National Box Office Digest (Feb-July 1941)

FEBRUARY 8, 1941 9 'The Mad Doctor' Goes Pretty Mad PARAMOUNT The Digest’s Box Office Estimate 80% Producer George Arthur Director Tim Whelan Screenplay Howard J. Green Stars ... Basil Rathbone, Ellen Drew. John Howard Featured: Barbara Allen, Ralph Morgan, Martin Kosleck, Kitty Kelly, Hugh O’Connell. Photographer Ted Tetzlaff Time 90 Minutes They handed Tim Whelan, who has such excellent credits on his list as the Charles Laughton, "Sidewalks of London,” a tough assignment on this one. He has made the utmost of the good things in his material, while not quite able to overcome the weaknesses. Chief weakness is a lengthy and wandering story, which is not at all helped by the fact that its central character gives Basil Rathbone an eagerly seized opportunity to chew up the scenery. There are high moments, especially an effective opening reel or so, but in endeavoring to go all-out for horror and bang away at its macabre points, the ninety minutes of its running become trying on patience. Don’t book it if your audiences are not prepared to suffer. For the Rathbone role is that of a mad psychiatrist, who blends frequent murder with his moonings professionally. Rathbone’s trick is to marry women with money, then dispose of them by means that bring no suspicion his way. Psychiatry is the means by which he entices his victims. It’s an easy life, if you like murder as Rathbone does. But he brings on his doom when he selects Ellen Drew for the next victim, and that choice brings in John Howard, reporter, who unravels the killer’s past. Ellen Drew struggles with a part that gives her none the best of it, while John Howard can do no more than contribute his likeable personality to the reporter’s role. In the support, top performance comes from Martin Kosleck, who will be remembered for the talked-of Doctor Goebbels characterization in "Confessions of a Nazi Spy.” Kosleck is a real actor, and should be seen more often. Exhibitor’s Booking Suggestion: A sort of horror hash. Previewed Feb. 4th. WHAT THE OTHER FELLOWS SAID: REPORTER: " 'The Mad Doctor’ is sock horror melodrama, made one of the top efforts of its type by the beautifully imaginative direction of Tim Whelan and the stunning performance of Basil Rathbone.” VARIETY: "Horror fans are going to find 'The Mad Doctor’ to their liking. How other ticket buyers will greet the opus is problematical. It should play out satisfactorily in general situations. Its long running time, 90 minutes, will draw objections although in a large part necessary to give the proper growing tension to the story without leaving loopholes.” 'Secret Evidence' Good Low Budget lob PRODUCERS The Digest’s Box Office Estimate 65% Producer — — E. B. Derr Associate Producer Paul Page Director William Nigh Screenplay — Brenda Kline Original Story Edward Bennett Featured: Marjorie Reynolds, Charles Quigley, Ward McTaggart, Kenneth Harlan, Donald Curtis, Howard Masters, Bob White, Kitty McHugh, Bud Buster, Charles Phipps, Dorothy Vaughan, Boyd Irwin. Photographer Arthur Martinelli Time 63 Minutes The story is one of those "shadow of the past” things, this time Marjorie Reynolds being the victim. Just after she has become engaged to a newly appointed assistant district attorney, back from the past comes a released convict, former fiance, and with a hold over her because of knowledge of her brother’s complicity in the crimes that sent him to prison. It is an interesting basis for a story, and the development of it has been handled to extract full values in suspense. Exhibitor’s Booking Suggestion: A good bet in its price range. Previewed Feb. 2nd. WHAT THE OTHER FELLOWS SAID: REPORTER: "Well-drawn and nicely balanced characterizations, unusual in this type of melodrama. combined with skillfully handled production and competent direction, give to 'Secret Evidence’ a quality which lifts it well above its anticipated bracket.” VARIETY: "Exhibitors will have a time mak ing 'Secret Evidence’ pay out. Whatever worth is given feature by some hard trouping of a few cast members is smothered under such corny writing and direction that the results brought alternate applaute and laughs, but in the wrong spots, from the preview audience.” In "Secret Evidence,” E. B. Derr has delivered a picture in the low-budget group that gives evidence of the same instinctive touch in casting and story handling that he used to show in the top money field. It will be remembered that it was the Derr regime at Pathe that gave us Ann Harding in "Holiday,” among other hits, and if memory serves, it was also Derr who brought Clark Gable to the screen in a picture called "Painted Desert.” "Secret Evidence” is an unpretentious melodrama, chiefly enjoyable because of its cast, and a closely knit story that maintains intelligent suspense. Marjorie Reynolds carries the burden of the action, and turns in a performance clearly indicating that she is worthy of more frequent opportunities. There is a newcomer, Ward McTaggart, playing a soft-spoken racketeer, who will bear watching. Charles Quigley capably rounds out the top spots. TWO GUESTS 'W ONE PRICE