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BLACK FRIDAY (1940)>>>>>>>>>SPOILERS>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
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As a Crime drama, this isn't too bad, but just falls to pieces as a Horror film. Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi get star billing, but don't have a single scene together. The plot concerns a Surgeon -originally supposed to be played by Bela-whose kindly Teacher friend-Karloff-is seriously injured and the Surgeon transplants part of a gangsters brain to save him. Finding put the gangster had a big stash in the big city, the two men take a trip there where the Gangsters personality begins to take over with Jekyll/Hyde transformations.
According to rumor (mainly by screenwriter Curt Siodmak), Karloff felt he wouldn't be believable in the dual role, so He was given the role of the Doctor and Bela was given a thankless part of a member of the Crime gang (One thinks with his natural voice, Bela could have handled the Slavic Doctor). In the main role, as the Teacher/Gangster, Stanley Ridges is quite good; I think He steals the whole film, but so many missed opportunities here make this one of the lesser Boris/Bela pairings. **
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