O Gênio do Crime

Take a successful broadway play, add Edward G Robinson, Humphery Bogart, Claire Trevor and the Warner Brothers stock company to the mix and you can't go wrong. And this one doesn't go wrong.

Robinson plays Dr Clitterhouse, an extremely successful doctor catering only to High Society patients.

In reality Clitterhouse only wants to do a study on criminals with the hope of developing a cure for crime by finding out what makes these men tick.

To do this he joins a gang led by Trevor as the brains and Bogie as the Brawn.

Clitterhouse participates in their ventures and while on the job measures things like blood pressure, heartbeat and other vital signs, but what he doesn't count on is his near addiction to crime.

Robinson makes a great Clitterhouse(Cedric Hardwicke played him on Broadway)Bogart in his gangster milieu, plays Rocks Valentine like it is second nature to him. The Stock company in this one consists of Ward Bond, Vladimir Sokoloff, Maxie Rosenbloom, Donald Crisp, Gale Page and John Litel.

Dr Clitterhouse is a fun film, but don't ask him to make a house call

The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse that Warner Brothers presented in 1938 is an adaption of a British play which had been done in London a few years back with Sir Cedric Hardwicke in the title role that Edward G. Robinson does here. Of course the difference in personal styles and country cultures made it a different Clitterhouse than originally presented.

But both are medical doctors doing research into the pathology of the criminal mind. How better to do it than to become a criminal oneself in the interest of science. He does some burglaries on his own and then with the unsuspecting help of police inspector Donald Crisp finds a fence in the person of Claire Trevor and the gang she does business with.

He works his way into the mob earning everyone's trust even though they find the "professor" a little eccentric. All that is except Humphrey Bogart who resents his presence.

It's an interesting idea for a story and the film does have some good plot twists that I'm sure the audience won't figure out if they haven't seen it. The key to remember as Robinson remembers that at all times he's a man of science.

This film is an excellent gangster film. The negative reviews I've read here are the remarks of mere quibblers, people who don't have a true appreciation for the 1930's Gangster Film. I used to have a 16mm print of this film. And every time I screened it people would come up afterward and say how much they liked it. No self respecting fan of Warner's gangster films would dare say a bad word about this film and others I've seen poorly reviewed on this site. Perhaps people brought up on Good Fellas and The Godfather cannot help but try holding older films up to current sensibilities. I don't know. But I see it a lot.

Anyway, don't believe the hype: Edward G. Robinson and Humphrey Bogart are great as are the rest of the cast. Character roles are well cast. Writing is solid. There's a great scene where Bogart gets slapped for misinterpreting a double entendre.

This film has something that I think is significant for the time. It deals with possible psychological reasons for crime. The good doctor who is doing experiments to fully understand the criminal mind was probably represents some sort of extension of public interest as well as paying lip service to the growing acceptance of psychology as we currently know it. The fact that the doctor is actually corrupted by the excitement and challenge of crime and getting away with it are interesting to note and may, again, parallel public interest.

The ending has an irresistible twist as the doctor incorrigibly revels in his bizarre circumstances as the camera closes in on an excited Robinson as chaos ensues all around.

I rate this film a strong 8 and recommend that Ivars give this film another chance.

I loved it! The story isn't great but Eddie G. is slick as he runs circles around his less intelligent counterparts. He has some clever lines and proves once again how a great actor can carry a film. Eddie plays Dr. T. S. Clitterhouse, a successful doctor who is intrigued by the criminal mind. As he gets involved in pulling off some robberies for his "research", he finds himself feeling a "heady intoxication like champagne". He tries to get out of the criminal life but his antagonist, Bogie of course, won't let him. As in many films, it's now Bogart vs Robinson. Who wins? Nice try, just watch and enjoy the movie and you'll see. This was before Bogie was a headliner and it's fun to see how he was developing his on screen persona. If you're a Bogie and Eddie G. fan, you'll like this one. It's definitely worth a look.

"The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse" from 1938 stars Edward G. Robinson in the title role, that of a prominent physician studying the psychology of the criminal mind. He becomes a jewel thief himself studies his responses for his book, Crime and Research.

He learns the name of a fence, Jo Keller, finds out he owns a hotel, and goes to meet what he thinks is a man. Instead, it's a woman (Claire Trevor) with whom he joins forces. One of her thieves, Rocks (Bogart), dislikes Dr. Clitterhouse because Jo is attracted to him and suddenly, he's not the big boss anymore.

After Clitterhouse's research, he leaves, without anyone knowing his identity. Will matters stay that way?

This is a real black comedy with terrific performances. Robinson's Clitterhouse is so sure of himself, and so clinical -- he doesn't see what he's doing as criminal, just important research. Bogart, about two years away from his breakthrough role, is marvelous as a jealous thief. Trevor is tough but beautiful and vulnerable.

Well directed by Anatole Litvak and co-written by John Huston, "The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse" can't miss and doesn't. Loved the ending.