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The Doctor and the Devils

  • 19851985
  • RR
  • 1h 33m
IMDb RATING
6.1/10
1.2K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
The Doctor and the Devils (1985)
  • Crime
  • Drama
  • History
In Victorian England, two grave robbers supply a wealthy doctor with bodies to research anatomy on, but greed causes them to look for a more simple way to get the job done. Based on the horr... Read allIn Victorian England, two grave robbers supply a wealthy doctor with bodies to research anatomy on, but greed causes them to look for a more simple way to get the job done. Based on the horrifying Burke and Hare case.In Victorian England, two grave robbers supply a wealthy doctor with bodies to research anatomy on, but greed causes them to look for a more simple way to get the job done. Based on the horrifying Burke and Hare case.
IMDb RATING
6.1/10
1.2K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Freddie Francis
  • Writers
    • Dylan Thomas(earlier screenplay)
    • Ronald Harwood
  • Stars
    • Timothy Dalton
    • Jonathan Pryce
    • Twiggy
Top credits
  • Director
    • Freddie Francis
  • Writers
    • Dylan Thomas(earlier screenplay)
    • Ronald Harwood
  • Stars
    • Timothy Dalton
    • Jonathan Pryce
    • Twiggy
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 30User reviews
    • 36Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 nomination

    Photos33

    The Doctor and the Devils (1985)
    Phyllis Logan in The Doctor and the Devils (1985)
    Siân Phillips in The Doctor and the Devils (1985)
    Siân Phillips in The Doctor and the Devils (1985)
    Twiggy and Nichola McAuliffe in The Doctor and the Devils (1985)
    Paul Curran in The Doctor and the Devils (1985)
    Julian Sands in The Doctor and the Devils (1985)
    Timothy Dalton in The Doctor and the Devils (1985)
    Jonathan Pryce and Stephen Rea in The Doctor and the Devils (1985)
    Stephen Rea in The Doctor and the Devils (1985)
    Timothy Dalton in The Doctor and the Devils (1985)
    The Doctor and the Devils (1985)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Timothy Dalton
    Timothy Dalton
    • Doctor Thomas Rockas Doctor Thomas Rock
    Jonathan Pryce
    Jonathan Pryce
    • Robert Fallonas Robert Fallon
    Twiggy
    Twiggy
    • Jennie Baileyas Jennie Bailey
    Julian Sands
    Julian Sands
    • Dr. Murrayas Dr. Murray
    Stephen Rea
    Stephen Rea
    • Timothy Broomas Timothy Broom
    Phyllis Logan
    Phyllis Logan
    • Elizabeth Rockas Elizabeth Rock
    Lewis Fiander
    Lewis Fiander
    • Dr. Thorntonas Dr. Thornton
    Beryl Reid
    Beryl Reid
    • Mrs. Flynnas Mrs. Flynn
    T.P. McKenna
    T.P. McKenna
    • O'Connoras O'Connor
    Patrick Stewart
    Patrick Stewart
    • Prof. Macklinas Prof. Macklin
    Siân Phillips
    Siân Phillips
    • Annabella Rockas Annabella Rock
    Phil Davis
    Phil Davis
    • Billy Bedlamas Billy Bedlam
    • (as Philip Davis)
    Philip Jackson
    Philip Jackson
    • Andrew Merry-Leesas Andrew Merry-Lees
    Danny Schiller
    • Praying Howardas Praying Howard
    Bruce Green
    • Moleas Mole
    Toni Palmer
    • Rosieas Rosie
    David Bamber
    David Bamber
    • Croninas Cronin
    Nichola McAuliffe
    Nichola McAuliffe
    • Aliceas Alice
    • Director
      • Freddie Francis
    • Writers
      • Dylan Thomas(earlier screenplay)
      • Ronald Harwood
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      At thirty-two years, this holds the world record for the longest delay between the completion of the script, and the making of the movie.
    • Goofs
      The song Jennie sings in the tavern ("Whisper and I Shall Hear") was not written until 1891, while the Burke and Hare murders on which the film is based took place in 1828.
    • Quotes

      Doctor Thomas Rock: I don't need any friends, I prefer enemies. They're better company and their feelings towards you are always genuine.

    • Alternate versions
      UK versions are cut by 9 secs to remove a cockfight.
    • Connections
      Referenced in The Children of Times Square (1986)
    • Soundtracks
      TAINTED HANDS
      Written and Performed by In Tua Nua

    User reviews30

    Review
    Top review
    6/10
    THE DOCTOR AND THE DEVILS (Freddie Francis, 1985) **1/2
    This is the third historical grave-robbing film I've watched after THE BODY SNATCHER (1945) and THE FLESH AND THE FIENDS (1960) – for the record, other cinematic versions of the same events out there are the Tod Slaughter vehicle THE GREED OF WILLIAM HART aka HORROR MANIACS (1948) and BURKE AND HARE (1972). While certainly the least of the three I'm familiar with (due perhaps to its graphic wallowing in the lurid details of the plot), it's pretty good for a product of its time (incidentally, the mid-1980s produced an unexpected but all-too-brief outburst of Gothic Horror which also included Franc Roddam's THE BRIDE [1985] and Ken Russell's Gothic [1986]).

    The film was produced by Mel Brooks' company which had also been behind David Lynch's THE ELEPHANT MAN (1980) – which, incidentally, had marked Freddie Francis' own return to being a director of photography! Timothy Dalton as the overzealous doctor has a couple of good scenes in the first half, but he is clearly overshadowed by the more flamboyant turns of Jonathan Pryce and Stephen Rea as the nefarious night diggers. The impressive cast is completed by Twiggy, Sian Phillips, Beryl Reid, Julian Sands and Patrick Stewart; Twiggy (as another whore with a heart of gold) gets to sing as well and, predictably, medical student Sands falls for her charms.

    I recall the film playing theatrically but, needless to say, I was too young to catch it back then. It's based on an original, unproduced script by celebrated Welsh playwright Dylan Thomas – adapted here by future Oscar-winning screenwriter Ronald Harwood; curiously, the names of the characters have been changed from the real ones of Knox, Burke and Hare – so had been the case with THE BODY SNATCHER, for that matter, but that one had the excuse of being based on a Robert Louis Stevenson novella! Apart from the starry cast and the film's undeniably evocative look, its main asset is a spare, unusual but effective score provided by longtime Mel Brooks collaborator John Morris.
    helpful•3
    1
    • Bunuel1976
    • Oct 19, 2008

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 4, 1985 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Doktorn och djävulen
    • Filming locations
      • Lee International Studios, Shepperton, Surrey, England, UK
    • Production companies
      • Brooksfilms
      • Twentieth Century Fox
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $147,070
    • Gross worldwide
      • $147,070
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 33 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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