This was another Karloff / Lugosi vehicle but neither play the main part. This was Karloff's choice but when he chose a different part it went not to Lugosi but the little known Stan Ridges.
Ridges plays George Kingsley a university professor who is run down after being caught in a mob shoot-out which also leaves a wounded gangster Red Cotton at the scene. Kingsley's friend Dr Kovacs ( Karloff ) performs some remarkably quick solo brain surgery, moving part of Cotton's brain to repair the damage to Kingsley's. When he realises the man now has a split personality he becomes Cotton's ally in the hope of recovering some stolen loot. But Cotton and Marnay ( Lugosi ), the man who tried to kill him, have other ideas.
If you can get past the ludicrous premise and its very obvious logical flaws this is actually a very entertaining film , tightly plotted and wittily scripted.
Anne Nagel ( as Sunny Rogers )
Sex : Despite the complete change in her boyfriend Cotton's looks she goes to bed with him ( offscreen )
Death : Strangled by Cotton after he realises she has double crosssed him with Marnay.
Anne whose original surname was Dolan would go on to appear in quite a few horror movies. She died of liver cancer in 1966 aged 50.
Anne Gwynne ( as Jean Kovacs )
Sex : No
Death : Survives
This Anne too would make her name in horror films in the forties and was later successful in television. Her buxom charms made her a popular forces pin up during the war. She was the grandmother of actor Chris Pine. She died of a stroke in 2003 aged 84.
Ellen Lowe ( as Hotel Maid )
Sex : No
Death : Survives
Ellen was a bit part player from Canada. She died in 1984 aged 86.
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