VeteranLight I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

Steineded How sad is this?

Matialth Good concept, poorly executed.

Paynbob It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

MartinHafer In the 1930s and 40s, Monogram Pictures made quite a few low-budget horror films—and, amazingly, a lot of them were about resurrections of the dead that turned out very badly! Among the ones I've seen, "The Man With Two Lives" is probably the worst. Part of it is because the plot idea is silly and part of it is because the ending is just awful.Edward Norris stars as Philip Bennett—a nice young man from a rich family. However, just before his marriage, he has a bad car accident and is killed. HOWEVER, being a resurrection of the dead film, it just so happens that his father has been working on a process to revive the dead! He's done it on animals, so why not try it out on his son? After all, the guy's body is in one piece—he just died from shock.One Philip is revived, the film gets really, really odd (even by the standards of the genre). It seems obvious to everyone but the characters in the film that after Philip died, he somehow switched souls with a serial killer who was just executed. However, there really is no explanation for any of this! I must admit, seeing Norris running amok killing folks with little provocation was pretty funny---but the WHY never was explained. This is a big problem with the film—but the ending, yecch! It turns out in the end that it is all a dream!!! Philip was in a coma from the accident and dreamed everything!!! Now, he's awake and just swell!!!! It's like the Patrick Duffy death on "Dallas"—it was all just a bad dream!! Talk about wimping out and leaving the audience hanging! Overall, an entertaining film that ends so badly I really wish I'd seen something else! Shame on you, Monogram!

wes-connors "A young man, recently engaged to be married, is the victim of a traffic accident and dies as a result of his injuries. His father, desperate to revive his son, agrees to let a scientist friend try his experimental soul transmigration process to save him. After the young man returns to life, the father and fiancée notice a dark and violent change in the young man's behavior, leading them to believe something went horribly wrong in the revival process," according to the DVD sleeve's synopsis.At one point, Edward Norris (as Philip Bennett) is asked, "What do you think this is, Boys Town?" Mr. Norris should know, since he was in "Boys Town". "The Man with Two Lives " is more like "Black Friday" minus Karloff and Lugosi. You do the math. This film might have been a contender, with a re-worked script; it does feature an intriguing final act. After a tepid "shoot out", hang in for the drama to pick up with a well-played scene between star Norris and pursuing detective Addison Richards (as George Bradley).**** The Man with Two Lives (1942) Phil Rosen ~ Edward Norris, Eleanor Lawson, Addison Richards

kidboots "Black Friday" did this plot so much better, which is why it is remembered and "The Man With Two Lives" is just a forgotten potboiler. "Shed No Tears" was it's working title and it would have been a better one as he was a thoroughly evil character for most of the film.Philip Bennett is newly engaged when he is involved in a traffic accident. Dr. Clark (Edward Keene) has been involved in some experimental operations on animals - bringing them back from the dead. His colleagues urge him to try his operation on Phillip, who has died. As he is operating , a dangerous criminal, Wolf Panino, is going to the electric chair and trans migration of the soul occurs. When Phillip awakes from the operation, he has the soul of Panino. He is a changed person, he is rude to his family and starts to hang around Panino's old haunts. He takes over Wolf's old gang - going by the name of Philip Bennett, he also romance's Wolf's former girlfriend - who smells a rat. Bennett, as Wolf, is determined to even up scores and starts to eliminate his enemies.Bodies pile up, including the girlfriend and a policeman, then his own family begins to fall victim.But - I HATE those "bad dream" movies - you always feel let down. This film would have been better if he had stayed in character as Panino and had a final shoot out. Eleanor, his fiancée, would have ended up sadder but wiser with his brother. Edward Norris, the star, had a big career mostly in B movies.Not really recommended.

classicsoncall With the opening scene, you had to believe this was going to me a moody and atmospheric sci-fi/horror thriller. I was really impressed with all the lab equipment and scientific looking gizmos, probably the best I've seen besides the original "Frankenstein" movie. Dr. Richard Clark (Edward Keane) has been experimenting in the revival of life after death, and it really looked like it was going to be his story. Instead, we have a quick introduction into the theory of the 'transmigration of the soul', and the picture takes a sharp one hundred eighty degree turn and winds up being a gangster flick. Not all that bad mind you, but you have to get beyond a lot of the credibility defying gaps that keep the picture moving forward. Like the way Philip Bennett (Edward Norris) moves in on the Panino gang, shoots Mitch Larsen (Jack Buckley), and just takes over without any of the other gang members batting an eye. Or when mobster Eric (Elliot Sullivan) seeks out Chief of Detectives George Bradley (Addison Richards) to rat out Bennett. It's made all the more plausible by the way the whole thing ends, which I must admit I usually find to be very frustrating. But this time I was willing to cut it some slack because that's the only way the story wound up making any sense to me. Catch this one as an entry in the twenty movie/five DVD package from Mill Creek Entertainment as part of their 'Beyond The Grave' collection. It's an entertaining story that keeps you interested in what will happen next, even when you figure out it can't be happening.