The Body Snatcher

1945
Approved
1h 18m

IMDb RATING

7.3/10

11K

YOUR RATING

Boris Karloff in The Body Snatcher (1945)

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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

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
Opening credits prologue: In Edinburgh, in 1831-

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 reviews123

Review

Featured review

8/10

A Classy Old 'Horror' Film

As of this writing, I have seen four of the nine Val Lewton DVD Horror Collection films and this one was, by far, the best.

Henry Daniell, Boris Karloff, Edith Atwater,Russell Wade, Sharyn Moffet and Bela Lugosi all acted well. I had forgotten that Karloff was a decent actor, not just some Frankenstein monster who couldn't deliver a line. He had a creepy voice, too, which lent itself nicely to horror films. I just found him fascinating here.

In addition, this movie had a well-known director, Robert Wise, and the story was adaption of a Robert Louis Steevenson. So, you see, this film had good bloodlines, pun intended. This was not some schlocky Ed Wood B-film. This movie is a high class affair.

I found it more of a crime story than anything else as a doctor (Daniell), trying to further his knowledge and needing human specimens (dead) to continue his research, has his graveyard supply cut off to him and then has to have his helper (Karloff) kill people to provide him the bodies. Meanwhile, a young and more moral student of the doctor, gets wind of what's happening and doesn't share his mentor's view that the "ends justify the means."

At any rate, this a keeper. Like the other Lewton films I've seen, it's well- photographed, too. I can only hope a few of the five I haven't seen yet are this good.