FeistyUpper If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

Reptileenbu Did you people see the same film I saw?

Fairaher The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

ActuallyGlimmer The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

lugonian MAD LOVE (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1935), directed by Karl Freund, became the studio's attempt in the horror cycle made famous by Universal Pictures. Having earlier acquired the services of Universal's top horror stars as Boris Karloff for THE MASK OF FU- MANCHU (1932) and Bela Lugosi in MARK OF THE VAMPIRE (1935), MGM has outdone itself using Colin Clive, best known for his title character in both FRANKENSTEIN (1931) and BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1935), and the European actor, Peter Lorre, in one of his first Hollywood movie roles. Taken from the novel "The Hands of Orlac" by Maurice Resaba, that was earlier filmed in as a silent film (1927) starring Conrad Veidt, and remade years later with Mel Ferrar in 1960, many regard this version the best, especially when having Peter Lorre being the unbalanced doctor who performs miracles on disabled patients but is unable to conquer his mad love.The plot revolves around Yvonne (Frances Drake), an actress starring in a frightful play, "Torturee" for The Theater of Horrors. Attending every night to watch her performance is Doctor Gogul (Peter Lorre), one of her biggest admirers. Unknown to him, Yvonne has been married a year to Stephen Orlac (Colin Clive), a famous concert pianist currently on tour. For this being her final show, Yvonne is visited in her dressing room by Gogul, who is both stunned to learn she's both married and will no longer be performing again on stage. Before she's to head over to the train station to meet her husband, she is given a farewell party by her fellow staff members. At the event comes Gogul who gives Yvonne a passionate kiss that disturbs her greatly. While on a rest stop, Stephen witnesses a handcuffed American prisoner, Rollo (Edward Brophy), being escorted by two detectives on the train bound for Paris where he is to be executed by guillotine. Rollo happens to be a professional knife thrower found guilty for stabbing his father over a woman. Twenty miles from the station, a serious train wreck occurs. Rollo and the detectives escape unharmed, but Stephen is seriously injured with both his hands crushed. A medical doctor suggests Stephen's hands be amputated, but Yvonne, wanting them spared, arranges for Stephen to be sent immediately by ambulance to Doctor Gogul's clinic in Paris. After Gogul and Reagan (Ted Healy), an American reporter, witness Rollo's beheaded execution, Gogul returns to find both Yvonne and her unconscious husband awaiting him for treatment. Learning the circumstance, Gogul arranges to spare Orlac's hands by obtaining the body of Rollo, placing his hands in place of Stephen's. The operation is successful. While Stephen has lost his ability to play the piano, he discovers his new hands have a will of their own, especially for knife throwing while in a fit of anger. When his stepfather (Ian Wolfe), the richest jeweler in town, refuses to loan Stephen money for his financial problems, he's later reportedly stabbed and killed, with Stephen accused and arrested. In the meantime, with Stephen out the way, Gogul, who obtains a wax figure image of Yvonne in his study, does whatever possible to win Yvonne's mad love.Had MAD LOVE been produced at Universal, no doubt the role of the mad doctor would have gone to Bela Lugosi. Yet, Lugosi had played a similar role by love possessed in THE RAVEN (1935), so no need for Lugosi to repeat himself here. As in THE RAVEN, Lugosi might have hammed it up to perfection. Peter Lorre, on the other hand, featured with shaved head and bulgy eyes, handles his role in a low-key fashion. Still his character of Gogul is as creepy and sinister as it gets. As much as Colin Clive has left a legacy for playing Henry Frankenstein, the scientist who creates a monster (Boris Karloff), in two classic films, this time he plays the victim, or better still, a patient under treatment of a psycho doctor out for the love for his wife. Karl Freund, a cinematographer who directed Boris Karloff in THE MUMMY (Universal, 1932), does a better job here in both visual and European-style atmosphere. Although Ted Healy is around for comedy relief, his type of character is common ground in films such as this, especially when he solves the mystery the police are unable to comprehend. Frances Drake, who worked opposite Karloff and Lugosi in science fiction drama, THE INVISIBLE RAY (Universal, 1935), proved effective as the heroine in fear of her life. Other members of the cast include Billy Gilbert (The Train Passenger with a Dog); Sara Haden (Marie, Yvonne's Maid who acts and nearly speaks like character actress, ZaSu Pitts); Henry Kolker (Prefect of Police); Keye Luke (Doctor Wong, Gogul's assistant); Murray Kinnell (Charles); Clarence Wilson (The Piano Remover); and Cora Sue Collins (The Crippled Girl Patient), among others. Stand-out performance goes to May Beatty as Gogul's drunken housekeeper. She may not be a household name, but can be noticed in several films produced at Universal. At 70 minutes, MAD LOVE moves at a swift pace. For its unusual plot development, it holds interest throughout. While Peter Lorre dominates, Colin Clive should not go unnoticed either, especially playing something other than Henry Frankenstein. Take notice that Ian Wolfe's character is described at different times as both Stephen Orlac's father and stepfather. Possibly an oversight in the writing. Formerly available on video cassette and later DVD format, MAD LOVE occasionally broadcasts on Turner Classic Movies, either under tributes to Peter Lorre or around Halloween time during the month of October. (*** hands)

