Friday 13 January 2012

THE MAN WHO HAUNTED HIMSELF (1970)

Welcome to a new review for a New Year from the Movie and TV Mistress.

I have been very busy the past few months with new jobs and a new relationship with my boyfriend, but I have been keeping up with some classic movies thanks to my boyfriend Conal who has a larger movie collection then me, which I could not believe was possible. While visiting Conal, who is a massive Sir Roger Moore and Elvis fan, he showed me a little known film staring Sir Roger Moore before he became Bond, called The Man Who Haunted Himself.




The film is based on the book The Strange Case of Mr Pelham, The plot of the film is an uptight business man, Harold Pelham, who appears to crack or become possessed while driving very fast, has a car crash and when he recovers and comes back to work, he keeps hearing that he was seen somewhere and did things that were completely out of character, like having an Affair, actually sleeping with his wife and supporting a business merger that he was dead set against. Harold commits himself as he think he has gone insane and then after changing his dress sense and his attitude he finally confronts his alter ego/evil self and realises that he has lost his life to the other him and drives off, there is a dramatic car case and Harold crashes though a bridge and dies...or does he?


The film is actually a very good thriller it kept me guessing throughout and Sir Roger Moore isn't cheesy as you would expect, especially when compared to his performances that he is most famous for. When I watched this I was expecting to hate it as I am not a fan of Sir Roger Moore but I was actually impressed it is well acted and very well made film with some great early camera tricks within the film. I can tell you this film is one of those rare gems of a film that doesn't tell you anything, it is up to you as a viewer to decide what happens in the the film and take what you want from it. It is also proof of how good an actor Sir Roger Moore is, he can with a single look tell you everything at the end of the film, but it is weather you notice it and get it.


I surprised Conal and got the film and understood the ending and Sir Roger's finale glance. To me the film is about a man who becomes two similar but very different people and then at the end becomes one whole person again.
I would recommend this to anybody who likes Sir Roger Moore and to those, who like me, believe that he is a cheesy actor who can only play one type of character, as it will definitely change your opinion of him and his acting ability.


Also, If you enjoy American Dad there is an episode called The One That Got Away which has Roger the alien experience his own version of this film, well he does have a lot of alter ego's.


Bye for now, I will return next week with a review of a film called Big Bad Wolf (2006)