The Man Who Reclaimed His Head

I caught this on TV late one night. From the cheesy title, I expected a horrible *B* film. I've always been a fan of Claude...so I had to watch. Surprise, surprise, this movie is GREAT! It may have been a B film, but it has stayed with me for 30 years. Even though no one has ever heard of it, I recommend it often. As someone else remarked, it isn't a horror movie in the traditional sense. But the horrors of war is the subject. There was not a moment wasted in the direction. The opening shot pulls you right in. You can't believe your eyes. And then a flashback to an idyllic setting. But soon the war has turned our hero's life in pure Hell. The tale is about war profiteering. Strangely appropriate in 2006. Can you say Halliburton? The film brings you round to the opening scene again in a fantastic ending also. And the final words are exactly the opposite of what you expected in the opening scenes. Find & watch it!

An intriguing film about a writer who discovers his ideas have been used to promote WWI, Claude Rains does his usual remarkable job. If you see it listed, try to catch it!

Claude Rains has already given such kind of characters of anti heroes, as the ones he showed in PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, or THE INVISIBLE MAN. Lon Chaney was also used to play such characters fighting against something which was about to destroy them, fights lost in advance. Universal Pictures seemed not being reluctant about those anti Hollywood schemes. Rains was the perfect portrait of the poor hero whom any audience could not ignore, nor feel empathy for. This was an early Edward Ludwig film, surprising and interesting as well for this director who will later become an adventure yarn specialist: WAKE OF THE RED WITCH, SMUGGLER'S ISLAND, JIVARO, FLAME OF THE ISLANDS, CARIBBEAN...But please don't miss this movie for Claude Rains' performance.

This little-known drama is often mistakenly thought of as a horror film by virtue of its luridly suggestive title, its being a Universal production and the appearance of several horror stalwarts. Actually, it's quite splendid and very stylish, making the most of its Grade A budget.

Claude Rains is marvelous as ever in the title role and is superbly supported by a wonderful cast - a blonde Joan Bennett, a treacherous Lionel Atwill, Wallace Ford, Gilbert Emery, Edward Van Sloan (the latter two are actually uncredited and appear very briefly; so, too, does Valerie Hobson according to the IMDb, thought I didn't spot her)! The unusual, thought-provoking (and sadly, more topical than ever) plot, taking a critical look at political opportunism, spin doctoring and warmongering, is nicely handled all around, with as much care given to the touching domestic life of the main characters as to the period detail or its vigorous scenes of warfare and political discussions.

The effectively filmed finale (which gives the film its title) is a highlight and, hopefully, it should be able to get a new lease of life whenever the film is released on DVD, even if it has to be passed off as a horror title to make it; however, I don't think many will complain of this once they've seen it but will instead be very thankful that it has finally been made available on the newest home video format. Are you listening, Universal?

This is a great anti-war film with a commentary on the politics of power that is all too relevant today. Claude Rains plays Paul Verin, a pacifist writer with a great heart and mind but no ambition. Lionel Atwill plays Henry Dumont, the head of a newspaper chain who has no heart, a mediocre mind, and great ambition. The second type of man always needs the first type of man, and this sets up our story. Dumont just doesn't want to rule, he wants to make a fortune for himself and his friends through ruling, and he sees the greatest opportunity for monetary gain through war and the munitions business. First, however, Dumont needs to whip up the masses to be in his corner, and thus he turns his attentions to the writing skills of Paul Verin, who is duped by Dumont into believing they have the shared goal of furthering peace.

Joan Bennett plays Verin's wife, Adele, who is a very morally ambiguous character. Until the end, she can never make up her mind whether or not she loves the creature comforts of life more than Paul, and the fact that I couldn't decide whether I liked this person or not is a tribute to her acting.

The beginning starts with a bang, and the movie does have a bit of implied horror in it. The scene opens on a window breaking, a woman screaming, and a delirious Claude Rains staggering out of his house and into the snowy streets of WWI Paris carrying a mysterious satchel with one arm and his small daughter with the other. I'll let you watch and see how this all plays out. Highly recommended.