The last film directed by Robert Wise for the Val Lewton unit, The Body Snatcher is a philosophical horror film that boldly lifts the shroud of Victorian decency to examine the lurid contradictions of Enlightenment scientific inquiry. Based on a Robert Louis Stevenson story inspired in turn by the real-life exploits of nineteenth-century corpse mongers Burke and Hare, The Body Snatcher features Boris Karloff as the perfidious John Gray, an Edinburgh cabman who supplements his income by providing fresh cadavers to Dr. "Toddy" MacFarlane (Henry Daniell), the proprietor of a medical school. When their scheme is threatened by MacFarlane's bumbling assistant Joseph (the near-comatose Bela Lugosi), doctor and grave robber become locked in a struggle that culminates in a chilling finale. As with all of Lewton's films, The Body Snatcher evinces a well-crafted screenplay, atmospheric sets, and menacing chiaroscuro lighting. The result is a thoroughly enjoyable if mannered entertainment with a terrific performance from Karloff.-Albert Kilchesty