “Champagne for Caesar” is another. Now, how about this one: Humphrey Bogart in a horror movie. Got your attention?

If I have, we’ll proceed to our subject for this night before Halloween: “The Return of Dr. X”, released by Warner Brothers in 1939.

The movie begins in the city room of the Morning Dispatch, a great metropolitan newspaper. Wise-cracking reporter Walt Garret (Wayne Morris, billed as Walter Barnett) calls famous actress Angela Merrova (Lya Lys), looking for an interview. She graciously agrees, and is attacked as soon as she hangs up the phone. Some time later, Garret arrives at Merrova’s hotel room, blunders inside, and finds her lying dead from a stab wound. Showing a clear sense of priorities, he immediately calls his editor and gives him the scoop, resulting in pretty much instantaneous front page headlines. He then calls the police, who eventually arrive and find Garret waiting outside, and no one lying inside. The police aren’t amused, and neither is the editor when Merrova, alive and unharmed, shows up at the office and threatens a lawsuit. The suit is averted via a published apology and Garret’s firing. (SUGGESTED RIFF: What, none of that “absence of malice” routine?)

Certain that something odd is going on, Garret talks to his friend Dr. Mike Rhodes (Dennis Morgan, no relation). Rhodes has no idea of how Merrova could survive such a serious wound. Rhodes is busy, though; he’s preparing to assist noted hematologist Dr. Flegg (John Litel, in a role originally intended for Bela Lugosi) in an operation. But, when a needed blood donor doesn’t show up, Rhodes turns to pretty nurse Joan Vance (Rosemary Lane), who, having the same blood type, volunteers for the transfusion and, afterwards, is propositioned by Rhodes. (S.R: Ah, the days before sexual harassment was invented.) Later, though, the mystery deepens when the police call Rhodes, with Garret tagging along, to the apartment of the original donor. He’s been found dead, killed by a surgically precise stab wound, with his blood drained away.

Another odd item is that Rhodes examines some blood stains found at the crime scene. It turns out that not only are they a completely different type (or “group”, as they’re called in the movie) from the victim’s blood, but they don’t seem to be from either human or animal blood. With Garret secretly following him, Rhodes goes to Dr. Flegg for a consultation on the matter. Instead, he finds Quesne (pronounced “Kane”), a pale and creepy figure played by Bogie (in a role originally intended for Boris Karloff). Quesne shows an unsettling interest in the subject of blood composition, but is shooed away by Flegg. Flegg is surprised to hear of the donor’s death, but dismisses Rhodes’ ideas about the blood stains, even after Quesne overreacts to Rhodes’ theory about the possibility of artificially-produced blood.

After Rhodes’ leaves, and while Garret observes, Merrova shows up at Flegg’s office. Complaining about feeling cold and ill, she faints, causing Quesne to berate Flegg about some sort of failure. Flegg tells Quesne to get lost and gives Merrova what may be the fastest transfusion in medical history. (S.R.: That’s not a transfusion, that’s an IV chug-a-lug contest.) The next day, Garret tells Rhodes that Quesne seems somewhat familiar to him, Flegg tells Rhodes that he should just forget everything they talked about the previous night, and a weakened Morrova tells him that she was indeed assaulted, but awoke in her hotel room alive and well.

So, we’re left with a number of mysteries. How did Merrova survive her seemingly-fatal wound? What is Dr. Flegg hiding, and how does it relate to his research? Who is the figure behind the stabbings? Who is “Dr. X” and when will he return? What newspaper would hire a hapless dope like Garret? And did Bogie really need the money that much that he’d appear in this role?

Now, don’t get me wrong. “The Return of Dr. X” is not a particularly bad movie. In fact, for a B picture, it’s very well made. The print I watched is in fine shape, and there are some pretty decent production values. There’s an effective use of shadows and atmosphere, the acting is OK, and the script by Lee Katz (from a story by William J. Makin) has some snappy dialogue in spots. Director Vincent Sherman keeps things serious, but allows the actors to approach things with a light touch when needed. Plus, the movie goes at a very brisk pace and is done in just over an hour.

Still, the movie doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. In fact, it moves too fast at times, like how the Morning Dispatch can print up a full front page story on Merrova’s death before the cops even show up. Also, the semi-romance between Rhodes and Joan comes from out of nowhere and is never truly developed. And, let’s face it; we have a pretty good idea of where things are headed in the story from very early on.

And there’s Bogart. Humphrey Bogart remains one of the finest actors and most beloved figures in movie history. I can easily accept him in a variety of roles, from hard-boiled Sam Spade to unbalanced Captain Queeg. But, when it comes to Quesne, it all falls apart. He’s made up to look shockingly pale, with round eyeglasses and a skunk-like white streak in his hair. His manner is one of creepy menace that’s more Peter Lorre than Bogie. Yeah, he did as well as he could, but it’s still Bogart. I was waiting for him to slap Flegg around, rather than let himself get intimidated. (Reportedly, this role made Bogart go to the studio bosses and demand better roles, which were just on the horizon.)

This movie does provide some good riffing material, frequently directed at Bogart’s presence. There’s our first view of him, oddly stroking a small white rabbit in his arms. (S.R.: Shouldn’t that be black bird statue, instead?) Or, there’s Flegg’s comment that Quesne’s problem is “he hasn’t completely recovered from a rather severe shock”. (S.R.: He just hasn’t been the same since Ilsa left him in Paris.) There are other moments, as well, like when Quesne describes himself and the rabbit as “victims of circumstance”. (S.R.: Nyuck! Nyuck! Nyuck!) And there’s any moment when Huntz Hall shows up as Pinky the office boy. (S.R.: Routine five, fellas!)

All in all, “The Return of Dr. X” is actually a pretty good movie. Sure, you can riff on it pretty well, but it tends to hold up on its own. As long as you don’t mind seeing Bogart in a very non-Bogart role, you can enjoy it.

Oh, and since tomorrow is Halloween…

BOO!!!

CONNECTIONS NOTE: Producer Bryon Foy also worked on the previously reviewed “He Walked by Night”, while Executive Producer Jack L. Warner and Cinematographer Sidney Hickox both worked on the previously reviewed “The Horn Blows at Midnight”. John Litel (Flegg) appeared in the previously reviewed “Flight to Mars”, and Olin Howard (who plays an undertaker) appeared in the previously reviewed “The Blob” and ‘It Came from Hollywood”, as well as the MSTed “Last of the Wild Horses”. And Huntz Hall appeared in the previously reviewed East Side Kids movies “Spooks Run Wild” and “Ghosts on the Loose”.

TRIVIA NOTE: As you might expect, this movie is actually as sequel. The original movie, “Dr. X”, was released in 1932 and stars Lionel Atwill. It’s a pretty macabre movie, and it has no connection with the sequel that I can tell.