Angoisse

Beautifully mounted recreation of 19th century New York, which is not surprising since this was RKO's golden age of set design and art direction. Those wall encased aquariums that line the main hall are shrewdly suggestive that anything might happen in such an exotic old mansion. Note too, the constant presence of snow on the sidewalks, a realistic and atmospheric touch unusual because of the expense.

The opening scenes foreshadow dangers to come-- the locomotive plowing through flooded tracks, the odd "birdlike" passenger who intrudes with her strange story. All of this had me thinking the movie would be special. Indeed, the first half is intriguing as the doctor (Brent) delves further into the mysterious death of the birdlike woman. However, the second half flattens out into a rather static drawingroom drama that fails to generate the kind of edge-of-the-seat climax that's needed.

George Brent was never a charismatic leading man, bland at best. Here, however, he blends right in as the stolidly responsible doctor who can be believed. The trouble is that the script follows him around for almost the entire time, and since he's seldom privy to events with the boy, we don't get much sense of the menace surrounding the boy that should drive the suspense, but doesn't. La Marr, of course, looks exquisite as the script requires; nonetheless, her skills as a besieged wife are considerably less than those of Ingrid Bergmann in the remarkably similar Gaslight (1944). Then too, Paul Lukas lacks the kind of conniving charm that the part calls for, making the showdown less a revelation of his true character, than a simple extension.

On the other hand, the movie has the great Albert Decker as a maverick sculptor who breathes real life into the proceedings, along with a terrific explosion and fire that's a real grabber. However, I'm still puzzling over that awkward epilogue involving the cop at movie's end. Was that to satisfy Code requirements that nothing gets past the police since there is an element of deception that would otherwise be left hanging. Anyway, whatever the movie's shortcomings, it remains unerringly pictorial throughout, a tribute to the artistic eye of director Jacques Tourneur and the RKO art department.

Jacques Tourneur, whose films (such as the famous 'Cat People') were noted for their subtle and suggestive qualities, delivers an excellent specimen of his craft here, by directing a mysterious and atmospheric drama set in 1903. The incredibly beautiful Hedy Lamarr is at her dazzling best in her exquisite period gowns, looking deeply disturbed, and having good reason to do so, as her husband is a dangerous psychotic who may at any moment kill their son. The story begins in the best way possible, with a chance meeting on a train between the superbly mysterious and elusive actress Olive Blakeney and a calm, unruffled, and reassuring medical doctor played by George Brent. Brent could be annoying when cast in straight and earnest romantic leads, but being a doctor is perfect for him, and we happily allow him to fall in love with the one woman no one could ever resist, Hedy Lamarr, widely known in her prime as 'the most beautiful woman in the world'. Paul Lukas as the insane but genteel, rich, and sophisticated husband, has plenty of opportunity to show what a splendid actor he was, as he tackles this role with great subtlety. If only the scenes in the daisy fields had not been shot on a studio set! Otherwise, the atmosphere, especially of the huge old-fashioned mansion, is powerful and reeks of mystery. This is an excellent melodrama. Some of the film was cut at the last minute, as a shocking gap in continuity occurs when Brent is telling his friend that he is being followed. He does not comment on the strange shoes the man had been wearing, which we had previously seen on camera. But the next moment, his friend mentions them, despite not having been told about them in the final cut. The studio may have ordered some cuts by another editor, without the director being involved, as Tourneur would never have let this happen if he could have prevented it. So probably ten or fifteen minutes of the film were chopped out prior to release. This film is only available on DVD in Spain, from where I obtained it (where it is called 'Noche en el Alma'), and I had to watch it with Spanish subtitles. One will do anything to see a Hedy Lamarr film, after all, won't one?

Some of the reviewers here have been unkind for Hedy's performance, and can't for the life me understand why. They are all making comparisons for 2 different performances, with 2 movies that have similar backgrounds...almost anyway. Hedy's was suppose to show fear, anxiety, and meekness in her character...afraid to confront her husband. In this regard, Ingrid's character in "Gaslight" was similar, up to a point. Ingrid, had the one big scene where she shows all her frustration and anger at her husband, in one lusty yell. Hedy had no such scene advantage. Her performance was more somber, which i think she did, to me, and at the time of its release, many of the reviews said the same. By today's standard of performances, she would have been at the least nominated for an Oscar, as in comparison to a Helen Hunt performance in a forgettable movie with Jack Nickelson, in which she won Best Actress.

Many critics have never been able to get past Hedy Lamarr's fabulous face. She was so beautiful, that it was hard to realize that she was actually human, an not some marble work of art. I think she gave a fine performance in this slick psychological thriller. The supporting cast was also good. I know I am probably the only person in the world, who would have preferred Hedy Lamarr over Bergman, in Gaslight. With superior direction, and a better script, I think Hedy Lamarr could have turned in a very good performance. Anyway, Experiment Perilous is a little gem, made during Hollywood's golden age.

Wow, Hedy Lamarr was so exquisitely beautiful in this film. I really must see some more of her films. There was an obvious similarity to "Gaslight" of the same year, and I wonder which film was released first. I enjoyed this film and recommend it. Grade: B