(Some Spoilers) Having discovered the miracle of life through the process of blood De-coagulation Dr.Francis Flegg,John Litel, made the mistake of bringing back to life his first subject the brilliant, but convicted murderer, hematologist Doctor Maurice Xavier, Humphrey Bogart. Feeling that he's much too valuable a person to be taken from the world of science despite his criminal record.
After being executed for murder in the electric chair at Sing Sing Dr. Flegg claimed Dr. X's, as Maurice Xavier is known in the movie, body and pumped a new life back into him. Dr.X now working as Dr. Flegg's assistant is seen moping around the laboratory cleaning up and making himself useful but also learning that he needs a rare blood-type to keep himself alive by having transfusions every few weeks when the blood, from unsuspecting donors, that he has in his system starts to go bad. Trying to perfect a permanent and lasting synthetic blood is something that the brilliant Dr. Flegg can't seem to come up with.This has a blood-thirsty Dr. X to go out hunting for people with his blood-type to keep himself from drying up and dying.
The film "The Return of Dr.X" has wisecracking reporter Walter Garrett, Wayne Morris, come across this amazing secret when an actress, with the same blood-type of Dr.X, that he's supposed to interview Angela Merrova, Lay Lys, is found murdered in her hotel room. Only to come back to life a few hours later due to Dr. Fleggs actions. Later with the help of his doctor friend Mike Rhodes, Dennis Morgan, they find another person with the same blood-type, called group #1 in the movie, professional blood donor Stanley Rodgers, John Ridgely, not only murdered but completely drained of his blood. It becomes apparent that their a link between the two Merrova & Rodgers.
It's later when a conscientious Dr. Flegg decides to stop his experiments in keeping the murderous Dr.X from getting his periodic blood-transfusions that he goes wild murdering Flegg. Later the brought back from the dead Angela Merrova, With the late Dr. Flegg's little black book of people with the rare group #1 blood, goes out looking for new customers to keep Dr. X well stocked and alive with their valuable bodily fluids. Kidnapping nurse Joan Vance, Rosemary Lane, who has blood group #1 Dr. X takes off in a taxi to his old hideout, a duck pub, in Jersey.Then he's then tracked down by Garrett, Joan's boyfriend, and the police and then gunned down in a wild shoot-out.
Humphrey Bogart in the most unusual role of his career as the zombie-like Dr.X who's as white as a sheet with a punk, or skunk, like hair-style is undoubtedly the star of the movie and really the only reason to watch it. You have to sit through the first 25 or so boring minutes of the film "The Return of Doctor X" to finally see him make his grand appearance but after that it's all up hill from then on.
After being executed for murder in the electric chair at Sing Sing Dr. Flegg claimed Dr. X's, as Maurice Xavier is known in the movie, body and pumped a new life back into him. Dr.X now working as Dr. Flegg's assistant is seen moping around the laboratory cleaning up and making himself useful but also learning that he needs a rare blood-type to keep himself alive by having transfusions every few weeks when the blood, from unsuspecting donors, that he has in his system starts to go bad. Trying to perfect a permanent and lasting synthetic blood is something that the brilliant Dr. Flegg can't seem to come up with.This has a blood-thirsty Dr. X to go out hunting for people with his blood-type to keep himself from drying up and dying.
The film "The Return of Dr.X" has wisecracking reporter Walter Garrett, Wayne Morris, come across this amazing secret when an actress, with the same blood-type of Dr.X, that he's supposed to interview Angela Merrova, Lay Lys, is found murdered in her hotel room. Only to come back to life a few hours later due to Dr. Fleggs actions. Later with the help of his doctor friend Mike Rhodes, Dennis Morgan, they find another person with the same blood-type, called group #1 in the movie, professional blood donor Stanley Rodgers, John Ridgely, not only murdered but completely drained of his blood. It becomes apparent that their a link between the two Merrova & Rodgers.
It's later when a conscientious Dr. Flegg decides to stop his experiments in keeping the murderous Dr.X from getting his periodic blood-transfusions that he goes wild murdering Flegg. Later the brought back from the dead Angela Merrova, With the late Dr. Flegg's little black book of people with the rare group #1 blood, goes out looking for new customers to keep Dr. X well stocked and alive with their valuable bodily fluids. Kidnapping nurse Joan Vance, Rosemary Lane, who has blood group #1 Dr. X takes off in a taxi to his old hideout, a duck pub, in Jersey.Then he's then tracked down by Garrett, Joan's boyfriend, and the police and then gunned down in a wild shoot-out.
Humphrey Bogart in the most unusual role of his career as the zombie-like Dr.X who's as white as a sheet with a punk, or skunk, like hair-style is undoubtedly the star of the movie and really the only reason to watch it. You have to sit through the first 25 or so boring minutes of the film "The Return of Doctor X" to finally see him make his grand appearance but after that it's all up hill from then on.