MARIO GAUCI
I had previously twice watched Terence Fisher's color remake of this one, THE MAN WHO COULD CHEAT DEATH (1959) – made for Hammer Films – and, in fact, intend re-acquainting myself with it now for the sake of comparison with the original. Still, there is already little doubt in my mind that the later version is the superior adaptation of Barre' Lyndon's original play, not that I know (or much care) which one is actually the more faithful to it! As soon as I saw the Paramount logo, I recalled the fact that this had been released on VHS in the U.S. as a "Universal Horror Classic" (since the latter studio actually owns the rights to the vast majority of the former's library up to 1949!). Though their individual styles were very different, it is worth noting that Paramount did indeed turn out at least a couple of highly-regarded efforts during the genre's heyday, namely DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE (1931) and ISLAND OF LOST SOULS (1933), to say nothing of such minor outings as MURDERS IN THE ZOO, SUPERNATURAL (both 1933) and THE MONSTER AND THE GIRL (1941).With this in mind, I was quite looking forward to the film under review but, while it has undeniable surface polish, I was very disappointed by its relentlessly talky nature, which almost completely eschews the possibilities for horror found within its intriguing theme! The latter is actually rather similar to Oscar Wilde's "The Picture Of Dorian Gray", filmed contemporaneously – and, even if in similarly highbrow fashion, far more successfully – at MGM. Anyway, here we have Nils Asther (curious casting since he had not played in an 'A' picture or even a leading part in a decade!) as a scientist who has apparently stumbled upon the secret of eternal life. As a sideline, he has taken up painting – since his lovers cannot likewise reap the rewards of his Great Experiment until it has been perfected, he is considerate enough to do the next best thing and have them immortalized on canvas! This, however, almost brings about his downfall as he not only unwisely discloses intimate information at one of his exhibitions to an elderly lady he once knew (she assumes him to be merely a lookalike descendant!) but another patron seems to recognize the hand of an artist from his youth in Asther's latest painting (for which he is actually labeled a "copycat")! Incidentally, given the brief time-span that the rejuvenation results in this type of fare usually remain effective for (say, in the Italian I VAMPIRI {1956} or the Mexican THE MARK OF DEATH {1961}), it is hard to believe that Asther here could retain his youthful (though he was in fact 47 when this was made!) appearance for 10 whole years! When the ageing symptoms begin to manifest themselves, he sends for an illustrious colleague (who, however, has lost his surgical abilities with the advancing years!) but, though they are shown as being of a comparable age in a photo from their student days, when Asther finally reverts to his true state at the end, he looks considerably older than his pal! Saving a young man from suicide, Asther discovers he is a medical student but rather than keep him to replace his old friend, he foolishly uses him as a donor (the rejuvenation being possible via a gland transplant) and soon dies. When he intends finding another 'guinea pig', his associate rebels and destroys a serum Asther used to take in order to control the ageing process, with the latter naturally killing the former for it! Leaving the country, ostensibly on a holiday, with his oblivious girlfriend in tow, Asther reverts to his real age during the train journey – though she swears to stick by him, the Police are after the colleague's murderer and, fleeing the scene, he simply drops dead on the spot! As I said, the film is definitely interesting for its sophisticated approach to genre (though the 16mm print I watched was severely lacking when it comes to contrast levels – so vital in creating atmosphere in a horror movie – with virtually nonexistent blacks and suffered from a couple of instances where the image wobbled!), but I could not help feeling that so much more ought to have been done with the material at the film-makers' disposal; thankfully, the 1959 version (which, while not necessarily classic Horror is certainly vintage Hammer) rectified matters in this respect. Perhaps it is rather telling that, while THE MAN IN HALF MOON STREET was shot in 1943 and trade-screened in October 1944, it was only given a theatrical release in January 1945!; for the record, this was director Ralph Murphy's sole foray into Fantasy and the first of his films that I have seen…but I do have 2 swashbucklers – THE LADY AND THE BANDIT (1951) and CAPTAIN PIRATE (1952) – patiently awaiting their turn in my unwatched pile.
Bucs1960
This film from Paramount Studios follows a similar theme of eternal youth established in the more famous "Picture of Dorian Gray" and does it well on a limited budget. That it is based on a stage play is obvious as filming is mostly on indoor sets and dialogue takes the place of action scenes. But it is a forgivable sin.Nils Asther, unfamiliar to many, (as was Hurd Hatfield in "Picture of....") plays a man who has lived an unnaturally long life while remaining youthful (or so it appears). He must rely on an aged physician, well played by Reinhold Shunzel, for life prolonging treatments; however, the doctor is no longer able to assist Asther and other arrangements must be made. So begins a series of deaths through experimentation in an effort to keep Asther alive and youthful. Alas, time catches up with him and the last scene has him withering away before our eyes, utilizing fairly decent special effects considering the limited budget of the film.This little "B" movie is oddly compelling even though it can't decide to which genre it belongs.....horror?, noir?, suspense?. Regardless, it is worth a watch if you enjoy little known gems. Overlook its shortcomings........it will keep your attention.
christopher lyons
This is a great little underrated film with a beginning, middle and end. There are some great lines of dialogue and good solid performances by the whole cast especially the two leads and the police inspector, an early Columbo who smells a rat and won't give up. You cannot explain the fingerprints! There is a great scene where the main character walks along the road chatting and posts a letter, then the camera pans, to reveal a dead man sitting upright in the car, very sinister and cruel of the murderer to leave the body there.If you follow the scene you are not expecting it. This film has some relevance to today with the obsession with image and staying young forever if possible, never growing old. But there is always a price to pay! Well worth a viewing.
BijouBob8mm
THE MAN IN HALF MOON STREET (later remade by Hammer Films as THE MAN WHO COULD CHEAT DEATH) is an overlooked and under-appreciated little horror-fantasy. Sometimes compared with Oscar Wilde's PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY, unlike many genre efforts of the era, the film rarely seemed to get the same airplay on late night TV or on any of the "Shock Theatre" programs that were so popular in the pre-cable/pre-VCR days of the 1960s & 1970s. With so many of the classic horror films of the '30s and '40s now on DVD, and since Paramount produced THE MAN IN HALF MOON STREET (as well as handled distribution for the Hammer Films remake), it would be nice to see this released to DVD (possibly as a double feature with the Hammer Film production).
