An earlier reviewer had it right. It was directed by Robert Wise, to whose later "Invasion Of The Body Snatchers," this bears a certain structural resemblance. John Forsythe and his wife driving madly along a highway pursued by an ominous black car. They frantically pull into the nearest town, rush into the police station, and beg for help from an uninterested authority. Forsythe does everything but shout, "You're NEXT!"
There's a big difference though. "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" is a chipper, tense, vision of 50s paranoia. This is the story of a newspaper editor who discovers that some organization called "the mafia" is behind a lot of bookie joints in the small town of Kennington. The police are helpless. The town's church fathers are resigned. Two witnesses are murdered. Is there no hope at all?
Okay, homicide is a devalued act, and nobody should gamble except on the stock market. But you can see that this story is light years from an insidious invasion by pod people. It's a weak story. At times it drags. We never get to meet any Mister Bigs, just their flunkies and goons, and even THEY aren't especially frightening.
They're not frightening because they haven't been given any subtlety in their lines. Everybody says things like, "Jeez, lay off, will you?" John Forsythe and Kevin McCarthy (of "Invasion") have something in common in that they're both blandly handsome. But this is McCarthy's kind of role, not Forsythe's. McCarthy really lets us know when he's in extremis. He can act. Forsythe's is a soothing presence, perhaps a supporting player, a family friend or a concerned doctor.
It would be interesting for someone who has seen neither movie to watch them in sequence. After that, they should watch "Phoenix City Story." And, if they're still awake, try something a bit recherché -- take a look at "On the Waterfront."
There's a big difference though. "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" is a chipper, tense, vision of 50s paranoia. This is the story of a newspaper editor who discovers that some organization called "the mafia" is behind a lot of bookie joints in the small town of Kennington. The police are helpless. The town's church fathers are resigned. Two witnesses are murdered. Is there no hope at all?
Okay, homicide is a devalued act, and nobody should gamble except on the stock market. But you can see that this story is light years from an insidious invasion by pod people. It's a weak story. At times it drags. We never get to meet any Mister Bigs, just their flunkies and goons, and even THEY aren't especially frightening.
They're not frightening because they haven't been given any subtlety in their lines. Everybody says things like, "Jeez, lay off, will you?" John Forsythe and Kevin McCarthy (of "Invasion") have something in common in that they're both blandly handsome. But this is McCarthy's kind of role, not Forsythe's. McCarthy really lets us know when he's in extremis. He can act. Forsythe's is a soothing presence, perhaps a supporting player, a family friend or a concerned doctor.
It would be interesting for someone who has seen neither movie to watch them in sequence. After that, they should watch "Phoenix City Story." And, if they're still awake, try something a bit recherché -- take a look at "On the Waterfront."