The Body Snatcher (1945)

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

Director:

Robert Wise

Writers:

Robert Louis Stevenson (short story), Philip MacDonald (written for the screen by),

Stars:

Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Henry Daniell

2 nominations.

Cast

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

Storyline

In Edinburgh in 1831, Dr. Wolfe MacFarlane runs a medical school where Donald Fettes is a student. Fettes is interested in helping a young girl who has lost the use of her legs. He is certain that MacFarlane's surgical skills could be put to great use but he is reluctant to do so. The good Dr. MacFarlane has a secret that soon becomes all too obvious to young Fettes, who has only recently been promoted as his assistant: he has been paying a local cabbie, John Gray, to supply him with dead bodies for anatomical research. Gray constantly harasses MacFarlane and clearly has a hold over him dating to a famous trial many years before where Gray refused to identify the man for whom he was robbing graves. Fettes isn't aware of any of this but soon realizes exactly how Gray obtains the bodies they use in their anatomy classes.

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Plot Keywords:

medical | doctor | murder | cemetery | medical student | 

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Taglines:

Foul Traffic in Dead Bodies.

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Genres:

Horror | Thriller

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1946 (Turkey)

Also Known As:

Robert Louis Stevenson's 'The Body Snatcher'

Filming Locations:

RKO Ranch, San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

RKO Radio Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

77 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Although based on a fictional short story by Robert Louis Stevenson, the author came up with the idea from actual events occurring in 19th century England and Scotland, particularly those of grave robbers Burke and Hare.

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Goofs

At the very beginning, they show a castle during the credits, then "In Edinburgh In 1831-" then show a closer up of the same castle and a horse and carriage, and you can clearly see two or three automobiles parked next to the castle.

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Quotes

Mrs. Mary McBride: He'll not leave the grave - not since Wednesday last when we buried the lad.
Donald Fettes: Your son, ma'am? He must have been a fine boy for the wee dog to love him so.
Mrs. Mary McBride: A great kind lad he was - gentle with all things like Robbie. Now I can't get the dog to leave here. Perhaps it is for the best. I've not money enough to afford a grave watcher.
Donald Fettes: Not much danger here, ma'am, I wouldn't think - right here in the heart of Edinburgh.
Mrs. Mary McBride: They're uncommon bold, the grave robbers - and the daft doctors who drive them ...

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Connections

Version of Mystery and Imagination: The Body Snatcher (1966)

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Soundtracks

"Huntingtower"
("When Ye Gang Awa, Jamie")
(Traditional Scottish folk song)
sung by Donna Lee

User Reviews

Never Get Rid Of Me!

A later Val Lewton film, from his costume picture period, The Body Snatcher, from a Robert Louis Stevenson story, directed by Robert Wise, is a fine if somewhat moralistic and sentimental horror tale. It lacks the alogical, almost surreal qualities of Lewton's earlier movies, where much is left unexplained, even inexplicable, and a great deal happens off-screen; and even then one can't be sure of what really occurred, as events are often related anecdotally, or merely suggested. In his first few horror exercises Lewton cared as much for gentility as fright, often basing his stories on legends and superstitions, as much of their power came from the vagueness of reality, and the capacity our imaginations have for creating and even shaping our experiences.

By the time The Body Snatcher came around Lewton was moving somewhat closer to mainstream horror. Legends still matter, and the feeling of the dead hand of the past on the present as a Lewton theme is very much alive. In this film it is the notorious case of the grave-robbing Burke and Hare of 19th century Edinburgh, and their effect on a distinguished physician who has continued to do business with one of their former confederates. As the decent-minded but less than morally fastidious doctor, Henry Daniell is outstanding, and surprisingly sympathetic; and he has here perhaps his longest and most sustained role in a movie. He certainly has more screen time than in any other picture I've seen him in. Top-billed Boris Karloff gives Dr. Daniell more than a run for his money as the grave robbing, yet intelligent, observant and not altogether evil cab-man Gray. Karloff's performance is physical as much as anything else, as he uses his body here more eloquently than in any other part outside the Frankenstein series. He knows how and where to stand in relation to others, managing, as always, to look taller than he really is. With his big hat, scarf and long coat, he seems to have walked out of a Dickens novel. Karloff's performance reminds me of how much acting has as much to do with body language as anything else; and that there is a degree of posing,--not fakery--but standing still and letting a character project from the way an actor holds himself as from speech or facial expression.

The movie itself falls just a bit short of being great by it less than brilliant script and the enforced sentimentality of the subplot about a crippled girl. I agree that this was a good idea, and could have made the film all the more powerful, but the scenes around her are stilted, and the actress who plays the girl is none too convincing. It was a good try, though, and almost works, especially in her last scene, but the writing and staging were a little off. I can't help but respect Lewton and Wise's intentions, but they overreached themselves, and I feel bad about it. The climax in the carriage with the corpse, however, and the ghostly repetition of "never get rid of me!" is still impressive, and saves the film in the end.