The Beast with Five Fingers (Warner Bros.) (1946)

z ot FE S55: j LIC) Z f 5 ae ig y Strand-Goers Chilled By Chilling Mystery ‘Beast With 5 Fingers’ (Prepared Review) A swift-moving melodrama achieving a high note in Suspense and stirring romance, latest mystery offering, “The Beast With Five Fingers,” had its local premiere last night at the Strand Theatre. Maintained at a breathtaking pace right to the end of a thrillpacked screen adventure, Warners’ tense mystery-thriller boasts an imposing cast headed by Robert Alda, Andrea King and Peter Lorre, and features veteran character actors, Victor Francen and J. Carrol Naish in other important roles. Adapted for the screen by Curt Siodmak, “The Beast With Five Fingers” tells the suspenseful story of a beautiful American girl’s struggle to escape the mystery which surrounds her employer and his companions who seem bent on destroying her, Julie Holden, played by Andrea King, is the lovely nurse-companion of Francis Ingram (Victor Francen), a retired, semi-invalid concert pianist living in the baroque splendor of an old Italian mansion. When Julie is summoned by Ingram to attend the witnessing of his last will by Hilary Cummins (Peter Lorre), his neurotic secretary who has a passion for astrology, and Conrad Ryler (Robert Alda), a dashing, gifted composer who acts as Ingram’s companion, she has already decided to go back to America, Julie has made her decision too late, however, because on that very night Ingram dies suddenly and violently, and the subsequent reading of the will reveals that she has been bequeathed his entire fortune. On the evening of the will’s being read, the household is thrown into confusion by the playing of the piano in the precise style used by Ingram. When everyone rushes to the music room they are horrified to find the dead body of Duprex, a lawyer engaged to contest the will. An investigation of the mausoleum in which Ingram was interred reveals that the left hand of the pianist has been cut off. From that moment on, the old mansion is subjected to a fantastic reign of terror, involving the oncegreat pianist’s hand and mad midnight concerts at the piano. Besides Andrea King, who makes of Julie Holden a touching and thoroughly human heroine-in-distress, others who act out-the engrossing screenplay in an inspired manner are Rob ert Alda, a star completely fa. miliar with the role of a composer since his triumph as George Gershwin in “Rhapsody In Blue,” engagingly interprets the part of Conrad Ryler, a charming, roguish composer turned Bohemian, who is earning a living selling ‘rare’ cameos to tourists; Peter Lorre, whose deceptively innocent face long has been associated with murder and mayhem, ably rises to meet another great challenge of his cinematic career as the eccentric Hilary Cummins; Victor Francen as the strong-willed concert pianist who has a genius for playing the piano with his left hand; and J. Carrol Naish as the philosophical commisario of the police. Other smaller but equally expert portrayals are offered by Charles Dingle, John Alvin, David Hoffman and Patricia White. “The Beast With Five Fin gers,” based on an original story by William Fryer Harvey, was directed by Robert Florey who celebrates his thirtieth year in Hollywood with this sensational drama. William Jacobs who produced the film is another veteran in the entertainment field. An exciting musical score was specially written for this production by Max Steiner, Mysterious Mite Still 657-57 FRIGHTENING PETER LORRE is co-starred with Andrea Robert Alda in the new thriller-chiller at the Strand, 'The Beast With Five Fingers.'’ The mystery film is set in an Italian setting around 1900. King and MAT 1M THIS 1S THE Cast ROBERT ALDA ANDREA KING PETER LORRE Victor Francen J. Carrol Naish ... Charles Dingle John Alvin Conrad Ryler Julie Holden Hilary Cummins Francis Ingram Ovidio Castanio Raymond Arlington Donald Arlington Duprex David Hoffman Mrs. Miller Barbara Brown Chana Stes ot Patricia White Antonio '.. .. William Edmunds Giovanna she Belle Mitchell Mr. Miller Ray Walker Horatio Pedro de Cordoba RUNNING TIME: 88 Minutes. Thrills Audiences At Strand Theatre (Current Theatre Story) A dead pianist’s hand runs rampant in new mystery drama, “The Beast With Five Fingers,” the Strand Theatre’s current. attraction. Starring Robert Alda, Andrea King and Peter Lorre, the new suspense-laden mystery chiller was adapted for the screen by Curt Siodmak, who wrote many of the Frankenstein yarns. Adding able support to the stellar trio, the film presents veteran character actors, Victor Francen and J. Carrol Naish in other important roles, In “The Beast With Five Fingers,” a mystery film involving the strange nocturnes of a severed hand, which, in life, be _longed to a