Mad Love (1935)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Karl Freund

Writers:

Maurice Renard (novel)
Florence Crewe-Jones (translation and adaptation: novel "The Hands of Orlac")

Release Date:

12 July 1935 (USA)

Genre:

Romance | Horror

Tagline:

His love was pitiful...hopeless...madness...yet "The Thing" tired of pity - and demanded love!

Plot:

An insane surgeon's obsession with an actress leads him to replace her wounded pianist's hands with the hands of a knife murderer which still have the urge to throw knives.

Plot Keywords:

Hand | Actress | Pianist | Surgeon | Obsession

Cast

Peter Lorre	...	Doctor Gogol
Frances Drake	...	Yvonne Orlac
Colin Clive	...	Stephen Orlac
Ted Healy	...	Reagan, the American Reporter
Sara Haden	...	Marie, Yvonne's Maid
Edward Brophy	...	Rollo the Knife Thrower
Henry Kolker	...	Prefect Rosset
Keye Luke	...	Dr. Wong, Gogol's Assistant
May Beatty	...	Françoise, Gogol's Housekeeper
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
George Davis	...	Chauffeur (scenes deleted)
Billy Dooley	...	Undetermined Role (scenes deleted)
Harold Huber	...	Thief (scenes deleted)
Isabel Jewell	...	Marianne (scenes deleted)
Leo White	...	Undetermined Role (scenes deleted)

Also Known As:

The Hands of Orlac (UK)

Runtime:

68 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Finland:(Banned) | USA:Approved (PCA #1034)

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

May Beatty's declaration about the wax figure, "It went for a little walk!" is a clear echo of a similar line from The Mummy (1932), also written by John L. Balderston and directed by Karl Freund.

Quotes:

Françoise, Gogol's Housekeeper: [referring to the wax figure of Yvonne] It went out for a little walk!

Movie Connections:

Featured in Monster Mania (1997) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Ballade in G Minor

Killing hands

This is a forgotten film one doesn't see too often. TCM showed it recently as part of their Halloween programming and frankly, it shows clearly how Karl Freund was ahead of his times. Mr. Freund had a long career as a cinematographer; it helps he had an eye for atmosphere and detail, as proved in this film.

The sets and costumes reflect the genius of the team behind the camera, led by Karl Freund. The black and white photography greatly enhances the film. There's a scene at the beginning of the movie where one can see Dr. Gogol, played with immense panache by Peter Lorre, seated in one of the boxes in the theatre. We only see half of his face, because the other half hidden in shadows. We get a sense of evil with only a minimal of lighting and gesture in the sinister figure of Dr. Gogol.

The movie is a mystery suspense, not to be classified as a horror film because the gory details are kept at a minimum, but at the same time, we are shown brilliant frightening moments throughout the picture.

Peter Lorre shines in this film; he carries the movie. Mr. Lorre had excellent parts in other films that followed, but in this film, as well as in "M" he showed a talent and an understanding about the person he is supposed to be. In a way, not having the good looks to be cast in other roles, he became a secondary character actor in the succeeding years.

Frances Drake, as Yvonne Orlac, is awfully good. She's the object of Gogol's affections, but she loves the man that is transformed by the doctor, after a tragic accident. Colin Clive as Stephen Orlac, is quite effective as the pianist who knows a lot about knives. Ted Healy makes a funny appearance as Regan, the reporter in search of sensationalism. Sara Haden, as Marie, Dr Gogol's maid, is excellent as the maid from hell.

Of course, the movie is perhaps Karl Freund's best because in 69 minutes he achieves to do a movie that is fascinating to watch because of the superb acting of Mr. Lorre.