Main Cast: Timothy Dalton, Jonathan Pryce, Twiggy, Julian Sands, Sian Phillips, Stephen Rea
Release Year: 1985
Country: US/UK
Run Time: 93 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
A movie version of the stage play The Doctor and the Devils, written in the 1950s by Welsh poet/playwright Dylan Thomas, had been planned and shelved by several filmmakers before producer Mel Brooks and director Freddie Francis finally brought the project to fruition in 1985. Essentially, the story is the old one about grave robbers Burke and Hare and Scottish surgeon Dr. Robert Knox (which also yielded the 1945 Val Lewton classic The Body Snatcher). Timothy Dalton plays 18th century doctor Thomas Rock, who must rely upon the disreputable Robert Fallon (Jonathan Pryce) and Timothy Broom (Stephen Rea) to provide fresh cadavers for Dr. Rock's teaching hospital. When they can't dig up corpses fast enough to suit Dr. Rock, Fallon and Broom decide to streamline their methods via murder. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Phyllis Logan - Elizabeth Rock; Lewis Fiander - Dr. Thornton; Simon Adams - Green; David Bamber - Cronin; Peter Burton - Customer; Philip Davis - Billy Bedlam; Roy Evans - Sewerman; Rachel Herbert - Mrs. Stevens; John Horsley - Dr. Mackendrick; Barrie Houghton - Official; Jennifer Jayne - Barmaid; Merelina Kendall - Mrs. Webb; Leonard Maguire - Nightwatchman; Jack May - Dr. Stevens; T.P. McKenna - O'Connor; Toni Palmer - Rosie; Beryl Reid - Mrs. Flynn; Danny Schiller - Praying Howard; Simon Shepherd - Harding; Morgan Sheppard - Landlord; Patrick Stewart - Prof. Macklin; Hedger Wallace - Doctor; Bruce Green - Mole; Philip Jackson - Andrew Merry-Lees; Dermot Crowley - Mr. Webb; Ray Armstrong - Prison Guard; Sam Bartlett - Prison Guard; Moira Brooker - Molly the Maid; Dierdre Costello - Nelly; Paul Curran - Tom the Porter; Shaun Curry - Policeman; Kevin Duffield - Daniel; Ray Dunbobbin - Tinker; David Grahame - Old Man; Martin Herring - Messenger; Roland MacLeod - Official; Nichola McAuliffe - Alice; Sarah Melia - Nora Webb; Terry Neason - Kate; David Parfitt - Billings; Jeff Rawle - Lambert; P.G. Stevens - Priest; Stephen Yardley - Joseph; Maggie Cartier
Credit
Brian Ackland-Snow - Art Director, Jo Lustig - Associate Producer, Imogen Richardson - Costume Designer, Freddie Francis - Director, Laurence Méry-Clark - Editor, John Morris - Composer (Music Score), Ken Weston - Musical Direction/Supervision, Naomi Donne - Makeup, Robert Laing - Production Designer, Bob Laing - Production Designer, Gerry Turpin - Cinematographer, Norman Warwick - Cinematographer, Mel Brooks - Producer, Geoffrey Helman - Producer, Jonathan Sanger - Producer, Peter James - Set Designer, Ronald Harwood - Screenwriter
