Dr Renault's Secret (1942) - Region 2 PAL, Plays in English Without subtitles

Originally titled BURIED ALIVE, this 1942 movie is a remake of the 1927 silent film THE WIZARD. Here we have a Doctor that has captured an ape and slowly turned him into a human. Ape/human is played by J.Caroll Naish who gets a very good shuffling performance as Dr. Renault's guinea pig. Interestingly the Doctor played by George Zucco doesn't appear until the second half of a movie that runs under an hour. Annoyingly the film is based in France with everyone speaking not only English but with an American accent, ho hum..... Alongside the ape story is a 'reformed' criminal who wants Strudwick's money and to run off to Tahiti..;Shepperd Strudwick stars as another Dr, who knows nothing of Dr Renault's experiments in his basement, and he is drafted in here as the love interest and would be hero for Lynne Roberts, who looks stunning here. Acting by all is ok, never spectacular, just like the film on a whole which comes to a very predictable climax. Directed by Harry Lachman who sometimes elevates the picture with some neat camera angles. Movie comes to ahead in cheap fashion when Dr Renault's secret hideout is found by simply opening up an unlocked door. Movie passes the time amicably but isn't one to write home about.