The Black Sleep

Synopsis

In 19th century England, a noted brain surgeon rescues a former student from being hanged on a false conviction for murder, and spirits him away to an ancient, repurposed abbey far in the countryside. There, he connives his pupil into assisting him in mapping the functions of the various parts of the human brain, using living subjects who are under a terrible animation-suspending drug called "black sleep". Subsequently, the student, along with the daughter of one of the subjects, discover that most of these subjects have survived but are being kept in a dungeon-like cellar, in various stages of physical and mental derangement...

Where to watch (US)

Cast

Basil Rathbone

Sir Joel Cadman

Herbert Rudley

Dr. Gordon Ramsay

Patricia Blair

Laurie Munroe

Akim Tamiroff

Odo the Gypsy

Phyllis Stanley

Daphne

Lon Chaney Jr.

Dr. Munroe, aka Mungo

Bela Lugosi

Casimir

John Carradine

Bohemund

George Sawaya

Sailor-Subject

Tor Johnson

Mr. Curry

SY

Sally Yarnell

Female Subject

PG

Peter Gordon

Sgt. Steele

Claire Carleton

Carmona Daly

CM

Clive Morgan

Roundsman Blevins (uncredited)