Main Cast: Hedy Lamarr, George Brent, Paul Lukas, Albert Dekker, Carl Esmond
Release Year: 1945
Country: US
Run Time: 91 minutes
MPAA Rating: NR
Plot
Officially based on a novel by Margaret Carpenter, Experiment Perilous would seem to be more inspired by MGM's psychological thriller Gaslight. Set at the turn of the century, the film stars Hedy Lamarr as Allida, the beautiful young wife of an elderly "gentleman" named Nick (Paul Lukas). Treating his wife like a possession, Nick keeps her a virtual prisoner in their London town house, cutting off all contact with the outside world. The situation is exacting a terrible emotional toll on Allida and her stepson Alec (George N. Neise). Enter kindly psychiatrist Huntington Bailey (George Brent), who takes it upon himself to free Allida and Alec from the despotic control of the insanely jealous Nick. The film's "money scene" is a frenzied gun battle in an aquarium, replete with shattered glass, gushing water and floundering fish; this sequence would be imitated ad nauseum in such future films as Lethal Weapon (1988) and Mission: Impossible (1996). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
Although often compared to Gaslight due to the similarity of its subject matter, Experiment Perilous has enough individuality to stand on its own, rather than to be considered an imitator. Where Experiment falls down, however, is in not having as compelling or rewarding a screenplay as its more famous relative. The basic ingredients are there -- a tormented man seeking to destroy the woman he alternately loves and hates (with a son similarly at risk thrown in for good measure), the heroic outsider coming to the rescue, and a heavy dose of psychological underpinnings. Unfortunately, the story gets quite muddled (not because of its heavy use of flashback, but because of its unclear logic), the characters are not given the depth one might wish, and the psychology is heavyhanded and obvious. There are some nice touches here and there, but Experiment succeeds as a moderately entertaining thriller because of the personal stamp of director Jacques Tourneur and the dramatic camerawork of Tony Gaudio. Together, these two men create an atmospheric, moody tale that is both beautiful and chaotic, and create a good deal of suspense and tension along the way. They do this despite the fact that of their trio of xstars, only George Brent turns in an adequate - and just adequate, no more -- performance. Hedy Lamarr, of course, is stunning to look at, but she simply lacks the ability to carry off such an important role. The much more talented Paul Lukas overplays far too much, missing many opportunities to flesh the character out and make him more rounded. Fortunately, the basic story and the work of the director and cinematographer carry Experiment past these flaws; the result is far from a total success, but it does make the film a nice alternative for fans of "women driven mad" sub-genre. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Olive Blakeney - Cissie Bedereaux; George Neise - Alec Gregory; Margaret Wycherly - Maggie; Stephanie Bachelor - Elaine; Mary Servoss - Miss Wilson; Julia Dean - Deria; William Post, Jr. - D.A. MacDonald; Bill Ward - Alec, age 5; Edward Clark - Train Steward; Adrienne D'Ambricourt - Voice Instructor; Jack Deery - Doorman; Almeda Fowler - Clerk; Joel Friedkin - Brakeman; Perc Launders - Ambulance Man; Nolan Leary - Bellhop; Sam McDaniel - Porter; Charles McMurphy - Cop; Peggy Miller - Cissie, Age 8; John Mylong - Nick, Sr.; Broderick O'Farrell - Frank; Georges Renavent; Michael Visaroff - Ballet Master; Lawrence Wheat - Caterer; Janet Clark - Deria as a Girl; Alan Ward - Shoes; Evelyn Falke - Cissie, Age 5; John Elliott - Telephone Operator
Credit
Albert S. D'Agostino - Art Director, Jack Okey - Art Director, Leah Rhoads - Costume Designer, Edward Stevenson - Costume Designer, Dewey Starkey - First Assistant Director, Jacques Tourneur - Director, Ralph Dawson - Editor, Robert M. Fellows - Executive Producer, Roy Webb - Composer (Music Score), Constantin Bakaleinikoff - Musical Direction/Supervision, Claude E. Carpenter - Production Designer, Darrell Silvera - Production Designer, Tony Gaudio - Cinematographer, Warren B. Duff - Producer, Claude E. Carpenter - Set Designer, Darrell Silvera - Set Designer, Vernon Walker - Special Effects, Warren B. Duff - Screenwriter, Margaret Carpenter - Book Author
In 1903, Doctor Huntington Bailey (Brent) meets a friendly older lady in train. She tells him that she is going to visit her brother Nick and his lovely young wife Allida. In New York Bailey hears that his train companion suddenly died. Shortly afterward, he meets the strange couple and gets suspicious of Nick's treatment of his wife. Nick keeps Allida, who he is trying to pass off as crazy, a virtual prisoner in their London town house, cutting off all contact with the outside world. The kindly psychiatrist Baily takes it upon himself to attempt to free his new love Allida from the control of the insanely jealous Nick.
A frenzied gun battle in an aquarium, replete with shattered glass, gushing water and floundering fish may be the most memorable (and often imitated) scene in the film.
Tout Ça ne Vaut pas l'Amour (1931) ·Pour Être Aimé (1933) ·Les Filles de la Concierge (1934) ·Romance of Radium (1937) ·The Man in the Barn (1937) ·They All Come Out (1939) ·Nick Carter, Master Detective (1939)
