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Experiment Perilous

"Who's in danger from whom? Who's crazy? Who can fathom the obscure motivations?"

1944-12-18 Thriller 1hr 31m

In 1903, Doctor Huntington Bailey meets a friendly older lady during a train trip. She tells him that she is going to visit her brother Nick and his lovely young wife Allida. Once in New York, Bailey hears that his train companion suddenly died. Shortly afterward, he meets the strange couple and gets suspicious of Nick's treatment of his wife.

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Experiment Perilous
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Storyline

In 1903, Doctor Huntington Bailey meets a friendly older lady during a train trip. She tells him that she is going to visit her brother Nick and his lovely young wife Allida. Once in New York, Bailey hears that his train companion suddenly died. Shortly afterward, he meets the strange couple and gets suspicious of Nick's treatment of his wife.

  • Released
    1944-12-18
  • Revenue
    n/a
  • Budget
    n/a
  • Runtime
    1hr 31m
  • Genre
    Thriller, Romance
  • Status
    Released
  • Language
    English
  • imdb-logo
    0
  • Production
    RKO Radio Pictures

Crew

Jacques Tourneur
Director
Warren Duff
Screenplay
Warren Duff
Producer

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Cast

George Brent

George Brent

Dr. Huntington Bailey
Hedy Lamarr

Hedy Lamarr

Allida Bederaux
Paul Lukas

Paul Lukas

Nicholas 'Nick' Bederaux
Albert Dekker

Albert Dekker

'Clag' Claghorn
Carl Esmond

Carl Esmond

John Maitland
Olive Blakeney

Olive Blakeney

Clarissa 'Cissie' Bederaux
George N. Neise

George N. Neise

Alec Gregory
Margaret Wycherly

Margaret Wycherly

Maggie, the Maid
Mary Servoss

Mary Servoss

Miss Wilson
William Post Jr.

William Post Jr.

