Okay, I'm a hopeless vulgarian, but I thought the movie wasn't as bad as many others say. Sure, the material is z-grade, done a hundred times over starting with Frankenstein. But, except for Bogie's horrible make-up applied with a trowel, the movie's not all that hokey. The narrative is well constructed, building little-by-little on what's come before. Namely, why are blood donors being killed, and by whom, and what's aristocratic Dr. Flegg's (Litel) role. In my little view, the screenplay's construction is surprisingly good for a programmer. Plus, Morgan makes a dashing pursuer, along with a stumbling Wayne Morris as a comic-relief reporter. Then there's poor Rosemary Lane (Joan) in a tacked on role, no doubt for marquee purposes. And catch a non-goofy Huntz Hall (Pinky) before the Bowery Boys consumed his career. But who is the mysterious Lya Lys (Merrova), whose close-ups are the scariest thing in the movie. Sure, Bogie's make-up is the hokiest element in the 60-minutes and no doubt the low point of his spectacular career. Meanwhile, he has to take what Warner Bros. gives him. Anyway, the programmer does have its compensations.
Review of The Return of Doctor X
