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Semmelweis was based on the book of the same name by Dr. William Muller. Theodore Uray heads the cast as the legendary Dr. Semmelweis, who in the late 19th century helped to wipe out the dread disease of childbed fever by ordering his interns and assistants to disinfect their hands before tending to their patients. As the first full-fledged Hungarian biopic, the film has more than its share of dramatic flaws, mostly in those scenes based on the screenwriters' collective imagination rather than the cold, hard, facts. There is also a heavy reliance upon Hollywood-style cliches, including the time-honored device of the "establishment" doctors who stubbornly oppose Semmelweiss' "radical" methods. Still, the film score points on its sincerity, not to mention the flawless performance by star Theodore Uray. Semmelweis was directed by 26-year-old Endre Toth, who went on to a successful Hollywood career as Andre de Toth.