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I sat down to watch Warren William in The Mind Reader (1933) for the first time in quite awhile today, and I was only a couple of minutes in when I knew I had to share this image with you:
That’s William as Dr. LeBlanc, the Painless Dentist from the first scene in the movie. Here’s how he gets to the point above –
LeBlanc: “And now my friends, if there are any among you, suffering from that scourge of mankind, toothache, let him step up here and be relieved instantly, painlessly, immediately, and without charge.”
A local named Hank is prodded to the stage by his friend.
LeBlanc: “Now relax my friend, it will all be over before you know it.”
Hank: “Be careful, doc, she’s awful sore.”
LeBlanc: “You won’t even feel it my good fellow. And now my friends you’ll notice how quickly and painlessly all this is done. No surgical shock and no nervous strain on the patient. All right my friend, let’s have a look at it. Open wide please. Ahaaa, acute hemorrhoidal laparotomy! Fortunately, it is one of my specialties. All right friend, relax, relax, open wide –”
With this, Dr. LeBlanc climbs on top of Hank and cues the band to start playing. The image above shows William as LeBlanc with one hand on top of Hank’s head to sturdy himself and the other being used to rip a tooth out from his jaw with a pair of pliers. The loud music masks Hank’s screams.
Just a peek at The Mind Reader for you for now. Basically, WW is a carny here, after he’s tried out being Doc LeBlanc he tries selling spectators on Allen Jenkins’ flagpole sitting, then comes upon the idea of mind reading. First he’s Chandra, but after falling in love with Constance Cummings he knocks off his con for a bit becoming a poor but respectable door-to-door brush salesman. Eventually he brings his mental magic to the upper crust as Dr. Monroe, as he’s shown here:
I always make mention of The Mind Reader as one of my 5 or 6 favorite Warren William pre-code movies. These images should give a hint why.
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