The Patient in Room 18 (1938): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1938, The Patient in Room 18 is a comedy, crime, mystery and romance film directed by Crane Wilbur, running about 57 minutes. “$100,000 worth of radium vanishes...three men are mysteriously killed...a corpse comes back from the dead...and it's only the beginning folks, only the beginning!” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. Choreographer Bob Connolly and prolific screenwriter Crane Wilbur teamed up on the direction of Warner Bros.' The Patient in Room 18. Patric Knowles delivers a delightfully comic performance as Lance, an outwardly normal young man obsessed with detective stories. When his obsession threatens to lapse over into lunacy, Lance is sent to the hospital for a nice long rest. It isn't long before he gets mixed up in a genuine murder mystery, using his second-hand knowhow to solve the case. Up-and-coming Ann Sheridan is quite amusing as Lance's nurse and confidante, while the murderer is played by a fellow who is usually cast as the murder victim.

Who’s in it. The Patient in Room 18 stars Patric Knowles as Lance O'Leary, Ann Sheridan as Sara Keate, Eric Stanley as Bentley and John Ridgely as Jim Warren, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 5.9/10, The Patient in Room 18 has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Patient in Room 18 page.

If you liked it. Fans of The Patient in Room 18 tend to enjoy Forrest Gump, Parasite, Life Is Beautiful and Fight Club.