However, Dan's plan begins to fail when Andra refuses to accept the evidence, not believing that Eric is capable of such a heinous crime.

[1] The following week, it was announced that the film would star Richard Dix and a young unknown actress, Ada Cavell, who RKO was touting as the next "Katharine Hepburn".

[7] At the same time it was reported that Judith Wood was replacing Wynne Gibson as the second female lead,[8] and that William Frawley would join the cast.

[13] A week after production began, in the beginning of February, Griffith left the show, due to stated creative differences between her, Kruger and Robertson.

At the same time that Morley replaced Griffith, it was announced that two other actors had been added late to the cast, Frank Conway and Wallis Clark.

[18] Prior to its release in the theaters, a radio dramatization of the film was aired on the "45 Minutes to Hollywood" program, hosted by WABC, on March 24, 1934.

[25] Motion Picture Daily enjoyed the film, saying it presented "an arresting and entertaining murder yarn with a surprise twist finish."

It went on to say, In a novel way, it wraps up its amusement assets in a veil of semi-mystery and by the logical use of clever suspense moves to an odd climax that completely upsets all anticipations.

Comedy tinged melodrama, therefore, is its essence, in which amusing thrill, not fear-mongering terror, predominates ... Inasmuch as the reasons for the perfect crime, its accomplishments and the turmoil it brings on, are evident to them and the investigator—all the other participants being in the dark—it remains for the unexpected anti-climax to overturn advance solutions.

As the picture is convincingly acted, there never once being a hint as to the finale, realism builds a suspense that not only maintains continuous interest but makes gleeful mincemeat of all the amateur sleuths' logical conclusions.

[30] Screenland was also less than enthusiastic about The Crime Doctor, while again praising the actors, but added "There's material here for an engrossing melodrama, but it needs a somewhat brisker pace and more 'punch' than are accorded it.