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Must See Movie...

Great Film overall

An Exercise In Nonsense

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

Reporter Walt Garrett (Wayne Morris) stumbles into the biggest story of his career. A fiend is running around draining people of their blood; who could be responsible? Walt, trying desperately to vindicate himself and save his career, does a lot of sleuthing with a friend of his, a young doctor named Michael Rhodes (Dennis Morgan).Co-star Humphrey Bogart was none too happy to be doing this feature, believing his role was more for the likes of Karloff and Lugosi. But his fans will be greatly intrigued to see him in this one-shot genre role, and certainly Dr. Quesne is one of the creepiest that he ever played. Pasty faced, with a shock of white hair, and given to cuddling bunnies, this *is* a fun character. Basically, what gives "The Return of Doctor X" any stature is the fact that it's Bogart playing this villain.The story is still punchy and entertaining. Scripted by Lee Katz, it's notable for a lot of lively and sometimes funny dialogue. Morris is quite engaging in the primary role, and Morgan is similarly likable. Rosemary Lane is lovely and amiable as Joan Vance, the dedicated nurse who catches Rhodes's eye. There's an amusing small role for Huntz Hall, and appearances by a number of top character actors - John Litel (as the well meaning Dr. Flegg), Charles C. Wilson, Olin Howland, Creighton Hale, John Ridgely, Glenn Langan, and Ian Wolfe.The movie benefits from a breezy pace, snappy direction by Vincent Sherman, and a decent finale.Six out of 10.

The title character was supposed to be played by Boris Karlof, which would have actually made sense. Instead, they put in Humphrey Bogart, proving the old adage there are no bad actors, just bad casting.THis movie was also hawked as a sequel to 1932's "Doctor X", but really, it wasn't. Totally different character named Doctor Xaiver. But he did return (from the dead) and he was Dr. X, so let's go with that. Hollywood's assumption that we are all stupid didn't start in the modern era.The plot gets rolling when a reporter finds a dead actress in her hotel room, and then she vanishes. Then she turns up again alive. After losing his job, he goes to his doctor friend, and the investigation is afoot.And here's the problem. Bogey was best in character driven film noir. He just doesn't work here, he doesn't create the sense of either menace or sympathy Karlof would have created in the same character.

What's worse than a bad horror movie? A dull one, and this one's both. It tries to be both scary and funny but is neither. If they had decided to go either way it could have been, well probably still pretty bad, but at least they would have failed trying. Now it's seems slow even at just over an hour. Bogie is about as scary as a Halloween pumpkin and he's hardly in the movie at all. Just shows how much regard Jack Warner had for this future screen legend.Instead we're given an annoying wisecracking reporter and a dreamboat doctor, corny dialog and a routine chase sequence that's over before it begins. The only scary thing about this movie is that they decided this was good enough to release, and that it even made a big profit! Lucky for Bogart they didn't go for Son Of Doctor X, Bride of Doctor X or Revenge of Doctor X. Watch it once to see how low Bogie had to go before his rise to stardom and then rinse away the aftertaste with, say a dose of Maltese Falcon or Big Sleep. This movie sent me into a Big Sleep. (Believe me, this is still a better joke than any in this movie.)

i am a huge fan of b movies,especially when they have good actors in them.i am also a fan of the old warner brothers gangster movies with James Cagney,Humphrey Bogart,and George Raft.well return of Dr x is the only horror film that Humphrey Bogart ever made.there's a rumor that he was being punished by warner brothers to do this movie.that might be.but i think it was one of his better movies,Bogart plays a zombie like creature named Dr Kane who must kill to get blood,now it sounds like a vampire.well Kane was brought back to life by another Dr after he was executed in the electric chair for being a child murderer.sort of like an early version of Freddy Krueger.the title is very misleading,it is not a sequel to 1932s Dr x.the early two tone color horror starring;Lionel Atwill,and Fay Wray.it is a very interesting rare gem of a b movie that could've starred Boris Karloff who I'm sure was intended for the role.but to see Humphrey Bogart as a zombie vampire walking dead guy its unusual to say the least.i was impressed with return of Dr x.