The Outsider

I must admit that the only reason I watched this movie was because of George Sanders. And indeed, his performance alone is a good enough reason to watch it.

Sanders portrays Ragatzy, an osteopath who uses controversial methods to cure his patients. Ragatzy, a self-professed "outsider" (hence the title) wants to be recognised and decides the best way to achieve fame and success is to cure someone famous. He secures an interview with Lally Sturdee, a young, attractive, disabled music composer who is also the daughter of a surgeon. Fed up of always being on the outside looking in, Lally decides to put faith in Ragatzy and his questionable methods. Lally hopes that if she can walk, the man she loves will marry her. As her health lies in the hands of Ragatzy, he finds himself falling in love with her.

For the most part, the movie is good. It takes a while to get into – it only seems to be interesting once Lally and Ragatzy meet, which is a good half-hour into the film. The script is good and has a few great one-liners. Mary Maguire was okay – her performance seemed a little wooden at times, but she occasionally invested some emotion into her acting. George Sanders was the highlight of the film. Long before he found himself typecast as the infamous cad, George here portrays a cocky, self-assured, almost arrogant man who is not without some endearing and likable qualities.

The last ten minutes or so of the film feels a bit silly – I won't give away the ending, but basically the director uses some weird camera angles and the pacing feels shoddy.

Did I love this movie? Frankly, no, although I did enjoy it. Would I watch it again? Well, why not. I'd recommend this film to fans of George Sanders who want to see him play against type in an early leading role performance.

My rating: 6.5/10 (rounded up to 7 for IMDb)

George Sanders stars as a charlatan psychopath.He has invented a machine which is supposed to help make people walk.Rather to spite the chief of his opponents,Kynaston Reeves,he manages to persuade his daughter to take the treatment,which will last for months.As a result her boyfriend rather looses interest in her and becomes involved with an American singer played by Barabara Blair.In a nightclub on New Years Eve she sings a rather catchy number "Dreaming Of You"'Sanders has fallen for his patient.He calls a press conference to prove his methods.However she is unable to walk.She tries and falls to the ground.Sanders manages to get her to Twitter a few steps in private.The ending is extremely silly and ruins what had gone before.