Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet (1940)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

William Dieterle

Writers:

Norman Burnstine (original screenplay and idea)
Heinz Herald (original screenplay)

Release Date:

2 March 1940 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Tagline:

Two women stood by him while all the world jeered...a world he was trying to save!

Plot:

True story of the doctor who considered it was not immoral to search for a drug that would cure syphillis.

Plot Keywords:

Medical | Breakthrough | Medical Discovery | Sexually Transmissible Disease | Lab Experiment

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Edward G. Robinson	...	Dr. Paul Ehrlich
Ruth Gordon	...	Hedwig Ehrlich
Otto Kruger	...	Dr. Emil Von Behring
Donald Crisp	...	Minister Althoff
Maria Ouspenskaya	...	Franziska Speyer
Montagu Love	...	Professor Hartman
Sig Ruman	...	Dr. Hans Wolfert
Donald Meek	...	Mittelmeyer
Henry O'Neill	...	Dr. Lentz
Albert Bassermann	...	Dr. Robert Koch
Edward Norris	...	Dr. Morgenroth
Harry Davenport	...	Judge
Louis Calhern	...	Dr. Brockdorf
Louis Jean Heydt	...	Dr. Kunze
Charles Halton	...	Sensenbrenner

Also Known As:

The Story of Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet (UK)

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Recording System)

Certification:

Australia:PG | Finland:S | Sweden:15

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

This is the first usage of the phrase "Magic Bullet".

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In this film's first part, newspaper headlines talk of diptheria (sic). Must be the same ones who spell "opthalmology" (sic). The etymology of both words comes from Greek which confirms an "h" which is missing in both misspellings. Properly spelled, they are "diphtheria" and "ophthalmology."

Movie Connections:

Featured in You Must Remember This: The Warner Bros. Story (2008) (V)

Excellent Warners biography of famed chemist- Robinson's best performance

Edward G. Robinson should have netted a Best Actor Oscar nom for his superb screen portrayal of the dedicated chemist and researcher, Dr. Paul Ehrlich. This is one of the great Warners screen biographies, along with THE STORY OF LOUIS PASTEUR, THE LIFE OF EMILE ZOLA, and MADAME CURIE. The screenplay is literate and well deserving of its Oscar nom. The direction is tight and the acting is excellent all round. Ehrlich introduced treatment with chemical, as opposed to herbal, substances and developed cures for diphtheria and syphillis. Altogether one of the most rewarding of film experiences. Go out of your way to see it - one of Hollywood's great films.