Nostalgia USA March 2016 Nostalgia USA MARCH ISSUE | Page 13

Movies Released In Mar ch

The Crime Doct or
Rel eased March 15, 1934
The Crime Doctor is a 1934 American crime drama directed by John Robertson
from a screenplay by Jane Murfin, adapted from the novel The Big Bow Mystery
by Israel Zangwill. The film stars Otto Kruger, Karen Morley, and Nils Asther. RKO
Radio Pictures produced and distributed the film which was released on March
15, 1934
PLOT
Famous detective Dan Gifford arrives home he is surprised to find his wife, Andra,
is attracted to famous crime novelist, Eric Anderson. Jealous, he decides to write
his own crime novel. When he overhears Andra on the phone with Eric later that
evening, he plans to commit the perfect murder and to frame Eric for it. In order
to accomplish this, he hires Blanche Flynn, an ex-con, to rent the apartment above
Eric?s and to keep notes on Eric?s activity. However, when Blanche sees Andra
entering the apartment, she decides to make a new deal for herself. She
approaches Eric and blackmails him for $10,000 to keep the affair secret. Eric
agrees, and sets up a meeting with her the following evening to deliver the
money.
When Gifford finds out about the blackmail scheme, he realizes the perfect
moment to hatch his own scheme as arrived. Offering to help Anderson, he
arranges for Anderson to come to his office prior to the money exchange. When
Anderson heads to Gifford?s office, Gifford sneaks into his apartment, and steals a
gun, knowing that Anderson keeps a gun collection. He then quickly goes down to
Blanche?s apartment, where he murders the young woman, after forcing her to
write a note explaining she was romantically involved with Anderson, and
implicating him in her murder.
With all the evidence pointing to him, Anderson is convicted of the murder, and
sentenced to death. However, Gifford?s plan begins to unfold when Andra refuses
to accept the evidence, not believing that Anderson is capable of such a heinous
crime. When Gifford understands the depth of his wife?s feelings for Anderson, he
writes a note confessing to the murder, and then commits suicide.
However, it is then revealed that the events of the contrived murder and
subsequent events were all simply part of the book Gifford had sat down to begin
writing at the beginning of the film. None of it was real.