District Attorney
John Ardell

John Ardell

(uncredited)
Richard Bartell

Richard Bartell

Hospital Intern (uncredited)
Mary Benoit

Mary Benoit

(uncredited)
John Benson

John Benson

(uncredited)
Edward Biby

Edward Biby

Art Exhibition Guest (uncredited)
Helen Blizzard

Helen Blizzard

(uncredited)
Lulu Mae Bohrman

Lulu Mae Bohrman

(uncredited)
Wanda Cantlon

Wanda Cantlon

(uncredited)
Edward Clark

Edward Clark

Train Steward (uncredited)
Janet Clark

Janet Clark

Young Deria (uncredited)
James Conaty

James Conaty

Art Exhibition Guest (uncredited)
Gino Corrado

Gino Corrado

Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
Tom Costello

Tom Costello

(uncredited)
Oliver Cross

Oliver Cross

(uncredited)
Adrienne D'Ambricourt

Adrienne D'Ambricourt

French Instructor (uncredited)
Dulce Day

Dulce Day

(uncredited)
Jack Deery

Jack Deery

Doorman (uncredited)
Gary Del Mar

Gary Del Mar

(uncredited)
Bill Dillon

Bill Dillon

(uncredited)
Joan Dix

Joan Dix

(uncredited)
Dick Earle

Dick Earle

(uncredited)
Ruth Eddings

Ruth Eddings

(uncredited)
John Elliott

John Elliott

Phone Operator (uncredited)
Kathleen Ellis

Kathleen Ellis

(uncredited)
Virginia Engels

Virginia Engels

(uncredited)
John Estes

John Estes

(uncredited)
Bob Evans

Bob Evans

(uncredited)
Evelyn Falke

Evelyn Falke

Cissie, Age 5 (uncredited)
Tom Ferrandini

Tom Ferrandini

(uncredited)
Jack Fitzpatrick

Jack Fitzpatrick

(uncredited)
Almeda Fowler

Almeda Fowler

Clerk (uncredited)
Joel Friedkin

Joel Friedkin

Brakeman (uncredited)
Terry Frost

Terry Frost

Emergency Ward Intern (uncredited)
Joe Gilbert

Joe Gilbert

Party Guest (uncredited)
George Golden

George Golden

(uncredited)
Dick Gordon

Dick Gordon

Nightclub Guest (uncredited)
Sherry Hall

Sherry Hall

Josh - Hotel Desk Clerk (uncredited)
Stuart Hall

Stuart Hall

Party Guest (uncredited)
Carey Harrison

Carey Harrison

(uncredited)
Eddie Hart

Eddie Hart

Doorman (uncredited)
Nan Holliday

Nan Holliday

(uncredited)
Fred Hueston

Fred Hueston

Nightclub Guest (uncredited)
Mitchell Ingraham

Mitchell Ingraham

Bellboy (uncredited)
Michael Jeffers

Michael Jeffers

Department Store Customer (uncredited)
Paul Kruger

Paul Kruger

Nightclub Guest (uncredited)
Mike Lally

Mike Lally

Intern (uncredited)
Perc Launders

Perc Launders

Ambulance Man (uncredited)
Louise Laureau

Louise Laureau

(uncredited)
Perk Lazelle

Perk Lazelle

Nightclub Guest (uncredited)
Nolan Leary

Nolan Leary

Bellhop (uncredited)
Bert LeBaron

Bert LeBaron

Attendant (uncredited)
Joseph P. Mack

Joseph P. Mack

(uncredited)
Thomas Martin

Thomas Martin

(uncredited)
Eric Mayne

Eric Mayne

Nightclub Guest (uncredited)
Sam McDaniel

Sam McDaniel

Porter (uncredited)
Stanley McKay

Stanley McKay

(uncredited)
Charles McMurphy

Charles McMurphy

Cop (uncredited)
Charles Meakin

Charles Meakin

(uncredited)
Mal Merrihugh

Mal Merrihugh

(uncredited)
Harold Miller

Harold Miller

(uncredited)
Peggy Miller

Peggy Miller

Cissie, Age 8 (uncredited)
Hans Moebus

Hans Moebus

Nightclub Guest (uncredited)
Bob Morgan

Bob Morgan

(uncredited)
Clark Morgan

Clark Morgan

(uncredited)
Thomas Murray

Thomas Murray

(uncredited)
John Mylong

John Mylong

Nicholas Bederaux, Sr. (uncredited)
Field Norton

Field Norton

Nightclub Guest (uncredited)
Broderick O'Farrell

Broderick O'Farrell

Frank, the Bederaux's Butler (uncredited)
Monty O'Grady

Monty O'Grady

Minor Role (uncredited)
Michael Orr

Michael Orr

Nick, Age 3 (uncredited)
Foster H. Phinney

Foster H. Phinney

Party Guest (uncredited)
Paul Power

Paul Power

Art Exhibition Guest (uncredited)
Georges Renavent

Georges Renavent

Voice Instructor (uncredited)
Victor Romito

Victor Romito

(uncredited)
Gale Ronn

Gale Ronn

(uncredited)
Josephine Smith

Josephine Smith

(uncredited)
Larry Stanton

Larry Stanton

Minor Role (uncredited)
Glen Stephens

Glen Stephens

(uncredited)
Robert Strong

Robert Strong

(uncredited)
Michael Visaroff

Michael Visaroff

Ballet Master (uncredited)
Alan Ward

Alan Ward

Shoes (uncredited)
Billy Ward

Billy Ward

Alec Bederaux (uncredited)
Don Wayson

Don Wayson

(uncredited)
Lillian West

Lillian West

Salesgirl (uncredited)
Larry Wheat

Larry Wheat

Caterer (uncredited)
Larry Williams

Larry Williams

(uncredited)

Videos and Photos

Experiment Perilous
Experiment Perilous
Experiment Perilous
Experiment Perilous
Experiment Perilous
Experiment Perilous
Experiment Perilous

Movie Reviews

Reviews for Experiment Perilous
reviewer avatar

A Review by John Chard 8

Written by John Chard on 2013-11-02

What Is This Evil That Shadows Their Lives? Experiment Perilous is directed by Jacques Tourneur and adapted to screenplay by Warren Duff... read more

What Is This Evil That Shadows Their Lives? Experiment Perilous is directed by Jacques Tourneur and adapted to screenplay by Warren Duff from the Margaret Carpenter novel of the same name. It stars Hedy Lamarr, George Brent, Paul Lukas, Albert Dekker, Olive Blakeney and Carl Esmond. Music is by Roy Webb and cinematography by Tony Gaudio. 1903 New York and psychiatrist Dr. Huntington Bailey (Brent) is plunged into a psychological maelstrom when he enters the lives of Clarissa (Blakeney), Allida (Lamarr) and Nick Bederaux (Lukas). I've been living in that diary tonight, living the strange distorted lives of Nick and his sister. It's a grand title for a film, but one which is something of a bum steer since it conjures up images of Frankenstein type horror. Experiment Perilous comes from a Hippocrates saying and is quoted by Brent's good doctor during the unfurling of the narrative. The Carpenter novel was actually set in the present day but a decision was made to transfer the story to the early part of the 1900's so as to get some period flavours into the mix. A good move as it turned out. Very much in the vein of The Murder In Thornton Square (or the remake Gaslight also released in 44), Rebecca, Suspicion et al, Tourneur's movie isn't up to the standard of those films, but that in no way means it doesn't hold many pleasures, because it does, especially for Tourneur fans. It's very much a slow burner, a talky picture that for the first hour nearly crumbles under the weight of too much exposition and cod psychological musings. Yet the visuals and alternating interior and exterior period settings set up by Tourneur and Gaudio are mightily impressive (the interior set designs were nominated for an Oscar). Story unfolds to a back drop of a steam train, snowy gas lighted streets and an imposing period Brownstone abode (good use of miniatures a bonus here as well), while the interiors veer from elegant dressings to gloomy rooms of shadows and a hidden away spiral staircase. These are tailored made for Tourneur who ensures the standard formula of plotting is given a kick by its surroundings. Narratively it's made obvious to us that something isn't right with Lukas' shifty husband character and it comes as no surprise to see a romance begin to form between Brent's doctor and Lamarr's emotionally confused wife in possible peril. But these sign posted developments are well handled by the director, where flashbacks help and sinister additions such as a child hidden away upstairs and the Bederaux's back story keep things perched on the mystery/thriller edge. Cast performances are strong, with Lukas suitably suspicious, Brent unassuming and reflective and the beautiful Lamarr showing a fragile innocence that underpins the story. It all builds to a furious finale that involves fire, water and hopefully some race against time heroics?... Some patience is needed to get the most out of the picture, but neo-gothic delights are within for those so inclined. 7.5/10

Read Full Review (The thoughts and opinions expressed here are solely those of the reviewer.)
A Review by John Chard

What Is This Evil That Shadows Their Lives? Experiment Perilous is directed by Jacques Tourneur and adapted to screenplay by Warren Duff from the Margaret Carpenter novel of the same name. It stars Hedy Lamarr, George Brent, Paul Lukas,...

reviewer avatar

A Review by John Chard 8

Written by John Chard on 2013-11-02

What Is This Evil That Shadows Their Lives? Experiment Perilous is directed by Jacques Tourneur and adapted to screenplay by Warren Duff from the Margaret Carpenter novel of the same name. It star...

read more