- Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet
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Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet 
Directed by William Dieterle Produced by Hal B. Wallis
Jack L. Warner
Wolfgang Reinhardt (executive producer)Written by Norman Burnstine
Heinz Herald
John HustonStarring Edward G. Robinson
Ruth Gordon
Otto Kruger
Donald CrispMusic by Max Steiner Cinematography James Wong Howe Editing by Warren Low Distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures Release date(s) February 23, 1940 Running time 103 minutes Country United States Language English Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet is a 1940 biographical film directed by William Dieterle and starring Edward G. Robinson, based on the true story of the German doctor and scientist Dr. Paul Ehrlich. The film was released by Warner Bros., with some controversy considering the subject of syphilis in a major studio release. It was nominated for an Academy Award for its original screenplay (by Norman Burnstine, Heinz Herald and John Huston), but lost to The Great McGinty.
Contents
Plot
Paul Ehrlich (Edward G. Robinson) is a physician working in a German hospital. He is dismissed for his constant disregard for hospital rules, which are bound by bureaucratic red tape. The reason for his conflict is his steadily-rising interest in research for selective color staining, the marking of cells and microorganisms, using certain dyes and marking agents, which, as he describes in the film, have a certain 'affinity' to that which is to be stained and nothing else. Emil von Behring (Otto Kruger), whom Dr. Ehrlich meets and befriends, while experimenting with his staining techniques, is impressed with Dr. Ehrlich's staining methods and refers to it as 'specific staining,' adding that this is one of the greatest achievements in science, especially for diagnostic purposes, based on optical microscopia. After attending a medical presentation of one Dr. Robert Koch (Albert Basserman) showing that tuberculosis is a bacterial disease, Ehrlich is able to obtain a sample of the isolated bacterium. After an intense time of research and experimentation in his own lab, paired with a portion of luck, he is able to develop a staining process for this bacterium. This result is honored by Koch and medical circles as a highly valuable contribution to diagnostics.
During his work, Dr. Ehrlich is infected with tuberculosis, a disease still known as being deadly. Therefore, Ehrlich travels with his wife Hedwig (Ruth Gordon) to Egypt for recovery and relief. There he starts to discover the properties of the human body with regard to immunity. This discovery helps Ehrlich and colleague Dr. von Behring to fight a diphtheria epidemic that is killing off many children in the country. The two doctors are rewarded for their efforts.
Ehrlich concentrates on work to create his "magic bullets" - chemicals injected into the blood to fight various diseases. Ehrlich's laboratory has the help of a number of scientists like Dr. Sahachiro Hata (Wilfred Hari). The medical board, headed by Dr. Hans Wolfert (Sig Ruman), believes much of Ehrlich's work is a waste of money and resources and fight for a reduction, just as Ehrlich begins to work on a cure for syphilis. Ehrlich is financially backed by the widow of Jewish banker Georg Speyer, Franziska Speyer (Maria Ouspenskaya) and after 606 tries he finally discovers the remedy for the disease. This substance, first called "606", is now known as Arsphenamine or Salvarsan.
The joy of discovery is short-lived, as 38 patients who receive the treatment die. Dr. Wolfert denounces the cure publicly and accuses Ehrlich of murdering those that died from the cure. As faith in the new cure starts to dwindle, Ehrlich is forced to sue Wolfert for libel and in the process exonerate 606. Dr. von Bering (who had earlier told Ehrlich to give up his pipe dreams of cures by chemicals), who was called by the defense to denounce 606, instead states that he believes that 606 is responsible for the death of syphilis itself, the 39th death as he calls it. Ehrlich is exonerated, but the strain and stress from the trial are too much for his ill body and he dies shortly thereafter, first telling his assistants and colleagues about taking risks with regard to medicine.
Cast
- Edward G. Robinson as Dr. Paul Ehrlich
- Ruth Gordon as Hedwig Ehrlich
- Otto Kruger as Dr. Emil Von Behring
- Donald Crisp as Minister Althoff
- Maria Ouspenskaya as Franziska Speyer
- Montagu Love as Professor Hartman
- Sig Ruman as Dr. Hans Wolfert
- Donald Meek as Mittelmeyer
- Henry O'Neill as Dr. Lentz
- Albert Bassermann as Dr. Robert Koch
- Edward Norris as Dr. Morgenroth
- Harry Davenport as Judge
- Louis Calhern as Dr. Brockdorf
- Louis Jean Heydt as Dr. Kunze
- Charles Halton as Sensenbrenner
See also
External links
- Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet at the Internet Movie Database
- Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet at the TCM Movie Database
- Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet at AllRovi
- Short description of the Movie Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet from William Dieterle, dated 1940
The films of William Dieterle 1920s Man by the Roadside • Behind the Altar (with Julius Brandt) • The Saint and Her Fool • Sex in Chains • The Brandenburg Arch (with Max Knaake) • Triumph of Love • Frühlingsrauschen • Das Schweigen im Walde1930s Die Maske fällt • Kismet • Ludwig der Zweite, König von Bayern • Der Tanz geht weiter • Eine Stunde Glück • Die Heilige Flamme (with Berthold Viertel) • The Last Flight • Her Majesty, Love • Man Wanted • Jewel Robbery • The Crash • Six Hours to Live • Scarlet Dawn • Lawyer Man • Grand Slam • Adorable • The Devil's in Love • From Headquarters • Fashions of 1934 • Fog Over Frisco • Madame Du Barry • The Firebird • The Secret Bride • A Midsummer Night's Dream (with Max Reinhardt) • Dr. Socrates • The Story of Louis Pasteur • The White Angel • Satan Met a Lady • The Great O'Malley • Another Dawn • The Life of Emile Zola • Blockade • Juarez • The Hunchback of Notre Dame1940s Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet • A Dispatch from Reuter's • The Devil and Daniel Webster • Syncopation • Tennessee Johnson • Kismet • I'll Be Seeing You • Love Letters • This Love of Ours • The Searching Wind • Portrait of Jennie • The Accused • Rope of Sand1950s Paid in Full • Volcano • September Affair • Dark City • Peking Express • Red Mountain • Boots Malone • The Turning Point • Salome • Elephant Walk • Magic Fire • Omar Khayyam • Dubrowsky1960s Mistress of the World • Die Herrin der Welt - Teil II • Die Fastnachtsbeichte • The ConfessionCategories:- English-language films
- 1940 films
- American films
- Biographical films
- Black-and-white films
- Films directed by William Dieterle
- Warner Bros. films
- 1940s drama films
- Films about sexually transmitted diseases
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