1 / 8
RUNTIME
Did you know
Tight 76-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
MoodPlayr · trivia#01
Doctor X
"Out-thrills them all!"
1932 1h 16m EN
😐
6.0
MID
🍅
83%
FRESH
⭐
6.4
IMDB
★6.0TMDB · 86🍅83%Rotten Tomatoes★6.4IMDB · 4,473
HorrorThrillerMystery
Synopsis
Spoiler shield
A wisecracking New York reporter intrudes on a research scientist's quest to unmask The Moon Killer.
“Out-thrills them all!”
Cast
Lionel Atwill
Dr. Jerry Xavier
Fay Wray
Joanne Xavier
Lee Tracy
Lee Taylor
Preston Foster
Dr. Wells
John Wray
Dr. Haines
Harry Beresford
Dr. Duke
Arthur Edmund Carewe
Dr. Rowitz
Leila Bennett
Mamie
Credits
Behind the camera
- Director
- Michael Curtiz
- Writers
- Robert Tasker, George Rosener, Earl Baldwin
- Languages
- English
- Countries
- United States of America
Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.
Did you know?
Fun facts 🍿
2 / 8
ERA
Did you know
94 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
MoodPlayr · trivia#02
3 / 8
CINEMA
Did you know
Part of the "Doctor X Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
MoodPlayr · trivia#03
4 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Directed by Michael Curtiz, shot by Ray Rennahan. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
MoodPlayr · trivia#04
5 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Original score by Bernhard Kaun. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
MoodPlayr · trivia#05
6 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Editor George Amy shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
MoodPlayr · trivia#06
7 / 8
CAST
Did you know
Lionel Atwill and Fay Wray and Lee Tracy carry the top of the cast.
MoodPlayr · trivia#07
8 / 8
FACT
Did you know
Marketing tagline: "Out-thrills them all!".
MoodPlayr · trivia#08
Cinephile deep dive
The take
Michael Curtiz directs. Ray Rennahan behind the camera. Bernhard Kaun scores. George Amy cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.
Trivia
Things worth knowing
- 1Tight 76-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
- 294 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
- 3Part of the "Doctor X Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
- 4Directed by Michael Curtiz, shot by Ray Rennahan. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
- 5Original score by Bernhard Kaun. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
- 6Editor George Amy shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
- 7Lionel Atwill and Fay Wray and Lee Tracy carry the top of the cast.
- 8Marketing tagline: "Out-thrills them all!".
- 9IMDB entry: tt0022827 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
- 10Only 86 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
- 11Classified under 9 themes, including "new york city", "experiment", "full moon", "morgue".
The technical file
- Cinematography
- Ray Rennahan
- Original score
- Bernhard Kaun
- Editing
- George Amy
- Makeup / hair
- Ruth Pursley
- Runtime
- 76 min · 1h 16m
- Aspect ratio (typical)
- 1.37:1 (Academy)
- Status
- Released
- Original language
- EN
- IMDB
- Doctor X (1932)
- Rotten Tomatoes
- 83% 🍅 Fresh
- IMDB rating
- 6.4/10 · 4,473 votes
- MPAA
- Unrated
- US box office
- $882,900
Awards
1 nomination total
Part of
Doctor X Collection
Doctor X (1932) & The Return of Doctor X (1939)
Also by
Michael Curtiz
Stills · wallpapers
Selected frames
Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.
Trailers & featurettes
Watch the pieces
Production companies
Who made it
First National Pictures
US
Warner Bros. Pictures
US
Key crew
- Executive ProducerDarryl F. Zanuck
- EditorGeorge Amy
- HairstylistRuth Pursley
- Executive ProducerHal B. Wallis
- Art DirectionAnton Grot
- Makeup ArtistPerc Westmore
- Makeup ArtistRay Romero
- Casting AssistantWilliam Forsyth
- Camera OperatorErnest Haller
- Color DesignerNatalie Kalmus
- Sound RecordistRobert B. Lee
- Camera OperatorCarl E. Guthrie
- Assistant DirectorAl Alleborn
- Assistant CameraThad Brooks Jr.
- Casting AssistantWilliam Maybery
- CastingRufus Le Maire
- Special EffectsFred Jackman Jr.
- Camera OperatorEllsworth Fredericks
- Camera OperatorWilliam Williams
- Camera OperatorW. Howard Greene
- Theatre PlayAllen C. Miller
- Assistant DirectorMarshall Hageman
- GripOwen Crompton
- PropsHerbert Plews
Themes & keywords
What it's about, really
- new york city
- experiment
- full moon
- morgue
- mad scientist
- reporter
- series of murders
- pre-code
- scalpel
Release history · US
When it landed
- Theatrical (limited)1932-08-03· New York City, New York
- Theatrical1932-08-27
Also known as
International titles
- Der geheimnisvolle Dr. XDE
- Der geheimnisvolle Doktor XDE