jadzia92 Mad Love is an absolute superb horror film from 1935 starring Peter Lorre as Dr Gogol. In this movie Dr Gogol has an object of affection called Yvonne. However there is a difficulty for him as she is married and does not care much for Gogol at all of his affections for her. As Dr Gogol says during the movie he can conquer science but he cannot conquer love. The frustration for the latter certainly is one that shared by many people around the world. Dr Gogol's frustration in not able to conquer love served as pivotal plot piece and which drives his madness in wanting Yvonne. This all served the movie superbly right up to its denouement and this all thanks in excellent form by Peter Lorre.

Johan Louwet Apparently this movie is a remake of the Austrian silent "The Hands of Orlac" which I really want to see now since I thought "Mad Love" was awesome. This is mainly thanks to the role of Peter Lorre as the creepy looking and acting Dr. Gogol. That gaze in his eyes, that laugh when he disguised himself as the murderer that was insanely good. Another good role was for Gogol's housekeeper played by May Beatty together with her parrot putting some humor in an otherwise very serious and dark movie. Gogol's love interest Yvonne is played by Frances Drake, beautiful actress of who the doctor keeps a wax statue in his home. At the start of the movie I really thought that statue was a real person, so real it looked. The scene where Yvonne pretends to be the statue to fool Gogol is just awesome. The story is simple but really effective.

TheRedDeath30 Thank the gods for the internet, huh? In this modern age, internet communities and online reviews give us a chance to discover films that would otherwise go well below our radar. It is was the case that I found this movie to be highly recommended by several sources and it did not disappoint.I have been a monster kid since I was a young one in the 70s and read every horror movie history book I could get my hands on, but this movie never seemed to pop up in those mentions. Part of that is no doubt due to its' oddity among its' 30s brethren. This is a not a "monster movie" as was so popular during those days. Instead it predates the more thriller oriented horror of the 40s that would come later on, focusing instead on a deranged and slightly maniacal doctor longing for a love that he cannot have. Doing a little research on the movie, I also find that critics were not kind to it during its' day, but have come around in the past few decades, probably another reason that it is more mentioned now than it was during its' time.That seems to be a surprise because the movie is a horror fiend's dream. Based on a novel that had already been filmed as THE HANDS OF ORLAC with CALIGARI's Conrad Veidt. Directed by legendary cinematographer Karl Freund, with a script from Guy Endore, whose novel THE WEREWOLF OF Paris was a heralded classic made into the Hammer film CURSE OF THE WEREWOLF. The cast features the wonderful Peter Lorre in his first American role, along with Doc Frankenstein himself, Colin Clive. All of these parts together were almost certain to yield something worthwhile.The beginning of the movie sets a dark tone right from the start. Using the Grand Guignol stage as its' backdrop, we are immersed in a world of chills, as each employee of the theatre is dressed in spooky costume, before our heroine takes the stage in a production that would make Mario Bava proud. From there, we go to a beheading, complete with shiny, sharp guillotine and gallows humor. While there are no fantastic monsters present (as in Universal's work of the time), there are certainly chills to mark this firmly in horror territory.The story strays from the plot of the earlier HANDS OF ORLAC by placing much more emphasis on the new character of Dr. Gogol, played by Lorre. He's the glue holding this movie together, as he displays impressive range. We know from the beginning that there's something a little off about him. Clearly, he's obsessed with the heroine and maybe a little too much with torture, beheadings and deathly theater. In an early scene, we see that he's a little bit socially backwards as he takes an opportunity for a peck on the cheek with our heroine as a chance to plant a deep kiss on her.From there, his obsession spirals out of control, just as much as his grip on sanity seems to be spiraling downwards. His plot to make Yvonne his own ultimately ends with a dastardly surgery and murderous plot. By the time he comes to dress as a dead serial killer to further his ruse with Orlac, it's clear that he's crossed from damaged goods to full- on maniacal villain.The directing of Freund is spot on, as always. His movies look incredible and this is no exception. Watch the early conversation between Gogol and Yvonne in her dressing room and the use of close ups for a director clearly in firm grasp of his craft. The movie would work almost as effectively on mute as it does with sound.I recommend this to any fan of early horror or thrillers. What it may lack in a memorable monster, it more than makes up for by presenting a good story with great characters.