In another of his patented mad scientist roles, the great Boris Karloff is again so dedicated to researching and proving a point that he ends up doing more harm than good. Here, he's playing distinguished 19th century London surgeon Thomas Bolton, hoping to show his predictably stuffy, disbelieving colleagues that a proper anesthesia can be created that will prevent a patient from feeling pain during an operation. Unfortunately, Bolton experiments on himself repeatedly, and thus becomes addicted to the inhalations. He is also exploited by nefarious types who get him to sign phony death certificates, so that they can profit by selling the corpses to hospitals.
The fact that this little film was shelved for an unbelievable FOUR YEARS may lead some people to think that it isn't any good. But that couldn't be farther from the truth. Yes, in terms of plotting, it's largely predictable, but it's very well executed by director Robert Day ("Grip of the Strangler") and a truly excellent British cast. Karloff, as usual, does a wonderful job, creating a compelling and fundamentally sympathetic character. The supporting players contain a rich variety of talent: Betta St. John, Finlay Currie, Adrienne Corri, Francis De Wolff, Francis Matthews, Basil Dignam, Carl Bernard, Nigel Green, Yvonne Romain, Roddy Hughes, etc.
Set in a time when the idea of a working anesthetic seemed like a pipe dream, that helps to give the plot something extra, and the subplot with the people at the inn just creates another element to add to Boltons' troubles. While this film is more of a period drama with touches of horror than true horror film, it IS properly disturbing whenever the film focuses on the extreme pain suffered by the patients who are under the knife. And it also has a great role for Karloffs' fellow legend Sir Christopher Lee, as a hideous, scar-faced scoundrel named "Resurrection Joe" - who receives a pretty effective comeuppance.
If you're a fan of Karloff and / or Lee or any of the cast, then by all means check this one out. It's well-paced and solidly engrossing.
Seven out of 10.
The fact that this little film was shelved for an unbelievable FOUR YEARS may lead some people to think that it isn't any good. But that couldn't be farther from the truth. Yes, in terms of plotting, it's largely predictable, but it's very well executed by director Robert Day ("Grip of the Strangler") and a truly excellent British cast. Karloff, as usual, does a wonderful job, creating a compelling and fundamentally sympathetic character. The supporting players contain a rich variety of talent: Betta St. John, Finlay Currie, Adrienne Corri, Francis De Wolff, Francis Matthews, Basil Dignam, Carl Bernard, Nigel Green, Yvonne Romain, Roddy Hughes, etc.
Set in a time when the idea of a working anesthetic seemed like a pipe dream, that helps to give the plot something extra, and the subplot with the people at the inn just creates another element to add to Boltons' troubles. While this film is more of a period drama with touches of horror than true horror film, it IS properly disturbing whenever the film focuses on the extreme pain suffered by the patients who are under the knife. And it also has a great role for Karloffs' fellow legend Sir Christopher Lee, as a hideous, scar-faced scoundrel named "Resurrection Joe" - who receives a pretty effective comeuppance.
If you're a fan of Karloff and / or Lee or any of the cast, then by all means check this one out. It's well-paced and solidly engrossing.
Seven out of 10.