The Beast With Five Fingers [VHS] [1947]

I must say that Alda is not the most enigmatic leading man by Hollywood standards, and King is a bit wooden herself. Where the film really comes to life is in Lorre's tour de force performance of a man slowly descending into madness. He hears the dead musician's music played all he time when no-one else can hear it, he sees the hand, even tries to capture it to prove his point but no-one believes him. He is about to lose his home and his beloved books to a bunch of Ingram's greedy relatives, so we are left to guess whether he is delusional or really is being taunted. Lorre is sensational and portrays a borderline madman even better than he did in Fritz Lang's 'M' 16 years previously. Perhaps the only person who comes vaguely close to matching his characterisation is Naish's calm,laid-back, Detective Castanio. Yet make no mistake, this is Lorre's film. The special effects (for 1947 anyway) are quite excellent. The scene in which the disembodied hand is playing the piano (a medium to long shot) is an optical effect of the highest quality. So is the scene where Lorre watches the hand play the piano keys, then grabs it (in the same take). A superb effect that in no way looks a fake ( i suspect it was done with some meticulous matte photography). In a way it is a shame that the hand is more enigmatic than the supposed lead, Alda, who is just wishy washy and looks out of his depth at times. If this film had been better cast and had a tighter script then it would have been one of the great Hollywood horror's. As it is, it is just an enjoyable, well made film held together by one of Lorre's best American performances and some excellent effects. All the same though, its still worth watching.