Dangerous Medicine
Encyclopedia
Dangerous Medicine is a 1938 British crime film, directed by Arthur B. Woods
and starring Elizabeth Allan and Cyril Ritchard
. It is now classed as a lost film
.
Victoria is found guilty and sentenced to hang. As she is being driven back to prison, the car is involved in a serious road accident. Victoria is critically injured and is rushed to hospital, where brilliant doctor Noel Penwood (Ritchard) fights desperately against the odds to save her life. He finds a shard of glass has pierced her heart, and has to perform extremely risky surgery to remove it.
Once the operation is over and Victoria is off the danger list, Penwood learns that she faces execution. He is appalled by the horrendous irony that he has saved her life so heroically, only for it to soon to be taken anyway through process of law. As Victoria recovers, he listens to her story, believes in her innocence and starts to fall in love with her. Against all ethics, he smuggles her out of the hospital and puts her in hiding. The now romantically-involved couple do some sleuthing of their own, and finally stumble on the identity of the real killer. The police are extremely grateful and apologetic, and Victoria is exonerated, leaving her free to pursue the romance with Penwood.
Arthur B. Woods
Arthur Bickerstaffe Woods was an English film director with 27 credits between 1933 and 1940. Woods' films were mainly quota quickies but were diverse in style, from light comedy and musicals to dark crime thrillers. His most acclaimed film is 1938's They Drive by Night...
and starring Elizabeth Allan and Cyril Ritchard
Cyril Ritchard
Cyril Ritchard was an Australian stage, screen and television actor, and director. He is probably best remembered today for his performance as Captain Hook in the Mary Martin musical production of Peter Pan....
. It is now classed as a lost film
Lost film
A lost film is a feature film or short film that is no longer known to exist in studio archives, private collections or public archives such as the Library of Congress, where at least one copy of all American films are deposited and catalogued for copyright reasons...
.
Plot
Secretary Victoria Ainswell (Allan) marries her wealthy elderly boss. Soon after the wedding he dies suddenly in suspicious circumstances, and the autopsy reveals that the police have a murderer on their hands. Everything points to Victoria as the only person with means, opportunity and motive, and as she can provide no sensible explanation as to who else could have killed her husband, she is arrested and put on trial for murder.Victoria is found guilty and sentenced to hang. As she is being driven back to prison, the car is involved in a serious road accident. Victoria is critically injured and is rushed to hospital, where brilliant doctor Noel Penwood (Ritchard) fights desperately against the odds to save her life. He finds a shard of glass has pierced her heart, and has to perform extremely risky surgery to remove it.
Once the operation is over and Victoria is off the danger list, Penwood learns that she faces execution. He is appalled by the horrendous irony that he has saved her life so heroically, only for it to soon to be taken anyway through process of law. As Victoria recovers, he listens to her story, believes in her innocence and starts to fall in love with her. Against all ethics, he smuggles her out of the hospital and puts her in hiding. The now romantically-involved couple do some sleuthing of their own, and finally stumble on the identity of the real killer. The police are extremely grateful and apologetic, and Victoria is exonerated, leaving her free to pursue the romance with Penwood.
Cast
- Elizabeth Allan as Victoria Ainswell
- Cyril RitchardCyril RitchardCyril Ritchard was an Australian stage, screen and television actor, and director. He is probably best remembered today for his performance as Captain Hook in the Mary Martin musical production of Peter Pan....
as Dr. Noel Penwood - Edmund BreonEdmund BreonEdmund Breon was a Scottish film actor. He appeared in 131 films between 1907 and 1952....
as Totsie Mainwaring - Anthony HollesAnthony Holles (actor)-Selected filmography:* The Missing Rembrandt * The Midshipmaid * The Star Reporter *Loyalties * Britannia of Billingsgate * Brewster's Millions * This'll Make You Whistle...
as Alistair Hoard - Aubrey MallalieuAubrey MallalieuAubrey Mallalieu was an English actor with a prolific career in supporting roles in films in the 1930s and 1940s....
as Judge - Basil GillBasil GillBasil Gill was a British film actor whose film career started with Henry VIII , a short silent film. In 1926, Gill appeared in two short films made in the DeForest Phonofilm sound-on-film process, Santa Claus as the title character, and Julius Caesar as Brutus.-Selected filmography:* The Admirable...
as Sir Francis - Leo GennLeo Genn- Early life :He was born at 144 Kyverdale Road, Stamford Hill, Hackney, London, England to a Jewish family. His father, Woolfe Genn, was a jewellery salesman and the maiden name of his mother, Rachel, was Asserson....
as Murdoch - Gordon McLeodGordon McLeod (actor)Gordon McLeod was an English actor, born Charles Gordon McLeod.His film appearances include Chance of a Lifetime and The Silent Passenger, but he is best known for his recurring appearance as the character Claud Eustace Teal in films such as The Saint Meets the Tiger.-Selected filmography:* A...
as Mr. Buller - Frederick BurtwellFrederick BurtwellFrederick Burtwell was an English actor who featured in supporting roles in over 40 British films of the 1930s and 1940s.-Partial filmography:*Down Our Street * Just My Luck...
as Mr. George - Allan JeayesAllan JeayesAllan Jeayes was a British stage and movie actor.He starred as Howard Joyce in the original 1927 Broadway production of The Letter and played Sir Lawrence Wargarve in the 1943 London production of And Then There Were None.Jeayes made his film debut in the 1918 Nelson as Sir William Hamilton...
as Superintendent Fox
External links
- Dangerous Medicine at BFI Film & TV Database