Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet (1940)

From the NY Times: Edward G. Robinson portrays real-life German medical researcher Paul Erlich, the man who discovered and perfected "Formula 606," the cure for syphilis. The world at large would prefer to treat the disease as though it does not exist, so Erlich spends most of his life underfunded and frustrated. A no-nonsense dowager (Maria Ouspenskaya) has faith in Erlich, however, and thus provides the necessary funds to develop Formula 606. Once the serum is released to the public, Erlich's reputation is threatened when a handful of syphilitics die, ostensibly as a result of the "cure." Brought up on criminal charges, Erlich is exonerated by his old colleague Dr. Von Behring (Otto Kruger). Considered daring in its time for its exploration of a "taboo" subject, Dr. Erlich's Magic Bullet holds up as one of Warner Bros.' most solid biopics, with a convincing performance from a nearly unrecognizable Edward G. Robinson. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide 1949, 103 minutes

Publish Post

May be difficult to find, but can be bought at Amazon.

Damaged Lives

From NetFlix: Young Donny (Lyman Williams) is a rising executive who makes the mistake of cheating on his fiancee (Diane Sinclair) with an attractive blonde (Charlotte Miriam). Some time later Donny gets a call from the blonde with some very personal bad news (she has VD, and probably so does he). She kills herself. Donny has a hard time coming to terms with the horrible facts, especially since his wife is pregnant and probably also infected." 1933 61 minutes

Submitted by Charles Katz

Available from NetFlix -- can purchase for $4.99

Oldies.com has this synopsis: The horrors, both physical and mental, of venereal disease are the subject of Edgar G. Ulmer's lesson in hygiene, Damaged Lives. A rich young man catches syphilis and passes it onto his wife as the result of a wanton night on the town with a rich floozy. Far more mature than other VD exploitation films of the day, Damaged Lives uses its examination of sordid sexual situations amid palatial art deco splendor to examine a careless society unresponsive to the inherent dangers of unprotected sexual intercourse.

After years of neglect, Edgar G. Ulmer is quickly being recognized as one of the most important figures in the first half century of filmmaking. The first director to pair Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff on screen (in Universal's The Black Cat), Ulmer redefined nearly every genre with his dazzling visual poetry (including his famous pans and tracking shots) and by ingraining astute, complex and ambiguous psychological insights into even the most obvious pulp material.