Review of The Hands of Orlac

1960's "The Hands of Orlac" was the third screen version of Maurice Renard's 1920 "Les Mains d'Orlac," following Conrad Veidt's 1924 German silent and Karl Freund's 1935 "Mad Love" (a fourth remake was completed months later, Newton Arnold's uncredited "Hands of a Stranger"). Edmond T. Greville served as both screenwriter and director, shooting each scene in English first, then again in French, ensuring added sex appeal for the slightly longer Continental version. Mel Ferrer sadly contributes a somnambulistic performance in the central role, an acclaimed pianist irresistible to women but about to wed fiancee Louise (Lucile Saint Simon), only for his hands to come out badly damaged from a plane crash (the pilot is played by David Peel, recent Baron Meinster in Hammer's "The Brides of Dracula"). The renowned surgeon Professor Volcheff (Sir Donald Wolfit) is swiftly engaged to work miracles for Orlac, whose recovery involves learning of the concurrent execution of strangler Louis Vasseur, becoming convinced that his repaired appendages formerly belonged to Vasseur. Choosing to simply give up on his career and the woman who loves him, he then finds himself targeted by Christopher Lee's second rate magician Nero, introduced after a lethargic opening half hour, calling on sexy assistant Li-Lang (Dany Carrel) to seduce Orlac and find out what he's running away from. Dany and Lucile offer such stunning pulchritude that Ferrer's absolute lack of passion remains baffling (he was married to actress Audrey Hepburn at the time), leaving all the dramatics to Lee's over the top theatrics and maniacal laughter, the only life that maintains audience interest. In trying to capitalize on the connection with the deceased strangler he hopes to drive Orlac insane or perhaps to murder, an unlikely blackmail scheme that involves Li-Lang to pose as Vasseur's widow. A superb supporting cast is wasted, Felix Aylmer, previously strangled by Lee as "The Mummy," arrives during the final third as Louise's distinguished father, going to Scotland Yard to assuage fears that Orlac's hands are not his own. Sir Donald Wolfit's presence is thrown away as the surgeon, unlike Peter Lorre's obsessive turn in "Mad Love," and a two minute cameo from Donald Pleasence comes at the 65 minute mark, his sculptor Graham Coates obviously intrigued by those fascinating fingers. Lee's role as tormentor is similar to Peter Lorre, merely a small time con artist with delusions of grandeur rather than a brilliant doctor, ably recreating the scene dressed up as the executed killer, complete with steel hooks in place of hands, but neither Mel Ferrer here nor James Stapleton in "Hands of a Stranger" earn the kind of sympathy that Colin Clive engendered in the 1935 version.