Karl is the workaholic adopted son while Stephan is the lazy one. They both go to Munich to study medicine and Karl is at the top of the class while Stephan is barely passing. When Stephan's... Read allKarl is the workaholic adopted son while Stephan is the lazy one. They both go to Munich to study medicine and Karl is at the top of the class while Stephan is barely passing. When Stephan's actions causes the death of Anna, Karl is the one who takes the rap and three years in pr... Read allKarl is the workaholic adopted son while Stephan is the lazy one. They both go to Munich to study medicine and Karl is at the top of the class while Stephan is barely passing. When Stephan's actions causes the death of Anna, Karl is the one who takes the rap and three years in prison. When he gets out, he finds Stephan is dead and a sick child needs an operation and h... Read all
- Martha Brenner, Karl's foster mother
- (as Lucille LaVerne)
- Professor at the University
- (uncredited)
- The Professor
- (uncredited)
- Dr. Schwarz
- (uncredited)
- President of the University
- (uncredited)
- Medical Board Member
- (uncredited)
- Dr. Kleinschmidt
- (uncredited)
- Autopsy Surgeon
- (uncredited)
- Mrs. Beverly
- (uncredited)
- Franz - Lottie's Friend
- (uncredited)
- Girl with Broken Arm
- (uncredited)
- Directors
- Michael Curtiz
- Lloyd Bacon(uncredited)
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaSeveral actors are in studio records/casting call lists as cast members, but do not appear in the movie. These are (with their character names): Boris Karloff (autopsy surgeon), Claire Dodd (Mrs. Beverly) and Reginald Barlow (professor of the university). Karloff was replaced by Nigel De Brulier when he was not available for retakes and the British censors objected to the gruesomeness of his scenes.
- GoofsWhen Karl turns out the lights in his student flat after receiving a noise complaint, the light coming through the frosted window is turned on a beat too late.
- Alternate versionsBoris Karloff was replaced by Nigel De Brulier when he was not available for retakes and the British censors objected to the gruesomeness of his scenes. Reportedly, only some of the prints were changed (including the print shown on the Turner Classic Movies channel), so that other prints may exist with Karloff in the cast.
- ConnectionsAlternate-language version of Le cas du docteur Brenner (1933)
- SoundtracksAcademic Festival Overture Op. 80
(1880) (uncredited)
Written by Johannes Brahms
Lyricst unknown
Played at the medical school graduation and sung by the graduates
This film is on my list of a good classic because it made me think. The film deals with a moral dilemma. And it makes you the judge of what should be done and what happens after the film ends.
Richard Barthelmess is an adopted son to La Verne. Her real son and he are going to medical school. He is also engaged to Marian Marsh. Her real son gets into trouble and performs surgery on a girl while he is drunk and does not have his license yet. To protect him, Barthelmess takes the blame saying it was him and not his brother because he knows how much his adopted mother wanted her son to be a doctor. It is her dream and she put them both through school even though she is poor.
The girl who was operated on dies and Barthelmess is banned from a license and even has to go to jail for several years.
When Barthelmess has served his time in jail, he comes home to find out his adopted brother has now died. Before dying, he tells his mother and sister the truth. Before he can try to clear his name, there is an emergency and he is forced to operate on a little boy pretending to be his "licensed" brother.
La Verne sees this as a way to have her dream of a son who is a successful doctor. He becomes a huge success and does most of his work without charging the poor and he saves many lives. But Marion Marsh still longs to be with Barthelmess and when they try to meet they realize, to the outside world, it will be looked on as incest.
There is a great scene between La Verne and Marsh where the mother is begging Marsh to give him up to help keep the charade going. But Marsh declares she is going to go to him and live with him in sin - not married and not caring if it appears as incest.
At some point in the film, all the truth must come out. When it does, the viewer is asked what should happen? Barthelmess is a successful and very talented surgeon. He has saved thousands of lives including those who could never afford a surgeon. But he is unlicensed and living a lie.
Nothing La Verne or Barthelmess have done has been done out of malice. They really wanted "the best" for all around them, but at what price? Are deception and lies justified if "good" is the result?
The movie ends very quickly and stops. At first, I thought this was an editing mistake, but now I feel it was done to leave the end up to me. It was abrupt in order to put the moral question in my hands.
So, this film will present you a morality play. It will, or should, make you think. Do "two wrongs make a right"?
Check out this Classy Classic and let me know how you judge what happens after the film ends.
- ronrobinson3
- Feb 11, 2024
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $371,000 (estimated)
- Runtime1 hour 1 minute
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1