THE BRAIN
UK, 1962, 84 minutes, Black and white.
Anne Heywood, Peter van Eyck, Cecil Parker, Bernard Lee, Maxine Audley, Jeremy Spenser, Jack Mc Gowran, Miles Malleson.
Directed by Freddie Francis.
The Brain is a British adaptation to the 1960s of the novel by Curt Siodmak, Donovan’s Brain, filmed a number of times and in the 1940s with Brian Donlevy. The director was cinematographer Freddie Francis who had won an Oscar for his work on Sons and Lovers. Francis directed a number of horror films but is best known for his work as a cinematographer.
This film had a strong cast with Anne Heywood in an early role. German actor Peter van Eyck is the central scientist. Cecil Parker is the lawyer. There is a rare appearance from Jeremy Spenser, a boy actor from the 1940s. It was an early film of comic actor Jack Mc Gowran.
The film has the Frankenstein story touch – a scientist, ambitious, is able to preserve the brain of a man killed in an accident. However, he is a rich industrialist and was murdered. The brain is able to communicate with the scientist who pursues the investigation, unearths a conspiracy, pursues the suspects. The film is small-budget – but not bad of its kind.
1.The popularity of this kind of science fiction? Donovan’s Brain and the various versions of it? The link with the Frankenstein story?
2.British production, the 1960s, black and white, the strong cast? Musical score?
3.Dr Corrie, Dr Shears, Ella and their working as a team? Their experiments? The chance encounter with the death of Martin Holt? Getting his brain? The decision to keep it alive? The ethical issues? Shears and his difficulties? Corrie and his obsession? The mechanisms to keep the brain alive? The brainwaves, the contact with Corrie? The brain communicating with him? A credible premise for this kind of thriller?
4.Corrie, his personality, domination? The investigation? Holt and his wanting to move Corrie to detect who killed him? Corrie and the interviews with the various people, with Stevenson, with Marion Fane, with Anna Holt, with Martin Holt? The blackmail by Furber? His death? Dr Miller and the autopsy and the reports – and the glasses of sherry? The various contacts of Holt and their wanting to find out what Corrie knew? Immerman and his thugs? Mr Walters? Corrie and the dangers, the deaths? Especially of the chauffeur? The police and their suspicions?
5.Ella, her collaboration? Her questions? Dr Shears and his queries?
6.Stevenson, his work with Anna Holt, under suspicion? The business deals? The revelation of the truth?
7.Anna Holt, glamorous, her relationship with her father, with her brother? The interactions with Corrie? Under suspicion? The revelation of the truth, her work with Stevenson? The bomb on the plane? Her killing her father? Her antagonism towards his principles? Her final board meeting?
8.The contrast with Martin, the artist, the portraits of his father? His offhand manner? The interviews with Corrie? His knowing the truth?
9.Marion Fane, her relationship with Holt, her plans, her antagonism? Her death?
10.Immerman and the businessmen? Their thugs? The pursuit? Wanting the deals?
11.The build-up to the finale – and the role of the brain, of Holt? His possession of Corrie?
