Crime Doctor's Man Hunt is a 1946 American mystery film directed by William Castle and starring Warner Baxter, Ellen Drew and William Frawley. It is part of the Crime Doctor series of films made by Columbia Pictures.
Dr. Robert Ordway befriends amnesiac war veteran Philip Armstrong, who is morbidly drawn to a small-town carnival. When Armstrong is murdered, Ordway recalls him saying that his death was preordained by sideshow fortune-teller Alfredi.
Tropes:
- Blackmail Backfire: The two hoods Natalie hires to dispose of Armstrong's corpse later up their price and threaten to call the police with what they know. Natalie leaves them in her apartment with the gas valves open and they asphyxiate.
- Cramming the Coffin: The hoods Natalie hired to dispose of Armstrong's body dumped it in a crematorium retort where it would be cremated the next time the retort was used. The plan failed when the retort was closed for maintenance.
- Deadly Gas: Natalie kills the two hoods trying to blackmail her by opening the valves on her gas fire, and them leaving in the room to asphyxiate.
- Gas Chamber: Natalie murders the two hoods who are attempting to blackmail by opening the valves on her gas fire and then leaving the room while they asphyxiate.
- Match Cut: A scene cuts from Natalie lighting the gas fire in her apartment to a waiter lighting the burner under a crêpes Suzette in a restaurant.
- Phony Psychic: Natalie bribed sideshow fortune teller Alfredi to predict a violent death for Philip Armstrong in an attempt to scare him away from her sister.
- Playing Drunk: When Ordway discovers the two hoods carrying Armstrong's body, he pretends to be drunk to allay their suspicions.
- Split Personality: Irene Cotter was completely dominated by her sister Natalie. When Natalie left home, Irene was completely lost and could only cope by pretending to be Natalie. Eventually it reached the point where she completely became Natalie whenever she assumed he identity, and it was as Natalie she committed the murders.
- Tap on the Head: While searching the empty house, Dr. Ordway gets knocked out when one of the hoods slugs him with a flashlight.
- What Did I Do Last Night?: In his fugue states, Armstrong keeps wandering to the carnival on Davis Street and having no idea what he is doing here.
