Plustown
A lot of perfectly good film show their cards early, establish a unique premise and let the audience explore a topic at a leisurely pace, without much in terms of surprise. this film is not one of those films.
utgard14
Enjoyable noir from one of the great 'B' directors, Edgar G. Ulmer. A young man (Jimmy Lydon), disturbed by premonitions, tries to prevent his mother from marrying a man (Warren William) he finds suspicious. An interesting little picture with some nice atmosphere and bits of weirdness that Ulmer was so good at. The cast is good. William is always great. Lydon's performance is corny and odd but that's part of the appeal of the picture. Regis Toomey is solid in a role suited to his sometimes wooden screen presence. I really liked this for what it is. It's not a Detour or My Name is Julia Ross kind of B classic but it is much much better than the average movie of its type from that time.
dougdoepke
The movie just goes to show cheap doesn't necessarily mean bad. It's a poverty row PRC production. But the movie also has a fine cast, distinguished direction, and expert craftsmanship. On the other hand, the story tends to convolute, and we never do find out the exact nature of the "strange illusion" that anticipates real events. But then an occult touch lends the movie a mysterious nature beyond the who killed young Paul's (Lydon} father. And that opening sequence, apparently filmed through a gauzy filter, remains a real grabber.Lydon's simply excellent in the pivotal role. Hard to believe he was only twenty at the time since he's so well poised. His teen friends are a lively bunch, showing what teen behavior and slang was like even in those war years. (See if you agree: Jayne Hazard (sister, Dorothy) looks like a fresh-faced young Marilyn Monroe.) But the real grabber is Warren William. What a creepy character his Curtis is, seeing his face light up whenever he spies a nubile young thing like Lydia (McLeod). Actually, having a near-pedophile as a character is a pretty daring move for the time. And William transitions so smoothly from the masterful to the lustful that he steals the film from heavy competition. Too bad this distinctive performer is largely forgotten. He's definitely among the rewards of watching old movies.Anyhow, cult director Ulmer again shows how to shape difficult material into an intriguing final product, despite budgetary drawbacks.
Terrell-4
Hamlet, Freud and Edgar Ulmer may seem like an unnatural group of pals, but among them they have come up with a tidy little psychological thriller. In fact, with a bigger budget and stronger actors, Ulmer might have had a classic on his hands. As it is, Strange Illusion can't escape its Poverty Row heritage. Even so, it's a well-paced movie that keeps a person's interest. Even if the best-acted roles are the bad guys, that's not necessarily a drawback in a B movie. Paul Cartwright's father, an older man and a respected judge, died two year ago in a train accident...at least it appeared to be an accident. Paul's not so sure. Paul (James Lydon) is a young man from a good family. He has a younger sister and an attractive mother, Virginia Cartwright (Sally Eilers). The family is well off. Paul lately has been having dreams, disturbing dreams, of his father telling him to take care of his mother, to be wary of a shadowy someone who is coming into her life. Paul confides in an old friend of the family, Dr. Martin Vincent (Regis Toomey), who tries to calm Paul but who also respects Paul's intelligence. Paul is, in fact, smart and resourceful. Then one day Paul's mother introduces him to Brett Curtis (Warren William), a smooth, gracious man Paul feels he's met before. Curtis and his mother announce that they plan to wed. Paul becomes suspicious of Curtis and Curtis' association with Professor Muhlbach (Charles Arnt), a psychologist who runs an exclusive and very private sanitarium. Before long, Paul becomes a "guest" in the place so that he can investigate Muhlbach and Curtis. But things begin to go wrong. It becomes a race to see if Paul can break away, if Dr. Vincent can convince the police that there may be a link between the death of Paul's father and the team of Curtis and Muhlbach, and if Paul and some of his friends can get to the lake cottage where Curtis has gone with Paul's sister. James Lydon had a great success as a child actor, especially playing in the Henry Aldrich films. He was typecast as a gawky, friendly, well-intentioned kid. Strange Illusion was an attempt by him to break out of those roles as he grew older. He's not a gifted enough actor to carry the weight of the movie, but he certainly gives the role all he's got. He's no embarrassment. The acting interest, however, comes from Charles Arnt and, especially, Warren William. Arnt gives the professor a great gloss of smiling insincerity. He's unethical down to his polished fingernails. Warren William really shines. William was a tall, broad-shoulder man with a profile that out- Barrymored Barrymore's. He had a creamy baritone voice and a smooth manner. Although he was in private life a shy man long-married to one woman, in movies he became typed as a charming rotter. He was big stuff in the early Thirties, but by the late Thirties had slowly moved down to B movies. In Strange Illusion, at 51, his profile was still as sharp as a crease, but his face was beginning to look its age. His eyes were a little puffy and pouched, the jaw line not quite so firm. With the Curtis character, William's face looks like dissipation. As soon as we see Brett Curtis walk into Virginia Cartwright's parlor to be introduced to Paul, we know this man is as insincere as a head waiter. Later, while we watch him try to sweet-talk Virginia into to an early marriage, all the while subtly looking over the daughter, we know the ghost in Paul's dream was right on. William does a fine job showing us a creepy, dangerous charmer. Ulmer starts the movie with the dream sequence. It's B movie special effects but it serves the purpose of getting us into Paul's mind and preparing us to believe in Paul. Be forewarned. There's a brief dream sequence at the end which verges on the icky.
Michael O'Keefe
It is told that STRANGE ILLUSION was made in little over two weeks with very, very limited funds and fading star power. But director Edgar G. Ulmer had full reins to do what he could with what he had. Still a decent B-movie with plenty of intrigue. The opening "allusive dream" of college lad Paul Cartwright(Jimmy Lydon)is to set up the story line. His well respected father dies mysteriously in a train/car accident which leads to haunting nightmares in which his father warns him of oncoming danger to his mother(Sally Eilers)caused by a mysterious stranger that wants to cause harm to the family. Inter the mystery man Brett Curtis(Warren William)introduced as the widow Cartwright's suitor. Lydon's character becomes a little obsessed with Curtis wooing his mother and making disturbing advances toward his younger sister. Seeking help sorting out circumstances and illusions, Paul turns to a friend of the family Dr. Vincent(Regis Toomey). Next comes maneuvering in and out of a sanitarium and the revelation of false identity and the reason for the unfinished plot to cause destruction of the Cartwright family. This is an enjoyable little psychological melodrama. Also in the cast are: Charles Ant and George Reed.
