The film stars Boris Karloff as Dr. Bernard Adrian who is seeking to cure a young woman's polio through experiments involving spinal fluid.

He persists however in pursuing his experiments on nerve regeneration and becomes determined to cure local girl Frances Clifford's polio induced paralysis so she can eventually marry her sweetheart Danny Foster.

His conviction to follow through with his plan is further strengthened when he begins to see tangible results from the remnants of his experimental formula after administering it to Frances.

The movie ends with Danny and a no longer paralyzed Frances enjoying life and happily looking forward to what the future may hold.

[3] Boris Karloff had previously worked at Monogram Pictures playing the role of the detective James Lee Wong, based on Hugh Wiley's stories published in Collier's magazine.

[2] Along with screenwriter Richard Carroll, the two wrote a story for him similar to the mad doctor films Karloff had made with Columbia Pictures.

"[12] Kate Cameron of New York Daily News stated that the film's plot "doesn't bear scrutiny at close range, but it does get over some good horror effects.

concluded that "a few loose ends mar the film", noting an unnecessary fire sequence and the lack of explanation of what happened to the villain.

[14] A reviewer for The Hollywood Reporter found the film to be a better production from Monogram, noting "well-made, interesting and notable for excellent performances", specifically highlighting Karloff.

[13] In the United Kingdom, Kinematograph Weekly also praised the film as "first class thriller fiction" and that Karloff "acts with conviction and sincerity.

"[13] From retrospective reviews, Phil Hardy's The Encyclopedia of Horror Movies found the film to be "agreeably dotty" but "distressingly tacky.

"[13] A review in The Motion Picture Guide specifically found that the film "never finds the right groove, veering between odd thriller and ridiculous mad scientist tale.