famous, semi-invalid concert pianist, Peter Lorre portrays an intense scientist, too absorbed in his studies of ancient astrology to pay much attention to the vengeful murders inspired by the dead pianist’s last will. The Horrifying Hand Andrea King, as _ Julie Holden, a beautiful American nurse-companion to Francis Ingram (Victor Francen), a concert pianist who has retired to his vast estate in North Italy, finds herself a prisoner in the house she has grown to hate, when her employer dies suddenly and violently, having first named her the sole heiress to his fortune. When others seek to contest the will, strange piano-playing is heard echoing through the halls of the old mansion in the precise style used by Ingram, each time as the accompaniment of murder or an attempt to murder. As a final note of terror to these mysterious incidents, Ingram’s hand embarks on an animated rampage of horror, crawling through bookcases, wallsafes, and desk drawers in a determined effort to see that the will is enforced. Who Still 657-118 THE MYSTERIOUS MITE, Peter Lorre pictured as he becomes involved with Robert Alda in a dramatic moment from Five Fingers," currently showing at the Strand. fs The Beast? "The Beast With The two actors are co starred with Andrea King in the mystery which is chilling audiences nightly. MAT 2B Hair-Raiser To Open Aft Strand Theatre Friday Promising much in the way of tense melodrama, is newest mystery drama, “The Beast With Five Fingers,” scheduled to open Friday at the Strand Theatre. Starring Robert Alda, Andrea King and Peter Lorre, the film revolves around a young and beautiful girl’s struggle ‘to escape the mystery which surrounds an old mansion in North Italy. Lending support to the stars in other important roles are veteran character actors, Victor Francen and J. Carrol Naish and many more, among them: Charles Dingle, John Alvin, David Hoffman and Patricia White. Based on an original story by William Fryer Harvey, “The Beast With Five Fingers’ presents Andrea King in the role of Julie Holden, lovely, blonde nurse-companion to Francis Ingram (Victor Francen), a retired, semi-invalid concert pianist living in these surroundings, who still manages to play the piano brilliantly with his left hand in spite of a paralytic stroke which has left half his body useless. When Ingram dies suddenly and violently, the subsequent reading of the will reveals that Julie has been bequeathed his entire fortune. THIS IS THE Story (Not for Publication) In the summer of 1900, Francis Ingram (Victor Francen), a retired semi-invalid concert pianist, lives in luxury in his 16th century Italian villa, attended by Julie Holden (Andrea King), his American nurse; Hilary Cummins (Peter Lorre), his secretary who has a passion for astrology; and Conrad Ryler (Robert Alda), a composer who acts as companion to him. Ingram calls them all together one night, for the purpose of having them witness his will and attest to his sanity in the presence of Duprex (David Hoffman), his attorney. After Cummins and Ryler officially witness the setting of the will, Ingram plays a piano work specially written for him by Ryler. Throughout the recital, Ingram, who plays bril liantly despite the fact that the left side of his body is uselessly paralyzed, looks intently into the eyes of Julie, indicating how desperately he is dependent upon her. That night, Ingram attempts to strangle Cummins with his powerful left hand when Cummins informs him that Julie and Conrad plan to leave for America together. Later that night, Ingram suffers a sudden and violent death which is pronounced accidental by Ovidio Castanio (J. Carrol Naish), the commisario of police. When Raymond Arlington (Charles Dingle), Ingram's brother, and his son Don arrive at the villa to claim the estate, everyone is amazed to learn that Julie has been named sole heiress to Ingram's fortune, in the last will. Arlington and Don suspect a conspiracy and engage Duprex to contest the will. On the evening of the will's being read, the household is thrown into confusion by the playing of the piano in the precise style used by Ingram. In the music room they find the dead body of Duprex and on the opened piano they find Ingram's sapphire ring—which he was wearing when they buried him. An investigation of Ingram's burial vault reveals that the left hand of the pianist has been cut off. From that moment on, the household is subjected to a fantastic reign of terror involving Ingram's hand. There are mad, midnight concerts at the piano, gne attempt on the life of Arlington's son, and even a struggle between the hand and the terrified Hilary. The hand re-visits Hilary again and again until it becomes apparent that there is a strange connection between the hand and the crazed astrologer.