King of the Underworld (1939 film)

King of the Underworld

Theatrical release poster
Directed by Lewis Seiler
Written by
Story by W. R. Burnett
Starring
Music by Heinz Roemheld
Cinematography Sidney Hickox
Production
company
Distributed by Warner Bros.
Release dates
  • January 14, 1939 (1939-01-14)
Running time
 67 minutes
Country United States
Language English

King of the Underworld is a 1939 crime drama film starring Humphrey Bogart as a gangster and Kay Francis as a doctor forced to treat him. It was directed by Lewis Seiler. It is a remake of the 1935 film Dr. Socrates, which was based on a short story by W. R. Burnett.

Plot

Married doctors Niles (John Eldredge) and Carole Nelson (Kay Francis) save the life of a shot gangster. Joe Gurney (Humphrey Bogart), the patient's boss, gives Niles $500 as a reward, and suggests he take his "million dollar hands" uptown, where he can treat the rich. Niles takes his suggestion, but soon neglects his practice for his addiction: betting on the horses.

The doctor also starts treating Joe's gang without telling his wife. One night, he is called away to do just that. Suspicious, Carole follows him. When the police raid the gang's hideout, Gurney kills Niles to prevent him from squealing. Joe and his gang escape during a shootout.

Though the district attorney has no case, he charges Carole with being involved anyway just to put on a good show for the public. She is found innocent, but is nonetheless given three months to prove it or her medical license will be revoked. She relocates with her aunt Josephine (Jessie Busley) to a town where two of Joe's men have been jailed, hoping to get in touch with the gangster.

While on his way to free his men, Joe has a flat tire. He initially suspects nearby wanderer Bill Stevens (James Stephenson) of having shot at him, but then a nail is extracted from the tire. When Bill mentions that he has written a book about the mistakes that brought about Napoleon's downfall, Joe becomes very interested, as he is a great admirer of the French leader. He offers Bill a ride. Bill makes the mistake of accepting, and soon finds himself shot in the shoulder when Joe and his gang rescue their comrades from the sheriff. Bill is caught.

When local Doctor Sanders (Arthur Aylesworth) refuses to treat the alleged criminal, Carole extracts the bullet. However, Bill is unable to provide her any useful information about Joe. When Bill's claims are confirmed, he is released. He goes to thank Carole. Aunt Josephine persuades him to stay with them for a week to recuperate.

Joe has Bill kidnapped in the middle of the night so that he can ghostwrite Joe's autobiography. Joe likes Bill's suggestion for the title, Joe Gurney: the Napoleon of Crime, but Bill overhears his plan to kill him after the book is finished.

Carole is brought, blindfolded, to remove a bullet from Joe's arm, received during the rescue. Before being released, she is told that Bill will be killed if she alerts the authorities.

When Joe's wound gets worse, he sends for her again. He also complains about his eyes. Carole takes a sample to analyze at home. When she is warned that the sheriff and government men are coming to arrest her (a $100 bill Joe gave her was traced to a robbery), she devises a plan. She returns to Joe's hideout and tells him he has a serious infection, one that will make him go blind in six hours unless it is treated immediately with eye drops. She also insists the infection is so contagious she needs to treat all of the gang. Suspicious, Joe makes her administer the medicine to Bill first. Meanwhile, her aunt gives the police Joe's location, but begs them to wait until midnight to give the medication time to temporarily blind the recipients. The plan works. The blind gangsters return fire, but soon give themselves up. Joe tries to track Carole and Bill through the house, but is eventually gunned down by the police.

Bill becomes a successful writer, and he and Carole have a son.

Cast

External links

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