Mad Love

(1935) ***



"I, a poor peasant, have conquered science, why can't I conquer love? You must be mine."

Creepy-as-fuck Peter Lorre plays Dr. Gogol, a brilliant surgeon who is obsessed with actress Yvonne Orlac, the star of a Parisian Grand Guignol theater production. After watching her perform her role 47 times he is devastated to learn that she is quitting acting forever in order to move to London to marry her famous concert pianist husband. Meeting with her after her final performance, Dr. Gogol hints at his desire and creeps Yvonne the hell out. As the props from the play are loaded into a moving truck for storage, Dr. Gogol arranges to have a wax dummy of Yvonne used in the play sent to his house for undoubtedly masturbatory purposes.

How could you not want me, baby?

And so the story ends, we think. However on route to meet his wife, Yvonne’s husband, Stephen, is involved in a terrific train accident, which renders his hands useless and in need of amputation. Suddenly world famous Dr. Gogol isn’t looking so creepy, is he Yvonne? Praying upon his previously stated desire, Dr. Gogol is easily convinced by Yvonne to operate on Stephen. In a stroke of medical brilliance that can only occur in the movies, Dr. Gogol, unbeknownst to everyone, attaches the hands of a knife-murderer, who died in the same train accident, to Stephen. At first all goes well. Stephen is unaware that he has someone else’s hands and he begins practicing for his musical comeback. However, strange things begin to happen. Stephen experiences murderous rage at times and damn but aren’t those hands good at throwing pens into walls and making them stick (I tried this and it only left a blue mark). Soon Stephen’s father is murdered and Stephen becomes the primary suspect. Meanwhile Dr. Gogol is trying everything he can think of to turn Yvonne against her husband in order to win her affections.

Goddamn Peter Lore is creepy!

Given the social mores of the time, things that are easily stated or shown onscreen today are only hinted at in the early days of cinema. Director Robert (The Cabinet of Dr Caligari) Wiene is clever in his ability to convey Dr. Gogol’s salacious perversion for Yvonne. During one early scene the camera focuses on Dr. Gogol as he watches Yvonne perform. Onstage Yvonne is being tortured while tied to a rack and Dr. Gogol can hardly contain himself. Peter Lorre was the perfect choice for this role, I mean, look at those pictures; the guy just exudes neighbor-to-keep-your-kids-away-from. Mad Love is a fun b-movie with enough surprises to keep you engrossed in the absurd premise it asks you to buy into.

Check out Dr. Gogol making Yvonne uncomfortable:
Peter Lorre - Surgeon (Mad Love - 1935)