Return of the Fly (1959)

Director:

Edward Bernds

Writers:

Edward Bernds (writer)
George Langelaan (short story "The Fly")

Release Date:

July 1959 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Blood-curdling giant fly creature runs amuck!!!

Plot:

15 years after the events of "The Fly," Andre's son does some transportation experimentation of his own.

Plot Keywords:

Uncle Nephew Relationship | Based On Short Story | Guinea Pig | Giant Insect | Coming Of Age

Cast

Vincent Price	...	Francois Delambre
Brett Halsey	...	Philippe Delambre
John Sutton	...	Insp. Beecham
David Frankham	...	Ronald Holmes, alias Alan Hinds
Dan Seymour	...	Max Berthold
Danielle De Metz	...	Cecile Bonnard
Jack Daly	...	Granville (reporter)
Janine Grandel	...	Mme. Bonnard
Michael Mark	...	Gaston (watchman)
Richard Flato	...	Sgt. Dubois
Gregg Martell	...	Cop
Barry Bernard	...	Lt. MacLish
Pat O'Hara	...	Insp. Evans
Francisco Villalobos	...	Priest
Joan Cotton	...	Nurse
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Florence Strom	...	Nun (uncredited)
Ed Wolff	...	Philippe as The Fly (uncredited)

Directed by
Edward Bernds		(as Edward L. Bernds)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Edward Bernds		writer (as Edward L. Bernds)
George Langelaan		short story "The Fly"

Produced by
Bernard Glasser	....	producer

Original Music by
Paul Sawtell
Bert Shefter

Cinematography by
Brydon Baker

Film Editing by
Richard C. Meyer

Art Direction by
John B. Mansbridge		(as John Mansbridge)
Lyle R. Wheeler

Set Decoration by
Joseph Kish
Walter M. Scott

Makeup Department
Hal Lierley	....	makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Byron Roberts	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Bernard Freericks	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Robert A. Petzoldt	....	chief set electrician

Editorial Department
Orven Schanzer	....	first assistant editor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Associated Producers (API)

Distributors

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1959) (USA) (theatrical)
• Key Video (1985) (USA) (VHS) (pan/scan)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Fox Video (199?) (Japan) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Percepto Records  score album released by (limited edition)

Runtime:

80 min

Country:

USA

Language:

French | English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

Finland:(Banned) (original rating) | Finland:K-18 (re-rating) | Spain:T | UK:12 | USA:Unrated | West Germany:16

Company:

Associated Producers (API)

Trivia:

Vincent Price signed on after reading the first draft of the script. However, the studio demanded re-writes in order to reduce production costs. The re-writes reportedly removed much of what Price liked about the first draft.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: When Alan is about to run the detective's car into the lake, he first takes a rock and places it on the gas pedal of the car. During that scene, when he is leaning into the driver's side of the car, an arm reaches up for the steering wheel - obviously the stunt driver who was going to drive the "driverless" car.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Francois Delambre: [voice over] Here passes from this earth Helene Delambre, widow of my brother, Andre, whom I loved deeply, hopelessly. She was destroyed in the end by dreadful memories, a recollection of horrors that did not dim as the years went on, but instead grew monstrously, and left her mind shocked and unsteady, so that death, when it came, was a blessed release.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Atomic Recall (2007) (V)

Return Misses The Mark

I was not sure what to expect as all of the plans and equipment were destroyed in the first movie but leave it up to screen writers to force a plot from the ashes. Philippe Delambre has grown up and refuses to listen to his uncle, Francois Delambre "Vincent Price" from the first feature. Uncle tries to stop Philippe from following the experiments that killed Andre Delambre and lead to the death of Helene Delambre, Philippe's mother. The boy has become a hard headed and stubborn man that blackmails Francois into funding the experiments of "matter transfer." Philippe's friend, a fellow scientist Alan Hinds plays the part of murderer and traitor. Because of Alan's greed, Philippe ends up becoming what his father did, a "fly-man" but very different, this monster seeks out and kills. That is what sets this film as different, the first film had love as a motive of the lone killing whereas this film, revenge is the centerpiece. There is certainly more action in this film but it lacks the sympathy the first one displays. Still, to watch both films in order is a worthwhile adventure.