The Doctor

A ravaging epidemic is fast approaching the world city of Atlantica. In his laboratory, the famous doctor Harold Lister works like a maniac on a serum to counteract the deadly plague. His colleague and competitor Whistler labels Lister’s efforts as pure fantasies and even plants seeds of doubt in the mind of Lister’s fiancée, Julia, the daughter of a millionaire. When the plague comes to town carried by a poor woman, Annie Rawlins, Whistler’s claims are put to shame: the serum works. But while Lister works tirelessly to stop the infection in the city, the jealous Whistler breaks into the laboratory and substitutes the serum for a fake. Soon the citizens of Atlantica believe their medical hero to be a fraud. (Stumfilm.dk)

Directed by Fritz Magnussen, The Doctor leans on a strong ensemble — Olaf Fønss, Clara Pontoppidan, William Bewer — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about screen titles of 1918.