User reviews

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.

What a fun movie!

Edward G. Robinson plays a respected doctor who decides that the only way to truly understand criminal behavior for an academic study he is writing is to become a criminal himself. He joins a thieving ring run by Jo Keller (Claire Trevor, looking hotsy-totsy) and proceeds to both help the thieves with their crimes while at the same time studying them for the biological and psychological effects of their actions. Trouble arises when Jo's right-hand man, played by Humphrey Bogart, begins to feel like a third wheel, and blackmails Robinson when he discovers his true identity.

This film is a real treat. It's funny, creepy and suspenseful, all at the same time. Robinson begins to enjoy being a criminal, and his detached approach to crime makes him capable of committing murder without a second thought. Is he sane or insane? That's the question a jury must answer at the film's climax, and one the viewer still won't be able to answer after the movie's over.

Robinson, Trevor and Bogart have enough chemistry together to start a fire, and the three of them would team up again 10 years later for another terrific film, John Huston's "Key Largo." Anatole Litvak provides the fluid direction.

Grade: A-

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.

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 (1938)

Don't get your hopes up for a lost Warner Bros. classic. This is good stuff, fun and all, and it does star Edward G. Robinson in his prime, but the plot is too clever and cute for its own good, and the lighthearted feel makes it sometimes almost trivial. As if the movie makers themselves know this is a throwaway.

Not to knock it too hard. It does have Humphrey Bogart about to become a famous star, and it has Claire Trevor in the role as a moll (which is a bit odd for her, but you should see her in "Born to Kill" for her best at this).

Robinson plays a doctor who is so detached from reality he decides to research the physiology of criminals while they are committing a crime (pupil dilation, blood pressure, etc.). And since that's hard to do, he starts doing his own crimes. And since he's a celebrated doctor, he gets away with all of them. At first you think, how fun! And you expect it to really wind up into either a crazy comedy or a real crime thriller with the downfall of this great man.

It avoids either and ends up in a kind of compromise. It's sometimes funny, and it has elements of watching this man get himself cornered by his own activities. There is no pathos here, however, and the humor is breezy, not hilarious. Bogart and Trevor are the more serious side, but they are used to offset Robinson in his slightly silly role. In all, the plot churns along and you end up enjoying the details, the acting, the dark Warner Bros. filming.

The director is worth noting. Anatole Litvak, whose style using dramatic light and moving camera is evident here. He also had a tendency for melodrama, which is not apparent at all. He had just come to the US for a four year contract with the huge Warner Bros. and this was his second film with them. I assume that required adjustment. You can, oddly, still (perhaps) feel his style in the way scenes are laid out and shot.

A well-made but trivial film? There were lots of them, and this is completely enjoyable. And Robinson, as always, is wonderful.

There's a physician who is seeking to deduce, why villains, rogues and miscreants are induced, into a life of crime, breaking laws most of the time, has a theory that he's willing to enthuse. Before he does, he gathers data on the flawed, encouraging a gang to break the law, as they do he takes their pulse, monitors things from their skulls, all the time he's making notes of what he saw.

It's not the best but it's not the worst, entertaining in places but quite ridiculous in part, Edward G. Robinson is always entertaining and Humphry Bogart bides his time once again, waiting for the big one, although he reaches his nadir the following year with The Return of Doctor X!

The prominent Dr. Clitterhouse (Edward G. Robinson) becomes a burglar to study the criminal mind. After four heist, he meets the fence Jo Keller (Claire Trevor) that has a hotel to cover-up her activities. He decides to team-up with her gang to observe the thieves in action using the alias The Professor and becomes close to Jo. However the gangster "Rocks" Valentine (Humphrey Bogart) decides to get rid of The Professor and double-crosses him up during the heist of a store. When Rocks discover the true identity of The Professor, he blackmails Dr. Clitterhouse that sees only the ultimate crime to resolve the situation: murder. What will happen to Rocks and Dr. Clitterhouse?

