Dr. Renault's Secret (1942)

While reading a review of another movie this film was mentioned. Deciding to check it out, I found it on line. Unlike some reviews I've read, I found it interesting. The short running time of fifty eight minutes was probably a good decision by the film makers considering the screen play offers few surprises. An American doctor travels to Europe to visit a doctor friend George Zucco and uncle of his intended bride.Forced to stay overnight at an inn because of a storm, the doctor is met by a driver Noel, played by J. Carrol Nash.. A murder occurs, with Noel being a suspect. Arriving at their destination, the investigation continues with other murders occurring. Confusing at times the film comes to a satisfying conclusion. A familiar cast with Lynne Roberts and Arthur Shields as a police inspector make good use of a screen play that drags in spots. Ray Corrigan doubles Nash in the stunt department. Nothing exceptional but a good way to pass an hour.

"Dr. Renault's Secret" is a thoroughly unimpressive yet not completely worthless effort.**SPOILERS**Arriving in Paris, Dr. Larry Forbes, (Sheppard Strudwick) is told that he has to wait in town before traveling to see Dr. Renault, (George Zucco) as he has come to marry Madelon, (Lynne Roberts) his niece. Trapped in the hotel for the night, he is fingered as the main suspect for a murder during the night. Going up in the morning with handyman Noel, (J. Carroll Naish) the three are reconciled and meet up with each other. During the night, he is the target of several murder attempts, but none fall through. Determined to continue on, he decides to continue on with his life, only for another repeat attempt on his life. Now knowing the identity of the killer, he tries to stop him before he succeeds.The Good News: This one has very few good qualities. The film does have a few good chase scenes in here that really get this one interesting. The main one is a particularly long and fun chase that contains a lot right. This one has some really great moments, as it starts off with a great brawl in a laboratory basement that really gets brutal at times, followed by a lengthy and entertaining chase. Starting off with an excellent moment in the bedroom, it continues on into the surrounding woods, out into and completely through a lake and concludes with a simply spectacular confrontation at a windmill. From a nice brawl over the rooftop, to a really brutal kill and some big stunts going on, it has a lot to offer and becomes a lot more entertaining than it really should. This is a lot of fun, and along with the really fun carnival scene, really constitutes the film's good qualities.The Bad News: There wasn't a whole lot wrong, even though there wasn't a whole lot to it to begin with. The fact is that this is a thoroughly uneventful, dull and really short film. Even though the film is barely an hour long, the film feels much longer due to its inactivity. From the beginning, this one doesn't have a whole lot of action, and saves the few it does have for the very end of the film. Even the few attempts to do so beforehand are really weak and come off as simply dull. The whipping scenes take place mostly as shadows and ruin their brutality significantly, the murder attempts are all broken up through various means that only make them look lucky more than anything, and it all fails badly. The film's dullness is where it really fails, and for being as short as it is, this one becomes a really big flaw that sinks it.The Final Verdict: There's not a whole lot for this one either way, and in the end doesn't stand out or fail at much of anything. If it sounds interesting, give it a shot, but it won't mean much at all either way.Today's Rating-PG: Mild Violence

Dr. Renault's Secret (1942) ** (out of 4) Dull horror film about Dr. Renault (George Zucco) and his little secrets including his mentally challenged assistant (J. Carrol Naish). For some reason this is a rather well known film among horror fans but I can't see why because the big "secret" is easy to see within the first five minutes and the rest of the film is slow and boring. The movie is somewhat hard to find so perhaps that's a reason for its cult following. Zucco and Naish are mildly entertaining but the film goes no where in the end and winds up wasting their talent.

Yes, this is a poor man's ISLAND OF LOST SOULS -- it can only afford ONE lost soul. But J. Carrol Naish is so amazing as the Ape-Man and he has such a marvelous supporting cast (including the always-solid George Zucco and Mike Mazurki) that it's absolutely watchable and compelling. Plus director Harry Lachman takes such care in creating each shot -- beautiful shots, every single one -- that it looks far more expensive than it must have been. They play the Man-Beast as more sympathetic and Pitiful than Frightening, which is a very good choice. So this doesn't have Big Scares but it has emotion and tenderness and care and wonderful attention to detail. I liked it quite a bit.