The Man Who Could Cheat Death

1959

Drama / Horror / Sci-Fi

5
Rotten Tomatoes Critics - Rotten 60% · 5 reviews
Rotten Tomatoes Audience - Spilled 36% · 100 ratings
IMDb Rating 6.3/10 10 2837 2.8K

remake mad doctor centenarian transplant adrenal gland

Director

Terence Fisher Photo
Terence Fisher

Top cast

Christopher Lee Photo
Christopher Lee as Dr. Pierre Gerrard
Michael Ripper Photo
Michael Ripper as Morgue Attendant
Delphi Lawrence Photo
Delphi Lawrence as Margo Philippe
Hazel Court Photo
Hazel Court as Janine Du Bois
720p.BLU 1080p.BLU
762.68 MB
1200*720
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles
24 fps
1 hr 23 min
Seeds 10
1.38 GB
1800*1080
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles
24 fps
1 hr 23 min
Seeds 21

Movie Reviews

Reviewed by ferbs54 7 / 10

Diffring Is Chilling

"The Man Who Could Cheat Death" is a well-put-together Hammer film from 1959 that boasts a dream cast of horror veterans, an intelligent script and high production values. Still, I can almost predict what the film's inevitable detractors will say: that it is overly talky and builds to a climax that is something of a letdown. And while these charges do have a patina of truth to them, the picture's sterling acting from its three leads more than makes up for any deficits. In the picture we meet Georges Bonnet, a doctor in the Paris of 1890, played by German actor Anton Diffring (who had so impressed me recently in his next starring role, in the following year's "Circus of Horrors"). Though seemingly blessed with all that life can offer--including a lucrative practice and the love of society lady Janine Dubois, played by the luscious Hazel Court--in truth, Bonnet is a desperate man. Unless he can coerce surgeon Pierre Gerard (the always dependable Christopher Lee) to operate on him, and take the place of his ailing friend, Dr. Weiss, the life-preserving serum that has been keeping him alive for--HOW long?!?!--will very shortly lose its mojo. In the role of the aged Dr. Weiss, Arnold Marle almost steals the show as Bonnet's patient but increasingly appalled voice of morality and reason, and his terrific thesping is more than adequately matched by those three horror icons. Yes, the film IS talky, but never dull, and Diffring brings a chilling intensity to his role and really makes us feel the angst, isolation and desperate strait of his unique situation. And yes, though the picture ends a tad abruptly and with something of a disappointment in the makeup department, most fans of restrained, levelheaded and intelligent British horror should, I feel, be left happily grinning. In all, another winner from the great House of Hammer.
Reviewed by Coventry 6 / 10

Hidden "mad scientist" gem from Hammer.

Without even knowing anything about the story or themes of "The Man Who Could Cheat Death", you can already rest assured for 100% that the film will be a worthwhile, adequate and highly competent viewing experience. How so? Because this is a horror/Sci-Fi thriller produced by Hammer Studios during their absolute booming years (late 50's – early 60's) and involving a handful of their elite frequent collaborators. "The Man Who Could Cheat Death" is directed by no less then Terence Fisher, scripted by Jimmy Sangster and starring Christopher Lee and muse Hazel Court. In fact, the only one skipping this Hammer party is Peter Cushing, but apparently he didn't like the principal role and dropped out in favor of the underrated Anton Diffring ("Circus of Horror", "The Beast Must Die"). But even without Hammer and all the prominent names involved, this film was guaranteed to entertain. Horror stories centering on mad scientists desperately trying to obtain eternal life are always great fun, especially if their experiment require the lives of innocent others. Georges Bonner is such a brilliant mind who found immortality through a series of gland transplants from very reluctant donors. Immortality has its disadvantages, however, as Dr. Bonner is forced to start a whole new life somewhere else every ten years, and therefore must avoid falling in love with his model victims, and on top of everything he turns green and psychopathic near the end of the ten year period. At 104 years of age, he's currently in the year 1890 in Paris and time is running out for him. Additional troubles arise when his loyal friend and surgeon Dr. Weiss has become too old and ill to perform another operation and Dr. Bonner bumps back into a past love interest. "The Man Who Could Cheat Death" opens very atmospheric, morbidly Victorian and very Hammer-like. The opening sequence is in fact another reference towards the contemporary Jack The Ripper murders, even though immediately after the action moves to Paris. Sadly, in spite of the very promising intro, it takes an awful long time before anything significantly happens after that. What follows is a lot of overlong and talkative sequences between Bonner and his long lost love interest, his new rival, his collaborator and even the police. The only truly horrific and tense moments occur when Dr. Bonner is in dire need of his life pro- longing serum. Whenever that happens, his face and hand turn bright green and he goes completely bonkers, killing victims through melting their skins by the bare touch of his hand. Despite the rather slow and uneventful first hour, "The Man Who Could Cheat Death" benefices from an exciting finale with a few gruesome moments and provocative make-up effects for the time. I've always thought of Anton Diffring as a very underrated horror actor, so I'm glad he appeared in the lead role of this Hammer production. Admittedly his performance is over-the-top occasionally, but at other times he's definitely menacing and creepy. Christopher Lee is terrific as always, though this time in a seldom heroic and eloquent role. Around that time, he was mainly portraying monsters of all sorts in Hammer films. My personal favorite performance comes from Arnold Marlé as the intelligent but aging Dr. Ludwig Weiss.
Reviewed by rtomko 6 / 10

Worth a DVD

Although not one of Hammer's best films, it is a good movie. The Victorian setting (although it is supposed to take place in Paris) is very charming. Some people have criticized the use of heavy fog in Paris but I feel it adds to the eerie and mysterious atmosphere. Christopher Lee is very effective and is a hero - which is rare in early Hammer films. Hazel Court is absolutely beautiful as the heroine. The plot is interesting and moves quite well. Compared to some other old movies that have been released on DVD, this one is a winner. It is truly a film that belongs in a Hammer fan's collection. Too bad Peter Cushing was not in the film because it would have been even better. I hope some Hammer fans read this and make a plea to have the movie released on DVD. At least it could be one movie of a double feature.
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