"The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse" is a cynical black-humor comedy with Edward G. Robinson and Humphrey Bogart and screenplay by John Huston. The plot is funny, with hilarious situations of Dr. Clitterhouse, a prominent doctor that uses his relationship with the high-society and the chief of police to rob and understand the criminal mind. In the end, is Dr. Clitterhouse sane or insane? My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): Not Available on Blu-Ray or DVD.

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.

"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.

As was pointed out in another review, THE AMAZING DR. CLITTERHOUSE was a play, originally , starring Sir Cedric Hardwicke as the polished society doctor who is writing a book on the criminal mind, and needs to become a criminal to get his research. I would have liked to have seen the film with Hardwicke, who probably was a better fit in the part. Screen audiences knew Eddie Robinson could be a brutal, thuggish gangster, like Enrico Bandello in LITTLE CAESAR. He could be funny, like Arthur Jones and Killer Mannion in THE WHOLE TOWN IS TALKING or as Remy Marko in A SLIGHT CASE OF MURDER. But they had little idea of the polished intellectual that Robinson, the art collector, was in real life. He would not really reveal this part of his personality until the 1950s, when he occasionally appeared on game shows and talk shows discussing art. But Hardwicke looked the part of the learned doctor, and had enough restrained threat to look like he could plan and carry out real crimes as well.

But Warner Brothers starred him in THE AMAZING DR. CLITTERHOUSE, presumably to give him a chance to play another comic role, and also to let him stretch his acting abilities. He does well with the role, but he seems less natural in the part (as Hardwicke would have been) than slightly mannered. I think, having seen Sir Cedric on stage, Robinson was trying to overcompensate - and it does not quite work.

As the doctor Robinson was convincing as a lucky dilettante, but not as a serious researcher. It is really the performances of the supporting cast, particularly Humphrey Bogart as "Rocks Valentine", Claire Trevor, and Maxie Rosenbloom. They give real color to the story, particularly Bogie as a vicious type who hates seeing how effortlessly the brilliant Clitterhouse takes leadership of his gang away from him. Bogie's Rocks keeps looking for his opportunities, and even tries to freeze the doctor to death (leading to a powerful moment on the film when a furious Rosenbloom almost pounds him in retaliation). And his attempts to get the goods on Clitterhouse, inevitably, lead to an unexpected tragedy.

Robinson was less than happy with the film - he was right to be. Bogart considered this one of a series (with BULLETS AND BALLOTS, KID GALLAHAD, and BROTHER ORCHID where he and Robinson were rival criminals, and in two of which they killed each other at the conclusion).

He had made THE PETRIFIED FOREST two years before, and DEAD END the year before, and should have been on the way to stardom, but found himself second banana to Robinson or to Cagney, and he was getting fed up. He felt that CLITTERHOUSE was an absolute waste of time, and referred to it by another name, THE AMAZING DR. CLITORIS. It would still be three more years before Bogie would make HIGH SIERRA and THE MALTESE FALCON, and find the stardom that had eluded him in the 1930s.

Highly enjoyable WB gangster movie with Edward G. Robinson as the title character, a doctor who becomes so obsessed with understanding the criminal mind he becomes a criminal himself. It's somewhat difficult to categorize this movie. It definitely has a lot of comedy with Max Rosenbloom and Allen Jenkins especially. Not to mention all of Robinson's deadpan lines. But the overall tone is that of a straightforward gangster drama. It's a fun movie either way.

Robinson is terrific, as always. He disliked doing gangster pictures but that's all WB wanted him in. So he compromised by doing gangster movies that were different from the norm. A solid cast backs him up. In addition to Jenkins and Rosenbloom mentioned before, there's Claire Trevor, Donald Crisp, and Humphrey Bogart as Rocks Valentine (what a name!). Bogart reportedly hated this role and considered it his worst. I'm not sure why that would be. It's not that different from a dozen similar gangster roles he played in the '30s. I can think of at least a couple of movies where his part was worse than this.

I love Edward G. Robinson; I'm always amazed at his performances (see "Scarlett Street" for one his most brilliant and touching performances ever). Although this is far from one of his better films, he turns in a pretty good performance of a doctor "researching" crime by becoming a criminal himself and performing "scientific studies" on his reactions. He eventually joins a gang, headed by Claire Trevor, and uses the gang members as further lab rats. (BTW, for Claire Trevor at her most evil best, see "Born to Kill"!)

