The Body Snatcher (1945)

Director:

Robert Wise

Writers:

Robert Louis Stevenson (short story "The Body Snatcher")
Philip MacDonald (written by) ...

Release Date:

1946 (Turkey)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

INVADED!...the sanctuary of the Dead!...by the Hero of Horror!...and the Master of Menace!

Plot:

A ruthless doctor and his young prize student find themselves continually harassed by their murderous supplier of illegal cadavers.

Plot Keywords:

Cemetery | Medical Student | Doctor | Medical | Murder

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Boris Karloff	...	Cabman John Gray
Bela Lugosi	...	Joseph
Henry Daniell	...	Dr. Wolfe 'Toddy' MacFarlane
Edith Atwater	...	Meg Camden
Russell Wade	...	Donald Fettes
Rita Corday	...	Mrs. Marsh
Sharyn Moffett	...	Georgina Marsh
Donna Lee	...	Street singer

Also Known As:

Robert Louis Stevenson's 'The Body Snatcher' (USA) (complete title)

Runtime:

77 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

USA:Approved (certificate #10563) | Australia:PG | Germany:12 (video rating) | Spain:13 | Sweden:(Banned) | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG

Filming Locations:

Edinburgh, Scotland, UK

Company:

RKO Radio Pictures

Trivia:

This film the last on-screen teaming of Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Gray kills Joseph, the latter's right arm is stretched out from his shoulder at a 90 degree angle and Gray reaches over to shoo away his cat who begins to nuzzle Joseph's right hand. In the next shot, the right arm of the dead Joseph has suddenly moved to a position where it lies parallel to his body.

Quotes:

Dr. Wolfe 'Toddy' MacFarlane: If you've any regard for your neck, you'll leave now and stay away from my house, from my school, and from me.
Cabman John Gray: Well, I've no wish for a rope cravat. I never like the small of hemp. So I'll bid you good night, Dr McFarlane.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Kingdom of the Vampire (2007) (V)

A Classy Old 'Horror' Film

As of this writing, I have seen four of the nine Val Lewton DVD Horror Collection films and this one was, by far, the best.

Henry Daniell, Boris Karloff, Edith Atwater,Russell Wade, Sharyn Moffet and Bela Lugosi all acted well. I had forgotten that Karloff was a decent actor, not just some Frankenstein monster who couldn't deliver a line. He had a creepy voice, too, which lent itself nicely to horror films. I just found him fascinating here.

In addition, this movie had a well-known director, Robert Wise, and the story was adaption of a Robert Louis Steevenson. So, you see, this film had good bloodlines, pun intended. This was not some schlocky Ed Wood B-film. This movie is a high class affair.

I found it more of a crime story than anything else as a doctor (Daniell), trying to further his knowledge and needing human specimens (dead) to continue his research, has his graveyard supply cut off to him and then has to have his helper (Karloff) kill people to provide him the bodies. Meanwhile, a young and more moral student of the doctor, gets wind of what's happening and doesn't share his mentor's view that the "ends justify the means."

At any rate, this a keeper. Like the other Lewton films I've seen, it's well- photographed, too. I can only hope a few of the five I haven't seen yet are this good.