THE MIND BENDERS

UK, 1962, 109 minutes, Black and white.
Dirk Bogarde, Mary Ure, John Clements, Michael Bryant, Wendy Craig, Geoffrey Keen, Edward Fox.
Directed by Basil Dearden.

The Mind Benders is an odd grim thriller from the team of Michael Relph and Basil Dearden. This team had worked together for two decades producing a number of very interesting films culminating with Khartoum.

The film also features Dirk Bogarde in his years of transition from light comedy hero to serious actor. He was to make films like The Servant, King and Country and Darling in the next year or two. The film is a political thriller with science fiction background - there are themes of national security but the main focus (with a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde plot) is on brainwashing and experiments with torture by isolation. These are presented very grimly indeed and the film is rather jolting melodramatic entertainment. The film is interesting in retrospect with the reticence of the time about security and the revealing of secrets and experimentation and torture. It seems more plausible in hindsight.


I. An enjoyable film? principal reactions?

2. How realistic was the film in its setting and in its plot? How good as science fiction? What principal scientific ingredients did it demonstrate? too far fetched?

3. How did the film stand as a horror film, elements of Frankenstein and Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde? How well were these used?

4. How important was the contempory setting: England itself, the Oxford background, the type of experimentation, the equipment used, sequences such as the party? the whole atmosphere of realism? Would the film have had less impact with a less realistic setting?

5. The atmosphere of the opening, the trip in the train, the sudden death? What did this do for the audience and its anticipation of what was to follow? the implication of the title?

6. How was audience curiosity crouded? The discussion of isolation? The documentary film of isolation that was presented in the context of a murder?

7. Reaction to isolation? What was its purpose? Did it have any good purpose? For scientific benefit?

8. Impressions of the character of Hall ? His military and rigorous approach? Did he have the right to pursue his investigations as he did? Playing with peoples lives? The parallel and contrast between himself and Tate? Hall as cold, Tate as emotional? Tate’s emotional involvement with Oonagh?

9. What kind of person was Longman in himself? How was he introduced into the film? As a hero? As a don? As a scientist? Longman as a family man, and his relationship with his wife? His experience of fear and its results on him? Did the audience sympathise with Longman? Identify?

10. Why did Longman volunteer to come to isolation experimentation? Was it important for England for security reasons? For clearing Sharp’s name? Was Longman was under any obligation to undergo isolation experimentation?

11. Comment on the way the experiment was filmed? The machinery? Frankenstein overtones? Monster in water? The various phases of the suffering? Response to this control of a human being?

12, Did Hall and Tate have any right to go further with their brainwashing?

13. Surprise when Longman seemed all right again? Did this sufficiently account for Tate’s delay in inquiring about the experiment? His later visit?

14. What was the effect of Oonagh’s pregnancy on Longman? the failure of their holiday? response to Longman's behaviour in Amsterdam? At the party? His following of Annabel? (Jekyll and Hyde overtones?) What comment did this make on brainwashing? response to the experiment at this stage?

15. How interesting was it to see Longmans brain working against Hall’s and Tate’s brains? His avoiding of emotion?

16. How important was the birth sequence? In itself? In the relationship of Longman and his wife? In changing Longman’s attitudes? The effect on Annabel

17. The ending was happy but it might not have been. Reaction to the ending? Was it too easy? Was it right?

18. What did the film have to say about science? Sensation? the nature of human life? Experimentation? Human rights?