We have not done a Fay Wray film in quite awhile, so today we examine a rare find from 1932. Yep, the lovely Miss Wray will be in a lot of peril while in a nightgown and very vulnerable. No gorilla here, just a cannibal that wants to eat her. She'll scream, prance around in a nightgown or a shiny silk robe, and even wield a gun. Our feature today is "Doctor X," directed by Michael Curtiz. This 1932 film was filmed in two-color Technicolor by Warner Brothers.
The Moon Killer has murdered his 6th victim in 6 months. He partially eats his victims after strangling them. The police call in the renowned Dr. Xavier (Lionel Atwill), aka Dr. X. Dr. X finds traces of cannibalism on the corpses and the cops ask him about his Academy of Surgical Research. Apparently every scientist on staff is a scientist studying the effects of the moon on the human brain, or cannibalism. A few of his colleagues have even dabbled in cannibalism...who amongst us has not? Lee (Lee Tracy) is a reporter who has snuck into the morgue and has heard all this. The cops allow Dr. X to conduct his own investigation at his Academy. Oh, Joanna (Wray) is the doc's sultry daughter and she always walks into his lab at the wrong times. Oh, Lee followed Dr. X back there and has snuck into the place.
Suspecting one of his colleagues of the murder, Dr. X has an experiment that will catch the killer. Dr. Haines (John Wray), who partook in cannibalism, is the #1 suspect...too easy? Dr. Wells (Preston Foster) is not a suspect because he only has one arm...oh, really? There are a few more. Dr. X believes he can access the carnal subconscious of these men, draw those to the foreconscious, and expose the real killer. Meanwhile Lee hides in shadows and the lab closet to find out all he can. Through some unfortunate circumstances, Joanna, in her nightgown and shiny silk robe, is now put in the path of a very disfigured and ghoulish killer. Defenseless, all looks lost for Joanna, but could the monster be one of the scientists?
Will Joanna and Lee fall in love? Will the monster ravage the lovely Joanna? Just what kind of experiments occur at this weird surgical academy? Fay Wray is sultry and her screams and looks of horror are classic. For a neat mad scientist and damsel in peril film, made in color in 1932, see "Doctor X."
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