While Robinson and Trevor and Bogart all do as best as they can with their material, the movie as a whole just doesn't gel. (This trio will do much better ten years later in "Key Largo".) Well, I can't quite put my finger on it ... maybe it's the way that Trevor so quickly turns Robinson into her Number Two guy; maybe it's the way everyone in the gang (except Bogie; his resentment is about the only believable part in this movie) goes along with this arrangement like it's perfectly OK to have your blood pressure taken and pupils examined and blood drawn after every crime; maybe it's the way the law enforcement officials (police, judge) wipe their sweating brows/faces in such a broad, comic manner; maybe it's the absurd trial and even absurder "verdict" (rendered in the jury box no less) ... it just didn't work for me. I guess this was supposed to be a comedy, but it wasn't funny, just odd.

Oh, gee, one final note. Doctor "Clitterhouse" ????? Surely anyone as smart as EGR's character would've legally changed THAT name a long time ago! :-)

Missed viewing this great Classic 1938 Classic film which stars great veteran actors like Edward G. Robinson, (Dr. T S Clitterhouse) who is a psychiatrist and medical doctor who decides to investigate the world of crime. Dr. Clitterhouse gets himself involved with criminals and wants to do a study of what makes all these people chose the life of crime and even gives blood tests to all the criminals. Claire Trevor, ( Joe Keller) and Humphrey Bogart, (Rocks Vallentine) are a few of the people involved with Dr. Clitterhouse's study of the criminal mind. There is also some very comedy scenes and all the actors give an outstanding performance.

This is a decent and VERY typical gangster film from Warner Brothers that is so similar to a long string of such films made by this studio during this era. While this might be a negative for some, fans of the genre such as myself will find that this is yet another well-written and well-acted gangster film complete with the usual Warner stars and support cast. In this case, though, the story is a bit unusual in that Edward G. Robinson plays a doctor who infiltrates a mob to test his theories concerning the criminal mind. While I admit this is a little silly, all the usual story elements combine to still make a very watchable and enjoyable film. While not among his or Bogart's best, it is a rousing good time nonetheless.

The Hollywood films from the '30s and '40s that are celebrated are often much inferior to the many clever forgotten and unpretentious films. "Dr. Clitterhouse" is twice as good as the two Fritz Lang pictures Robinson made, ten times better than Howard Hawks's silly, static "BAll of Fire" and 20 times better than CApra's pretentious 'black comedy' "Arsenic and Old Lace." It's fascinating not just because of the intricate, psychological, talk-heavy, crime-caper script written by John Huston and two others, but because Robinson, in his 'up' 'hyperactive' mode is beyond fascinating to watch. He plays a psychologist writing a thesis on criminality who goes undercover with a bunch of thieves led by Bogart, helping them rob better by planning their heists, while he studies them. Like Gable, Muni, Garfield, Cagney, and the Bogart of the post-Maltese-Falcon years, Robinson, when he's in 'gangsta' or 'noir' mode, is one of those immortal characters that given half a chance, a decent script and passable direction always transcends and makes a film watchable. Given Orson Welles or Billy Wilder, he ends up in masterpieces. If you like this film also check out "Tampico" and "Unholy Partners," two other forgotten Edward G.Robinson classics.

It's interesting to muse about the similarities and differences between "The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse" and Fritz Lang's "Das Testament des Dr. Mabuse". In both, medical doctors become underworld bosses, and both main characters are mentally unbalanced.

Although they are vastly different films -- "Mabuse" is dark, almost noirish, with a stylistic debt to German Expressionism, while "Clitterhouse" is more straightforward and less stylistically defined -- it's almost as if "Clitterhouse" was intended to be the lighter, comic, Americanized version of "Mabuse", which predated it by 5 years. At the very least, I wonder if "Mabuse" was the initial inspiration for writing "Clitterhouse."

