Calling Dr. Death (1943)

39% of users liked it
(336 ratings)

In this first of Universal's "Inner Sanctum" mysteries, Lon Chaney Jr. plays a neurologist plagued by a faithless wife. He suffers a bout of insanity, blacks out, and loses all track of time. Upon returning to his home, he discovers that his wife has been murdered. Investigating detective J. Carroll… More In this first of Universal's "Inner Sanctum" mysteries, Lon Chaney Jr. plays a neurologist plagued by a faithless wife. He suffers a bout of insanity, blacks out, and loses all track of time. Upon returning to his home, he discovers that his wife has been murdered. Investigating detective J. Carroll Naish is certain that Chaney is the murderer, and tries to browbeat the suspect into a confession. Chaney himself is half-convinced that he is guilty, and in conducting his own investigation learns the truth. All we can say without spoiling the film is that the truth hurts. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 2 min.
Directed By: Reginald Le Borg
Genres: Mystery & Suspense, Horror

In Theaters: Dec 17, 1943 Wide

No Critic Reviews Found…

Featured Audience Ratings

AJ V

This is a strange movie, I wasn't sure how to rate it. It's not bad or good, it's just okay.
Michael G

The first of Universal's Inner Sanctum series (and the second I've seen) seems to have a pattern building: Reginal Le Borg's stylish but not overbearing direction with a not-too-believaable performance by Lon Chaney Jr as some sort of doctor ominously whispering his… More
The first of Universal's Inner Sanctum series (and the second I've seen) seems to have a pattern building: Reginal Le Borg's stylish but not overbearing direction with a not-too-believaable performance by Lon Chaney Jr as some sort of doctor ominously whispering his thoughts. Oh, and of course he gets thrown into grisley situation that he didn't, but is of course made to look that he did cause. Like what I'm guessing is the case with the rest of the Inner Sanctum, series, Calling Dr. Death is basically just a (very predicatable) mystery with very little in the supernatural department that the advertising seems to be riding upon. Ultimately, Le Borg's direction (especially during the hypnosis scenes) was the draw for me, not to mention that they don't make women like Patrica Morison and Ramsay Ames anymore.