The Gamma People

An American reporter (Paul Douglas) and his very British photographer (Leslie Phillips) end up in the quasi communist state of Gudavia, which seems to consist of one village, where a mad scientist is using gamma rays to alter children's minds - some become geniuses, others become feral under the professor's control.

What a very odd, quirky film this is, unashamably mixing sci-fi horror with straight comedy with the latter taking up most of the first half of the film, before it all get quite grim and serious. There is a clear intent to look at the various and eccentric traits of Americans and British and to have the west free the world of the evils of communism and oddly this mixed bag just about works if you manage your expectations accordingly. Kitsch.

This is more of a light comedy than a science fiction thriller. It's actually a film about the different stereotypes of nationalities, beginning with the "ugly American" and the "waggish British" reporters.

The film always moves briskly, due more to clever writing, good casting, and strategic directing, than on effects and big money. This is a textbook film on how to make a film look like it's more action packed than it really is.

We know it's a spoof on the nationalities from the start, as the pair of reporters are oblivious to their train car being dislodged, by accident, and rolling into a "duchy" that resembles the European duchy we get in classics like THE INSPECTOR GENERAL, THE MOUSE THAT ROARED, and others.

The duchy citizens also play to part.

However, like most good films, this takes stereotypes and changes them into three dimensional characters, or at least two dimensional. The film makes sure it doesn't lose its light hearted approach. It has the cult look of a Rocky Horror in that regard, of taking stereotypes and making more out of them.

This is a fun film, and well done, obviously low budget. There are no dull moments, which is more than I can say for most big budget science fiction movies. Much of this is because the film creates a very good atmosphere.

Never underestimate "atmosphere" and "fundamentals". This film has both.

A train-passage car carrying 2 reporters--one who resembles Prof. Quatermass a bit too much--accidently winds up breaking off from the rest of the train leaving the 2 men stranded in a strange little European country named Gudavia. Once there, they find they cannot leave as those running the country have other plans. They investigate and uncover a mad scientist's conspiracy to control the people by turning them all into slaves of the state with the help of a gamma ray machine. This movie is pretty outrageous and displays some serious leaps of logic. It also features a most unlikely change of heart in one of the main characters. Still the lead actors are likable and the film is silly fun.

Set in the mythical 'Democracy of Gudavia and shot in what looks the Tyrol (the locals serving as extras background just stand around and gawp), the dialogue is obviously post-synced and it has a noisy score by George Melachrino.

Paul Douglas and Leslie Phillips make a highly unlikely team in this cross between Hitchcock's 'The Lady Vanishes' and Losey's 'The Damned' as a pair holidaying newspapermen who uncover a dastardly scheme to genetically engineer a new master race.

You know you're in trouble when the project is in the hands of our old friend Walter Rilla, but Eva Bartok looks most fetching in short hair and a satin boiler suit with a Nehru collar.

Now here's a real oddity. Made before the British scifi/horror boom of the late 50s, this eccentric film mixes gruesome scientific experiments with farcical comedy, set in a fictitious Iron Curtain state. And one of the stars, playing a straight role, is Leslie Phillips. So is it any good? Well the clash of styles is somewhat disconcerting, but the film is attractively photographed and the action and horror scenes well staged. Some talented personnel worked on it ; the likes of Ted Moore and John Box, plus John Gilling who went on to do some good Hammer horrors. "The Gamma People" isn't quite in that league but still merits a viewing.