I found "The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse" to be entertaining, if not among the best of the period's films.

It has always been surprising to me that more people have not looked closely at the name of the main character. Clitterhouse is certainly an unusual name and a web search for the name turns up only a street and school in London and many references to this film. The film name is, in my opinion, a joke by the writer on the film censors and film critics of his time by using a elaborate spelling of the word 'clitorus.' While it is not an obscenity but a perfectly normal anatomical term, it is certain that, not until fifty years later and 'Austin Powers, the Spy Who Shagged Me" has a word so closely tied to actual sexual activity or anatomic parts been used in a motionpicture.

As for me, I enjoyed the picture quite a bit but loved the title even more.

"The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse" was a welcome change of pace for Edward G. Robinson. Here, he is cast as a character of great learning and high intelligence. Humphrey Bogart was on his way to becoming a star by the time this film was released in 1938. Once again, this film comes down to a final confrontation between Robinson and Bogart and it is exciting. Out of all the collaborations between Robinson and Bogart, this film and "Key Largo" are their best. Dr. Clitterhouse is a professor and medical practitioner who is involved in the study of crime and of the criminal mind. He decides to get in close upon the workings of a local criminal gang by joining their ranks. Naturally, Bogart doesn't take too kindly to the good doctors intrusion and seeks revenge. I won't give away any plot details but this "Warner Bros." film can claim to being quite original. It is played for laughs but in a more dark and subtle manner. It works well for the film. Edward G. Robinson takes the acting honours in a role he was born for. Being a cultured and well read man in real life served the actor well. His command of English and his diction are impeccable. The film is an adaptation of a successful stage play, where noted theatre actor Cedric Hardwicke took the leading role. The script is well above average, with the emphasis being on character.

Bogie and Edward G. Robinson go head-to-head in this ok crime caper from Warners in which most of the characters have names like Butch, Rocks, Okay and Tug. The idea of a sophisticated doctor colluding with gangsters in order to conduct research for his latest book seems ripe for the comic touch, but The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse is more of a drama. It features a quietly chilling murder in which the killer clinically describes to his victim the changes that are taking place in his body as he succumbs to the overdose of sleeping powder that's been slipped into his drink.

I'm sorry to add a negative note about this movie, but I really don't agree with the other commentators. I saw "The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse" on TCM the other night and was quite confused. TCM called it "Crime", yet as I watched I thought it was probably meant to be "Comedy". So I thought I'd look it up on IMDb; and yes, it seems it was meant to be a comedy. But I'm not sure the cast knew.

This really has to have been one of Huston's great flops. To my mind "Dr. Clitterhouse" is as bad as "Beat the Devil". The comparison with masterpieces such as "The Maltese Falcon" and particularly Robinson in "Key Largo" really underlines how bad this movie is.

Edward G. seemed at least uncomfortable in the title role and at worst quite unbelievable. Being (to my shame) a WWF fan, Edward G.'s characterization kept reminding me of the equally unconvincing Commissioner Regal. I kept waiting for the next slip of the quite false upper class accent and mannerisms.

I don't think anyone told Bogie that he was in a comedy, or perhaps he really had no material to work with? His portrayal of Rocks is (in the context of a drama) workmanlike - though I'm not really a fan of his straight "gangster" movies. The character is believable, his motivation real and convincing. He deserves what happens to him and one feels for Clitterhouse and his predicament. There's nothing funny about it.

The clue that I was watching a gangster movie came from the occasional "slapstick" way in which police lieutenants, judges, jurors etc. moped their sweating brows. I didn't really see much else that was deliberately funny: the jury's behaviour was simply silly. Edward G. trying to be a "toff" was funny, but I suspect this was not intentional.

The movie's premise could be taken seriously in the tradition of "Dr. Jeckle and Mr. Hyde", the arrogance of science etc. It is possible that the movie's problem lies here. The writers deal with a potentially serious theme and Cliterhouse's end could have been quite tragic. They could not decide what genre they were working with. As it was - well, I was just confused! I'm sorry, but at best three stars from me for a very disappointing performance from an exceptionally talented group.