The Man Who Could Cheat Death

Every now and then, Hammer Horror studio would make a film with another lead actor than Peter Cushing or Christopher Lee. In the case of The Man Who Could Cheat Death the top billing went to German actor Anton Diffring (his only Hammer horror). This film is in fact a remake of Man in Half Moon Street from 1941.

George Bonnet (Diffring) is a successful doctor with a practice in 19th century Paris. He also has a little sideline as a sculptor, though it turns out there’s a reason for it: despite looking about 45 years of age, he is in fact 104! This might explain as to why he seems to specialize in sculpting busts of attractive and 'busty' women… which he murders for a reason, and that reason has little to do with immortalizing them…
You see, Bonnet has a sinister secret: many decades ago, he and his fellow colleague, the esteemed Dr. Ludwig Weiss (Arnold Marlé) discovered the secret of immortality whilst practicing in Vienna – and Bonnet took advantage of the situation. Alas, there was and still is a hefty price to pay!

Bonnet is confronted with the problem that every ten years he needs a donor – a donor that provides him with their parathyroid glands which he then uses as an ‘elixir’ to keep his youthful appearance intact. Of course, no one is prepared to play donor to our sculpting doctor, and the danger of his past catching up with him all too 'horribly' becomes frightfully real. At first his skin will turn into a strangely glowing yellow-green before decay sets in quickly – a bit like Dorian Gray. What other option does Bonnet have then to murder his prospective female models in order to get hold of the urgently needed glands? Enter the impossibly glamorous and voluptuous Janine Dubois (Hazel Court), who has a ‘thing’ going for Bonnet. However, she is more often than not accompanied by Dr. Pierre Gerard (Christopher Lee), who in turn has a thing for her… and thus a strange love triangle unfolds.
When time is about to run out again for Bonnet, vital surgery is being called for and it is the aforementioned Dr. Weiss who is asked to perform the operation. Obviously knowing Bonnet’s dark secret only too well, Weiss refuses. The increasingly desperate Bonnet kidnaps Janine and blackmails Dr. Gerard into going ahead with the operation – leading to the film’s Grand Guignol-style finale… though Diffring’s face mask of ‘decaying flesh’ seems to have been purchased from the local joke shop!

The film is based on a stage play, and with very few exceptions – most notable the opening scene in a fog-shrouded alley - barely features the use of exteriors. As a result, there’s never a realistic feel of Paris. Ultimately the setting is somewhat claustrophobic. This may work for some of us though others may find it too constricting. Diffring always exuded a rather ‘cold’ aura and virtually cornered the film market playing Nazi officers - sans an iota of humor. He looks splendidly sinister but can you really believe he has found true love with the voluptuous Janine? Third billed Christopher Lee is, if anything, even colder than Diffring and much stiffer to boot. No wonder that Hazel Court’s character seems to make love to her fabulous dresses and jewelry more then to her icy men! At least Arnold Marlè’s ‘Dr. Weiss’ (his character is actually 18 years older than the actor was at the time) provides some warmth and humanity, and as such some balance. An interesting story nevertheless.

Hammer stalwart Jimmy Sangster adapted the screenplay based on Barré Lyndon’s play, while that other Hammer stalwart, Terence Fisher, directs with his usual precision and flair. The lot is atmospherically lit by Jack Asher, with sumptuous set-designs by Bernard Robinson. We also have an unusual minimalist score from Richard Bennett.

The Blu-ray release boasts the following SPECIAL FEATURES:

• Brand new 1080p high-definition transfer in the film's original aspect ratio, with exclusive digital restoration
• Optional English subtitles for the dead and hard-of-hearing
• Exclusive new video interviews with critic and novelist Kim Newman and author and historian Jonathan Rigby
• Full colour booklet featuring new writing by author Marcus Hearn, author of The Hammer Story: The Authorised History of Hammer Films, and archival imagery