The Man They Could Not Hang (1939): Cast & Plot
The Man They Could Not Hang is a 1939 sci-fi horror film directed by Nick Grindé, starring Boris Karloff as Dr. Henryk Savaard, Lorna Gray and Stanley Brown. It runs 1 hour 4 minutes.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 4m (64 min)
- Director
- Nick Grindé
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Columbia Pictures
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is The Man They Could Not Hang About?
The premise of The Man They Could Not Hang without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
Dr. Henryk Savaard, a scientist devoted to reviving the dead, is wrongfully executed for murder. His loyal assistant restores him to life, but the reanimation turns him into a vengeful, blood‑thirsty creature. Now animated, he hunts down and murders the jurors who condemned him.
The Man They Could Not Hang Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- psychotronic film
- monster movie
- murder house
- death row
- zombie
- condemned to death
- death sentence
- mad doctor
- bare chested male
- fiance fiancee relationship
- police arrest
- lie
+38 more Show fewer
- locked in
- hanging
- revenge
- mad scientist
- jury
- district attorney
- cryonics
- police
- experiment
- reference to socrates
- reference to thomas edison
- reference to louis pasteur
- stabbed in the ear
- shotgun
- needle in phone receiver
- volunteer test subject
- visionary vs reactionary
- research
- police raid
- panicky nurse
- narcissism
- moral dilemma
- jury deliberation
- futuristic medicine
- experimental science
- death threat
- death penalty
- conspiracy
- agnostic
- surgery
- spirituality
- rigor mortis
- reporter
- police surgeon
- nurse
- murder trial
- loudspeaker
- life after death
The Man They Could Not Hang Cast & Characters
Boris Karloff leads the cast as Dr. Henryk Savaard, with Lorna Gray as Janet Savaard and Stanley Brown as Bob Roberts (uncredited). Directed by Nick Grindé; 37 actors are credited in all.
- Director Nick Grindé
-
Boris Karloff as Dr. Henryk Savaard - Lorna Gray as Janet Savaard
- Stanley Brown as Bob Roberts (uncredited)
- Ann Doran as Betty Crawford
Also Starring in The Man They Could Not Hang
· 33 more- Byron Foulger Lang
- Charles Trowbridge Judge Bowman
- Robert Sterling First Reporter (uncredited)
- Chuck Hamilton Juror (uncredited)
- John Tyrrell Juror Sutton
- James Craig Juror Watkins
- Frank Jaquet Cigar-Smoking Fat Juror (uncredited)
- Dick Curtis Jury Foreman Clifford Kearney
- Charles Miller Dr. Avery - Juror (uncredited)
- Joe De Stefani Dr. Stoddard
- Kenner G. Kemp Reporter (uncredited)
- Bert Moorhouse Reporter (uncredited)
- Stanley Blystone Prison Guard (uncredited)
- Don Beddoe Lieutenant Shane
- John Dilson King - City Editor (uncredited)
- Walter Sande Reporter at Typewriter (uncredited)
Show all 37 cast members Show fewer cast members
- Bob Reeves Juror (uncredited)
- Sam Ash Druggist (uncredited)
- Tom Quinn Reporter (uncredited)
- Harlan Briggs Defense Attorney Parker (uncredited)
- Charles McAvoy Prison Official (uncredited)
- Perc Launders Bailiff (uncredited)
- Franklin Parker Second Reporter (uncredited)
- George Anderson Prison Warden (uncredited)
- William Lally Bailiff (uncredited)
- Roger Pryor District Attorney Drake
- Edward Thomas Butler (uncredited)
- Cyril Thornton Senior Butler (uncredited)
- Ian Maclaren Priest (uncredited)
- Carl Faulkner Bailiff (uncredited)
- Robert Wilcox 'Scoop' Foley
- Flo Campbell Housewife (uncredited)
- Larry Lund Court Clerk (uncredited)
More from Nick Grindé
More films directed by Nick Grindé: Hitler- Dead or Alive, Before I Hang, The Man with Nine Lives and Convicted Woman.
The Man They Could Not Hang Plot Summary
What happens in The Man They Could Not Hang from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 16 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
Dr. Henryk Savaard is a pioneering scientist deeply engaged in the groundbreaking and controversial field of resurrecting the dead. His latest experiment takes place in the privacy of his own laboratory located within his home, where he tests an innovative artificial heart designed to bring a person back to life. To validate his invention, he volunteers Bob Roberts, a young medical student and his fiancée’s close companion, Ann Doran. Bob agrees to be temporarily killed so that Savaard can attempt to revive him, believing that if successful, their work could revolutionize modern medicine by enabling procedures previously thought impossible on living patients.
Full summary
The whole story of The Man They Could Not Hang, scene by scene
The Man They Could Not Hang Trailers & Videos
The trailer of The Man They Could Not Hang.
How Well Do You Know The Man They Could Not Hang?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What is the main scientific experiment Dr. Savaard is working on?
Cars in The Man They Could Not Hang
5 cars on screen, including the 1935 Ford Panel and the 1937 Cadillac Fleetwood 75.
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1935 Ford Panel Important role -
1937 Cadillac Fleetwood 75 Minor role -
1939 LaSalle Convertible Coupe Minor role -
1938 Packard Six Minor role
Seen The Man They Could Not Hang?
Movies Like The Man They Could Not Hang
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Before I Hang, The Man Who Could Cheat Death and The Manster.
The Man They Could Not Hang FAQ: Cast & Runtime
Runtime, release date, director, cast and post-credit scenes of The Man They Could Not Hang, each answered in a sentence.
How long is The Man They Could Not Hang?
The Man They Could Not Hang runs 1 hour 4 minutes (64 minutes).
When was The Man They Could Not Hang released?
The Man They Could Not Hang was released on August 17, 1939.
Who directed The Man They Could Not Hang?
The Man They Could Not Hang was directed by Nick Grindé.
More films by Nick Grindé Who is in the cast of The Man They Could Not Hang?
The Man They Could Not Hang stars Boris Karloff as Dr. Henryk Savaard, Lorna Gray as Janet Savaard and Stanley Brown as Bob Roberts (uncredited), among 37 credited actors.
Does The Man They Could Not Hang have a post-credit scene?
No. The Man They Could Not Hang has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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