Il dottor Socrate

Of course, a movie starring Paul Muni is always interesting, worth the watch for any movie buff. And here William Dieterle - Paul Muni's fetish film maker - is another reason not to miss it. Solid Warner Bros. Production, no one can deny it. But, concerning me, I will never see it again. Never. Paul Muni's character is so predictable, a character that we have seen many times before ; same scheme I mean. I don't even speak of the lousy ending. I am ready to watch I WAS A FUGITIVE FROM A CHAIN GANG - also starring Paul Muni - dozens of times, instead of this feature. The main flaw for me is the topic. Good doctor vs villains gangsters...Not for me any more. I am just over aged.

Muni was just biding his time between "important" roles when Warners made a deal with him to do this little crime melodrama, after which they would let him do one of his pet projects. So here he is as the man whose constant reading of books causes the townspeople to label him "Dr. Socrates," a name that seems to fit the soft-spoken, easy going doctor that Muni plays in a minor key.

Instead of overwhelming the screen in his usual manner, he lets BARTON MacLANE give a vivid, scene-stealing performance as Big Red, a criminal wounded in a bank holdup who needs the doc's care and promises to send him more customers if he'll put a lid on treating him, instead of reporting him to the police. Fortunately, MacLane has some of the best lines in the script and ends up being the most interesting character in the whole story.

ANN DVORAK is young and pretty as the hitch-hiking woman who accepts a ride from MacLane's gang and ends up being suspected of being a gang member when the gang pulls a bank robbery and she's seen fleeing from the scene. When she's hurt, she ends up in Muni's care and the rest of the story is rather predictable but entertaining.

As the N.Y. Times said: "A pleasant enough melodrama" about a doctor who unwittingly gets mixed up with the mob. It's a trifle with a better than average script and some nice performances from the Warner contract players.

Paul Muni plays a small town doctor who becomes mixed up with a wounded criminal (Barton MacLane) and falls for a pretty hitchhiker (Ann Dvorak). A fine WB crime drama that moves with a crisp pace. Mustachioed Paul Muni reunites with his Scarface costar Ann Dvorak. Muni is excellent in one of his more subdued roles. Dvorak is lovely and gives an effortless performance. As different as Muni was from other Hollywood actors at the time, Dvorak was just as different from the other actresses. She rarely goes for the theatrical or hysterical. Her performances are usually much more grounded than, say, Bette Davis, who never saw a rafter she didn't reach for. The standout of the movie is Barton MacLane, shouting and swaggering his way through every scene. It's a real treat to watch. As usual, the stable of WB supporting players are superb. Remade as King of the Underworld with Kay Francis and Humphrey Bogart, whose first wife Mayo Methot appears here as MacLane's moll.

DOCTOR SOCRATES (Warner Brothers, 1935), directed by William Dieterle, taken from a story by W.R. Burnett, stars Paul Muni in another one of his lesser known films of this period. Returning him to crime melodrama, Muni doesn't play a hooded gangster as he did in SCARFACE (United Artists, 1932), but a small town doctor (sporting mustache) who innocently becomes involved in treating gangsters. It also marked Muni's second and final role opposite Ann Dvorak, his co-star from his now classic SCARFACE.

Set in Big Bend (Ohio), "the biggest little city in Wayne County," the story opens with its residents discussing the latest crime caper committed by noted gangster, "Red" Bastian, from their local newspaper. Lee Caldwell (Paul Muni) is introduced as a new medical doctor from Chicago who is not well-liked by its residents, especially its long-time town doctor, Ginder (Robert Barrat) who labels Caldwell "Doctor Socrates" for his love for Greek philosophy and his reading of "The Republic of Plato." Returning home from the drug store, Caldwell, accompanied by his elderly housekeeper, "Ma" Ganson (Helen Lowell), finds he has visitors, fellow doctor friends from Chicago, McLinty (Samuel S. Hinds) and Dick Burton (John Eldredge). They each feel Caldwell, a brilliant surgeon, is wasting his time in this small town and want him to come back with them. (Caldwell's background is revealed as one trying to forget his past and death of his fiancee due to an automobile accident for which he takes responsibility). Regardless of being heavily in debt, Caldwell is set on staying in Big Bend. Before heading for bed, Caldwell answers a knock on the door, visitors being "Red" Bastian (Barton MacLane) and his gun moll, "Muggsy" (Mayo Methot), who come for treatment of Bastian's gunshot wound. Caldwell treats the wound at a point of a gun. Though he refuses a fee, Bastian leaves him a $100 and goes on his way. The next day, Bastian and his mob, driving down the road, pick up Josephine "Jo" Gray (Ann Dvorak), a hitchhiker on her way to California, with intentions of having her dropped off in Carsonville. Jo never makes it to her destination as Bastian and his mob stop to rob a bank in Big Bend. She makes her escape only to get a gunshot wound in the process. Caldwell comes to her aid and takes her to his home for treatment. He refuses to have her leave with the police while under his care, especially since she is believed to be part of Bastian gang. Caldwell becomes romantically interested in Jo, with plans of possible marriage. After reading about Jo in the newspaper, Bastian abducts her from the kindly doctor. Caldwell faces further complications when he is accused of being connected with Bastian when the $100 bill he used to pay his debts turns out to be one of the bills in connection with one of the bank robberies. Others in the cast include: Hobart Cavanaugh (Floyd Stevens, the druggist); Henry O'Neill (Greer); Grace Stafford (Caroline Suggs, the troubled girl); Olin Howland (Catlett); Marc Lawrence and Grady Sutton, among others.

Though not as famous as other crime capers featuring Edward G. Robinson or James Cagney, Paul Muni is acceptable as a good doctor of a small but gossipy town who falls victim to aiding gangsters. Barton MacLane, who seems to be type-cast in playing mob bosses as he did opposite James Cagney and Ann Dvorak in 'G' MEN (1935), performs his same task here as well. William Dieterle, would later direct Muni in his more prestigious productions of THE STORY OF LOUIS PASTEUR (1936) and THE LIFE OF EMILE ZOLA (1937), keeps the pace moving during its 74 minutes. Look for a little inside humor of Paul Muni reading a book about Louis Pasteur in one scene - possibly a little hint to his next movie project to follow. Remade as KING OF THE UNDERWORLD (Warners, 1939) starring Humphrey Bogart (gangster) and Kay Francis (lady doctor), the remake also casts John Eldredge (who appears in one scene in DOCTOR SOCRATES) as Francis' doctor husband, with James Stephenson in the male counterpart to the Dvorak hitchhiking role.

Never distributed on video cassette, both DOCTOR SOCRATES and its remake, KING OF THE UNDERWORLD, often appear on cable television's Turner Classic Movies for evaluation or comparison purposes. (***)

With Paul Muni in the lead, I was expecting something out of the ordinary. However, Dr. Socrates is ordinary. It is a run-of-the-mill 1930's crime drama with Muni's range wasted in a part better suited to Chester Morris or Ricardo Cortez. Barton MacLane and Mayo Methot, on the other hand, are perfect playing parts similar to what they played throughout their entire careers. It's watchable, but not special.