The Sixth Finger

Truly one of my favourite OL episodes, but I have to agree with the other UK reviewer about the truly extraordinary world that it creates for British audiences.

Not only is the town apparently located in Wales whilst the cast all speak in a sort of bastardised Yorkhire dialect (with a couple of Cockney accents thrown in), but - and this slays me every time I watch "Sixth Finger" - the motorcycle cops who square off against the creature immediately reach for their sidearms. For those non-Brits who aren't aware, few of our policemen back in the 1960s would have been allowed anywhere near a pistol or rifle. (Even today only specially-trained officers are allowed to carry guns.)

For all that, it's a cracking tale, very well told, with great performances from the leads. Sadly, as I pen this review I note that Jill Haworth passed away just a few weeks ago, of natural causes but at only 65. RIP.

The British scientist Professor Mathers is researching human DNA and evolution in a chimpanzee in a laboratory in the countryside. When he meets the bread delivery girl Cathy Evans, she decides to bring her boyfriend Gwyllim Griffiths, who is an ambitious unemployed coal miner, to look for a job at Mathers´ laboratory. Gwyllim offers to be his assistant and to be submitted to his experiment. Mathers accepts the offer and soon Gwyllim´s intelligence and knowledge enhances, growing his head and a sixth finger. His evolution proceeds and Gwyllim achieves the power of telekinesis, threatening Mathers. Where will his evolution reach?

"The Sixth Finger" is an intriguing episode of "The Outer Limits". The story is engaging and the impressive makeup of David McCallum is top notch. Unfortunately the corny conclusion is disappointing. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "O Sexto Dedo" ("The Sixth Finger")

David McCallum plays a coal miner who wants more for himself so he gets transformed into a weird creature.

The storyline of someone is a lesser job wanting something big time is well explored. Who could not like this episode? Who could not like the creature make up? I would love to see this episode in colour!

I personally liked McCallum more in the coming episode - The Forms Of Things Unknown - as I would put that hour as McCallum's best work ever! However, The Sixth Finger is fine, but to me at least, it is not one of the best hours of the series.

Trivia: the guy inside the ape costume was also be in an ape costume in Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea/Lost In Space/Land Of The Giants.

Professor Mathers experiments on Miner Gwyllim Griffiths, the experiment concerned speeds up the evolution process.

I can only imagine this episode gave kids and adults alike the most incredible nightmares imaginable, credit to them for creating a truly unnerving watch.

A truly imaginative storyline, with a commanding lead performance from the excellent David McCallum, plus some rather effective special effects, all of these elements make for one of the show's most creative and effective episodes.

Some of the family members sound as though they've come from the width and breadth of The British isles, with a multitude of regional dialects, and some Irish thrown in for good measures.

8/10.

David McCallum is shown playing classical piano in one scene. Rather than using a piano double, it actually is his own playing. McCallum was trained from a very early age in both oboe and piano, and is capable of playing to professional standard. His father was leader of the London Philharmonic Orchestra.