The Gorilla Man
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
D. Ross Lederman
John Loder
Ruth Ford
Marian Hall
Richard Fraser
Paul Cavanagh
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
After a commando raid on the European coast, badly wounded British soldier Captain Craig Killian lands in England near a sanitarium run by Dr. Randall Doran and Dr. Ferris. Doran has received a radio message ordering him to detain Killian, who has important military information that he must convey to the British authorities. Ferris meets the returning commando boat and convinces Killian's friend and fellow soldier, Walter Sibley, that Killian is too ill to travel far. Ferris then suggests that Sibley leave Killian at the sanitarium. Sibley agrees, not knowing that Doran and Ferris are Nazi spies. Because of his daring escape after the raid, Killian is nicknamed "the Gorilla Man" by the newspapers. When Killian insists that he be allowed to report to headquarters, Doran orders a series of injections that disorient the soldier. Later, Nurse Kruger, whose husband and son are being held hostage in Germany, tries to warn Sibley that his friend is in danger. Doran readily agrees when Sibley suggests bringing General Devon to visit Killian. Through a hidden microphone, Doran hears Killian tell Devon where the next Nazi strike is to occur. Without revealing that he knows Killian's secret, Doran then tells Devon that Killian cannot be trusted to tell the truth. Later, Doran signals his superiors, and Killian hears the Morse coded message over the radio in his room. Killian persuades Doran to let him leave the sanitarium in order to give a message to Mrs. Tanner, whose husband died in the raid. Ferris follows him and murders the woman after Killian leaves. While the murder is being committed, Killian goes to Devon's house and, learning that the general is not home, tells Devon's daughter Patricia of his suspicions. Killian is blamed for Mrs. Tanner's murder and is arrested. Despite Pat's assurances that Killian could not be guilty, he is committed to a psychiatric hospital. Afraid that the doctors will discover that Killian is sane, Doran secretly helps him escape. Killian returns to Devon's house, where Devon's older daughter Janet refuses to allow him inside. Ferris, who has followed Killian, then climbs through Janet's bedroom window and strangles her. In the meantime, Killian has gone to Sibley's house, and they hear the announcement of Janet's murder over the radio. Killian returns to the sanitarium to look for evidence against Doran. He begs Kruger to tell what she knows to the authorities. Killian discovers Doran's signalling apparatus and then hurries to Devon's house, where an important meeting is taking place. When Doran returns and learns that Nurse Kruger is gone, he and Ferris also rush to Devon's, where Ferris kills her. This time, however, Killian cannot be accused of the murder because Pat has hidden him in the room where the meeting is taking place. Ferris is proven guilty when Nurse Kruger's teeth marks are found on him. Now the authorities agree to trust Killian's information, and with his name cleared, Killian proposes to Pat.
Director
D. Ross Lederman
Cast
John Loder
Ruth Ford
Marian Hall
Richard Fraser
Paul Cavanagh
Lumsden Hare
John Abbott
Mary Field
Rex Williams
Joan Winfield
Charles Irwin
Peggy Carson
Walter Tetley
Art Foster
Creighton Hale
Frank Mayo
Fred Kelsey
Vera Lewis
Olaf Hytten
Lottie Williams
Gordon Clark
Reginald Sheffield
Crew
Milo Anderson
Everett A. Brown
Anthony Coldeway
Stanley Fleischer
James Gibbon
William Jacobs
Bill Kissel
John Lucas
Walter F. Tilford
James Van Trees
Perc Westmore
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
Although CBCS and reviews call Paul Cavanagh's character "Dr. Wolf," he was called "Dr. Doran" in the film.
