The Man in Half Moon Street

THE MAN IN HALF MOON STREET (later remade by Hammer Films as THE MAN WHO COULD CHEAT DEATH) is an overlooked and under-appreciated little horror-fantasy. Sometimes compared with Oscar Wilde's PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY, unlike many genre efforts of the era, the film rarely seemed to get the same airplay on late night TV or on any of the "Shock Theatre" programs that were so popular in the pre-cable/pre-VCR days of the 1960s & 1970s. With so many of the classic horror films of the '30s and '40s now on DVD, and since Paramount produced THE MAN IN HALF MOON STREET (as well as handled distribution for the Hammer Films remake), it would be nice to see this released to DVD (possibly as a double feature with the Hammer Film production).

I had a strong sense of déjà vu while watching The Man in Half Moon Street, but I knew I hadn't seen it before. I've just read up on the film, and it turns out that it was based on the same novel as the 1959 Hammer movie The Man Who Could Cheat Death, which starred Anton Diffring as a scientist who prolonged his life with gland transplants. That film was far from Hammer's best, despite a fine cast and solid direction from Terence Fisher - the plot was rather hackneyed and predictable. The Man in Half Moon Street suffers from the same problem; however, I do slightly prefer this version over Fisher's adaptation - it feels classier and has a bit more charm about it, but then I'm a sucker for an old black and white movie.

In The Man in Half Moon Street, Nils Asther plays scientist Dr. Julian Karell, who hasn't aged in decades thanks to the glandular operation devised with the help of his old friend Dr. Kurt van Bruecken (Reinhold Schünzel). The only problem with the procedure is that the donors, young medical students recruited by the scientists, have a habit of popping their clogs, and this comes to the attention of Det. Insp. Ned Garth (Matthew Boulton), who begins to suspect that Karell is older than he appears. Oblivious to Karell's true age is beautiful Eve Brandon (Helen Walker), the young woman that the scientist has fallen in love with.

The story writes itself: we know that Karell's secret will be discovered by the copper; we know that van Bruecken will ultimately refuse to help Karell any longer; and we know exactly how the film will end. The film works, not because of the plot, but because of the excellent performances, the stylish direction, the wonderful cinematography (foggy London looks great), and the impressive aging special effect at the end (which I assume was achieved using coloured filters).

I thought about DR JEKYLL AND MR HYDE whilst I watched this old film, not the same scheme, story, but the same kind of topic. Or PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY too. From a bland director such as Ralph Murphy, I did not expect much, but my doubts were not justified after all. It is not at the scale of an Albert Lewin's film level, nor any great director, but I spent a good time. Maybe a bit too long, seventy minutes would have been far enough. It is rare and worth watching for gem diggers. I don't know any of the actors, never heard of them but the acting is good, convincing. And the topic is also unusual. But it looks very likke a British film, actually, more than American.

This is kind of a Dorian Gray without the portrait.

Silent film hunk Nils Asther plays a 120-year-old man who is kept youthful by having glands from a younger man implanted surgically. He falls in love with a young woman (Helen Walker) and has asked his surgeon to come and operate on him as it's more important than ever that he stay youthful. When his surgeon (Reinhold Schunzel) is delayed in getting to him, he takes a potent to tide him over.

When his surgeon arrives, there are complications, particularly due to the suspicions of a doctor friend (Paul Cavanaugh) of his fiance's family.

Interesting film, low budget. Asther was very handsome and a good actor. Schunzel did well as a weak old man.

In this film, Helen Walker, who usually played tough noir women, is an ingenue. She was a wonderful actress who should have hit stardom. Unfortunately, she gave a ride to soldiers after World War II, which was quite common, and was in a horrible accident. It not only caused her injury but killed one soldier. She was put on trial and acquitted, but her career was over.

A good watch about man fiddling with the laws of nature.

This is one of the greatest films of all time. Precursor to the " The picture of Dorian Grey". The actor Nils Aster is one of the great English actors who takes on this role with great aplomb! The story is about a man who is 120 year old and is given an extended life through a doctor who has it in his his power to extend a persons life, though an operation where the renewable glands, are replaced into persons, who are extremely rich as will who will pay a hefty dollar to live forever. But circumstances happen where the hero is not able to get his life needed fix. He falls in love with a young women and needs his operation to finally find the true love he has been looking his whole live. Brilliant Film, A Must SEE for all film lovers. MAKE A BIG STIR OVER GETTING THIS FILM ON DVD!!!!!!!! THANKS, CHRISTOPHER FROST HARDING, FILM CRITIC FROM Florida, USA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!