Le Récupérateur de cadavres

Original title: The Body Snatcher

1945
Approved
1h 18m

IMDb RATING

7.3/10

11K

YOUR RATING

Boris Karloff in Le Récupérateur de cadavres (1945)

Play trailer1:40

1 Video

99+ Photos

Horror Thriller

A ruthless doctor and his young prize student find themselves continually harassed by their murderous supplier of illegal cadavers.A ruthless doctor and his young prize student find themselves continually harassed by their murderous supplier of illegal cadavers.A ruthless doctor and his young prize student find themselves continually harassed by their murderous supplier of illegal cadavers.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.3/10

11K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 3 nominations total

Mrs. Marsh
(as Rita Corday)

Sharyn Moffett

Georgina Marsh

Donna Lee

Street Singer

Ted Billings

Townsman
(uncredited)

Bobby Burns

Mourner
(uncredited)

Robert Clarke

Richardson - Medical Student
(uncredited)

Aina Constant

Maidservant
(uncredited)

Mary Gordon

Mrs. Mary McBride
(uncredited)

Carl Kent

Gilchrist - Medical Student
(uncredited)

Milton Kibbee

Dan
(uncredited)

Ethan Laidlaw

Pub Patron
(uncredited)

Jim Moran

Angus - Horse Trader
(uncredited)

Jack Welch

Boy
(uncredited)

Director
- Robert Wise
Writers
All cast & crew
Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Although based on a fictional short story by Robert Louis Stevenson, the author came up with the idea from actual events occurring in 19th century England and Edinburgh, Scotland in 1827, called the West Port murders of 1828.

At that time, medical schools lacked sufficient funding or the resources to provide their students with cadavers for study. Seeing a financial opportunity there, William Burke suggested to his landlord, William Hare, that they sell the body of a recently deceased boarder to Dr. Robert Knox, an instructor at a Surgeon's Square anatomy school. Knox was grateful to have a specimen for his class and Burke and Hare began a lucrative operation that quickly moved from grave-robbing to murder. They killed their victims by suffocating or "burking" them. Estimates were that they murdered up to 28 people, preying on drunks, prostitutes, and the destitute elderly.

Goofs
At the beginning, a castle is shown during the credits, then "In Edinburgh In 1831-"; then after that there is a closer view of the castle and a horse and carriage. Two or three automobiles are parked next to the castle.

Quotes
Cabman John Gray: I am a small man, a humble man. Being poor I have had to do much that I did not want to do. But so long as the great Dr McFarlane comes to my whistle, that long am I a man. If I have not that then I have nothing. Then I am only a cabman and a grave robber. You'll never get rid of me, Toddy.

Crazy credits
Closing credits epilogue: "It is through error that man tries and rises. It is through tragedy he learns. All the roads of learning begin in darkness and go out into the light" Hippocrates of Cos

Alternate versions
Five cuts were made by the British censors on its initial release, mainly references to Burke and Hare, the original bodysnatchers. This cut print has been the only one available in the UK until 1998, when a complete version appeared on the budget video label 4-Front.

Connections
Edited into Mondo Lugosi - A Vampire's Scrapbook (1987)

Soundtracks
Huntingtower
(uncredited)
("When Ye Gang Awa, Jamie")
(Traditional Scottish folk song)
sung by Donna Lee

User reviews125

Featured review

7/10

Dark and Gloomy

In 1831, in Edinburgh, the prominent doctor and professor Dr. Wolfe 'Toddy' MacFarlane (Henry Daniell) buys corpses for his studies and classes of anatomy from the notorious cabman John Gray (Boris Karloff), who is also a body snatcher. When his talented student Donald Fettes (Russell Wade) tells that he will quit medical school since his family cannot afford to support him, MacFarlane hires him as his assistant to permit Fettes to proceed his studies. Fettes meets a little girl that cannot walk anymore due to a coach accident, and he tries to convince Dr. MacFarlane to operate her but the doctor is reluctant. Soon Fettes discovers that Dr. MacFarlane has a secret from his past and Gray blackmails him. When Fettes learns how Gray obtains the corpses for Dr. MacFarlane, he has an inner conflict and does not want to continue as Dr. MacFarlane's protégée. But isn't it too late?

"The Body Snatcher" is a dark and gloomy horror tale with a creepy story about ethic in medicine, or how far a doctor should go in his researches. Boris Karloff has a magnificent performance, maybe the best I have ever seen of this actor. The direction of Robert Wise is sharp and the cinematography in black and white is impressive. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "O Túmulo Vazio" ("The Empty Grave")