- Directed by Robert Wise
- Written by Robert Louis Stevenson, Philip MacDonald, Val Lewton
- Stars Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Henry Daniell
- Run Time: 1 Hour, 18 Minutes
- Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIktVYZOF-w
Spoiler-Free Judgment Zone
A good movie of terrible people doing terrible things. Boris Karloff was especially good in this with his sinister joviality. It’s got a good story, strong cast, and holds up well for its age.
Synopsis
In Edinburgh, 1831, Donald, a medical student comments to an old woman about a little dog who won’t leave his master’s grave. It’s probably for the best, since there are so many grave robbers.
Cabman John Gray seems like a nice guy, helping with the little crippled girl. The girl’s mother, Mrs. Marsh, goes to see Dr. MacFarlane to see if he’ll examine her daughter. Little Georgina was injured when a carriage overturned three years ago. MacFarlane says the little girl must have a tumor that he could operate on, but he’s more teacher now than surgeon. Donald comes in and says he may need to quit school since he’s broke. MacFarlane offers him the job of assistant. Meg doesn’t approve of Donald being made assistant. Caretaker Joseph is in the basement working, and MacFarlane asks, “What are you doing down here, sneaking around like a redskin?” Nice.
The night, in the cemetery, a shadowy man kills the dog and digs up that grave. Donald answers a lock at the door, and it’s Cabman Gray with a body to sell. Gray has brought in some business before, and Donald understands what to do. Gray explains the payment and logging procedure, and it all seems to be on the up-and-up.
Mrs. Marsh goes to see Donald, and she wants him to talk to Dr. MacFarlane about doing that operation. One of the students makes a joke about “Burke and Hare,” but MacFarlane takes offense.
In the morning, Donald sees the little old lady carrying out the dead dog, and he knows what happened. He talks to MacFarlane about what he knows, and MacFarlane tells him the truth about the necessity of men like Gray. MacFarlane takes Donald out to dinner and they run into Gray at the restaurant. Gray challenges MacFarlane to do the operation, and he’s– persuasive. The two of them have know each other for a long time.
Meg tries to console MacFarlane about whatever he has going on with Gray. MacFarlane changes his mind about the surgery, since they don’t have any bodies to practice on. Donald goes looking for Gray; he wants a comparable subject so MacFarlane can practice for the little crippled girl. Gray notices the singing beggar on the street corner– she’ll work nicely.
A bit later, Donald helps Gray unload the still-warm body, and he knows who she is. Gray says Donald is mistaken. Donald explains it all to MacFarlane, but Joseph overhears the conversation. “It’s like Burke and Hare all over again!” On the bright side, it will help MacFarlane prepare for Georgina’s surgery.
MacFarlane does the surgery on Georgina. MacFarlane tells Gray that there’ll be no more bodies bought. Gray says that he’s not so easy to get rid of. Georgina’s surgery went well, but she’s afraid to try and walk. MacFarlane’s bedside manner is terrible, but Donald is better at it.
Joseph pulls Gray aside and explains what he knows. He wants money or he’ll tell the police that Gray murders people. Gray gives him 16 pounds. Gray gets Joseph drunk and kills him. He then drops the body off at MacFarlane’s lab.
Meg warns Donald to leave town. She doesn’t like how MacFarlane bows to Gray. MacFarlane, on the other hand, finally confronts Gray. They talk for a while and finally end up fighting.
Dr. MacFarlane’s medical school gets its last cadaver– Mr. Gray. Meg says it’s not that simple, and he’ll never be rid of Gray.
Donald goes to see Mrs. Marsh, and at the end, Georgina finally gets up and walks. He goes to find MacFarlane to tell him the news, and as they talk, a funeral party comes in. MacFarlane thinks he can handle a shovel…
They get the body out of the ground and into the carriage to head home. On the ride, MacFarlane imagines hearing Gray’s voice. They stop and have a closer look at the dead body– it’s Gray! The horse stampedes, and MacFarlane and Gray’s body go. Over the cliff, leaving Donald stranded on the road. He finds the two bodies: MacFarlane and some random old woman.
Commentary
It’s “Burke and Hare the Next Generation.” This is really well done and well acted. Everyone has reasonable and believable motivations, and no one acts stupidly.
This was the last time Lugosi and Karloff worked together, as Lugosi’s health was already failing. It’s really very good.