The comparisons to "The Phantom of the Opera" will be obvious in this Parisan set grand guignol about an insane doctor (Peter Lorre) obsessed with the beautiful actress (Frances Drake) already married to renowned pianist Colin Clive. When Clive encounters a condemned murderer (Edward Brophy) on a train, he has no idea of how their lives (and certain body parts) will cross thanks to the creepy Lorre.
In addition to "Phantom", this also has connections to "The Mystery of the Wax Museum" (and its remake, "House of Wax"), and in particular, Lorre's later "The Beast With Five Fingers", not to mention the Boris Karloff Z-grade chiller "The Ape" in reference to Lorre's child patient. Lorre is one of those gentle mad men, kind with his young lame patient, but determined to win Drake even if it is through death. Ted Healy plays an American reporter in Paris, and Andy Hardy's Aunt Millie (Sara Haden) is Drake's devoted companion. May Beatty, as Lorre's drunken housekeeper, has a truly spooky shadowy scene featuring a white cockatoo resting on her shoulder. There have been other versions of "The Hands of Orlac", but this one is probably the best known and certainly the most memorable.
In addition to "Phantom", this also has connections to "The Mystery of the Wax Museum" (and its remake, "House of Wax"), and in particular, Lorre's later "The Beast With Five Fingers", not to mention the Boris Karloff Z-grade chiller "The Ape" in reference to Lorre's child patient. Lorre is one of those gentle mad men, kind with his young lame patient, but determined to win Drake even if it is through death. Ted Healy plays an American reporter in Paris, and Andy Hardy's Aunt Millie (Sara Haden) is Drake's devoted companion. May Beatty, as Lorre's drunken housekeeper, has a truly spooky shadowy scene featuring a white cockatoo resting on her shoulder. There have been other versions of "The Hands of Orlac", but this one is probably the best known and certainly the most memorable.