- Doctor Syn (film)
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Doctor Syn 
Directed by Roy William Neill Produced by Michael Balcon
Edward BlackWritten by Roger Burford
Michael Hogan
Russell ThorndikeStarring George Arliss
Margaret Lockwood
John LoderMusic by Hugh Bath
Jack BeaverCinematography Jack E. Cox Editing by R.E. Dearing Studio Gainsborough Pictures Release date(s) 25 August 1937 (UK)
14 November 1937 (U.S.)Running time 78 minutes Country United Kingdom Language English Doctor Syn is a 1937 British, black-and-white, adventure, drama historical film , directed by Roy William Neill for Gainsborough Pictures and starring George Arliss (in his last feature film), Margaret Lockwood, Graham Moffatt and Ronald Shiner.[1] It was produced by Gainsborough Pictures. The film is based on the Doctor Syn novels of Russell Thorndike, set in 18th-century Kent. The character of Syn and the events at the film's climax were both softened considerably in comparison to Thorndike's original story.
Contents
Plot
Led by Captain Collyer (Roy Emerton), a detachment of Royal Navy tax and revenue officers arrive in the village of Dymchurch on Romney Marsh. The area is notorious for liquor-smuggling and they are on the trail of the culprits. They find a village of apparently honest, pious and simple folk, looked after benevolently by their philanthropic vicar Doctor Syn (Arliss). However Syn is in fact the leader of the smugglers of the parish, using his cover as a man of the cloth to run a profitable ring whose dividends are used to better the lives of the local community. Collyer gradually comes to suspect what is going on, and a series of chases and confrontations takes place across the marshes with Syn and the smugglers always managing narrowly to outwit their pursuers. Collyer finally discovers that Syn is in fact none other than the notorious pirate Captain Clegg, thought to have been executed many years earlier. Still one step ahead, Syn destroys all incriminating evidence and he and his men make their escape.
Cast
- George Arliss as Doctor Syn
- Margaret Lockwood as Imogene Clegg
- John Loder as Denis Cobtree
- Roy Emerton as Captain Howard Collyer
- Graham Moffatt as Jerry Jerk
- George Merritt as Mipps
- Athole Stewart as Squire Cobtree
- Frederick Burtwell as Rash
- Wilson Coleman as Dr. Pepper
- Wally Patch as Bo'sun
- Muriel George as Mrs. Waggetts
- Meinhart Maur as Mulatto
- Ronald Shiner
References
External links
- Doctor Syn (film) at AllRovi
- Doctor Syn (film) at the BFI Film & TV Database
- Doctor Syn (film) at the Britmovie Database
- Doctor Syn (film) at the Internet Movie Database
Films produced by Gainsborough Pictures The "Gainsborough melodramas" The Man in Grey (1943) · Madonna of the Seven Moons (1944) · Fanny by Gaslight (1944) · The Wicked Lady (1945) · Caravan (1946) · Jassy (1947)Other The Passionate Adventure (1924) · The Rat (1925) · The Triumph of the Rat (1926) · Blighty (1927) · The Constant Nymph (1928) · The First Born (1928) · The Return of the Rat (1929) · Taxi for Two (1929) · Hindle Wakes (1931) · It's a Boy (1933) · Friday the Thirteenth (1933) · Wild Boy (1934) · My Old Dutch (1934) · Oh, Mr Porter! (1937) · Doctor Syn (1937) · Strange Boarders (1938) · The Ghost Train (1941) · I Thank You (1941) · Back-Room Boy (1942) · Uncensored (1942) · Love Story (1944) · Time Flies (1944) · Give Us the Moon (1944) · Bees in Paradise (1944) · Two Thousand Women (1944) · Waterloo Road (1945) · A Place of One's Own (1945) · They Were Sisters (1945) · The Magic Bow (1946) · The Root of All Evil (1947) · Dear Murderer (1947) · Easy Money (1948) · Miranda (1948) · My Brother's Keeper (1948) · It's Not Cricket (1949) · The Huggett family seriesCategories:- British films
- English-language films
- 1937 films
- 1930s adventure films
- 1930s drama films
- Black-and-white films
- Films directed by Roy William Neill
- Gainsborough Pictures films
- Films based on novels
- Films set in the 18th century
- Films set in Kent
- British drama films
- Georgian era films
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