The Mysterious Doctor

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joe m Enjoyable film from WW II about a small mining town in Cornwall, a headless ghost, a mysterious stranger passing through and the mayhem that ensues. Rated 2.5/5 Stars •  Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Audience Member no universal horror but still a moody little piece Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/21/23 Full Review Audience Member The Mysterious Doctor (Benjamin Stoloff, 1943) Ultra-prolific potboiler director Stoloff, probably best known for his 1932 adaptation of Destry Rides Again, turned in this war film gussied up like a ghost story towards the end of his career (he would direct five more pictures between now and 1950, then disappear until 1959, when he began to direct episodes to the TV series Home Run Derby; this continued until his death in 1960. Despite the obvious implication of the dates, I can find no information on whether Stoloff was blacklisted.), an interesting, if somewhat predictable, little tale of a tin mine haunted by a headless ghost and a traveler who may not be all he seems. Dr. Frederick Holmes (Lester Matthews, much-uncredited character actor you might recognize from Now, Voyager or The Far Horizons) wanders out of the mist one night and begs a ride to town from a passing carriage. While he and the driver are on their way, he reveals he's on a walking tour of the area. When he gets to the town, he finds it rather provincial, its inhabitants suspicious of outsiders; there's a war going on, after all, and a parachutist was seen coming down near where the doctor appeared on the moor. They may be right to be suspicious; the doctor may not be all he seems to be... It's not a bad little movie (and âlittleâ? is the operative word here, with a running time of fifty-seven minutes). Technically, it's quite nicely done, but everything else-- the script, the predictability of the plot, the clumsiness of the big reveal (that requires an âah, Constance, this is how I did it!â? explanation scene), all contribute to the movie still being a pretty forgettable experience. Still, if you run across it on late-night television or in a dark corner of your video store, it's certainly not a bad way to spend an hour; you could do a great deal worse. *** Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/11/23 Full Review Audience Member Atmospheric Sleepy Hollow-esque horror flick, a little predictable if you are used to the Scooby doo formula (with a twist of murder). Decent performances all around with a strong supporting female character. Rated 2.5/5 Stars •  Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/06/23 Full Review Audience Member It's oddly short (about sixty minutes, maybe even less), and it's pretty silly and predictable (from the innkeeper who wears a mask to hide his disfigured face--try to guess if that figures into the plot--to abrupt and speedy lesson on early British mining towns), but it's an alright way to waste an hour. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/05/23 Full Review Read all reviews

The Mysterious Doctor

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