Elizabeth, that was another beautiful photo you posted yesterday, of the field from your afternoon walk. I take it you are still working from home. I'm glad you are able to enjoy time for walks, and also for music, reading and all the other things you like to do. I forgot to mention that your recent sketch of the tree, which I think was from Porcupine Mountain, resembles the type of drawings in "The Singing Wilderness". I noticed that when you posted a photo from inside the book the other day. :) :)
Tonight I watched an excellent film from Hammer Studios, an early work entitled "Four Sided Triangle"(1953). It was a far cry from what we've been used to, a professionally made film with standard production values, a "regular movie" in other words, as opposed to the DIY flicks we've had so much fun with for the past two months. This is high concept sci-fi, in execution at least. I suppose that the story, in lesser hands, might end up being as shlocky as some of our recent favorites, but because it is Veddy Brrrittish it is given a proper treatment.
A narrator opens the movie in flashback. He is "Dr. Harvey", a general practitioner in a small English village. Doc Harvey (James Hayter) is recounting the story of his three closest friends : Bill, Robin and Lena, beginning when they were children. The three are shown playacting in a barn, with Lena as a Medieval Queen, Bill and Robin as Knights fighting for her honor. At the end of the game, Lena chooses Robin as her Squire. Young Bill is crushed and runs home. They are all about ten years old.
Dr. Harvey continues his narration to explain that years later, Lena left for America, while Bill and Robin went off to university together at Cambridge. Bill (Stephen Murray) turned out to be a scientific genius. With Robin's help, and a grant from his father, he developed a machine he calls "The Replicator".
Cut to the present time. Bill and Robin (John Van Eyssen), now full-fledged scientists, have set up a laboratory (pronounced "LAB-ra-tree") inside an old barn. They are working to advance The Replicator's capabilities. Bill has already invited his old mentor Dr. Harvey to watch a demonstration, in which the doctor's watch was reproduced by the machine. The Doc is astonished, and proud of his friends, but Bill and Robin aren't satisfied. They want to use their invention to further the good in the world. "Imagine enough penicillin for everyone, enough food to eliminate hunger. Imagine the duplication of expensive art so that everyone can enjoy it. All we need is the funding to achieve these things".
Doc Harvey warns the young men against selling the rights to The Replicator, or bringing it to the attention of the government. "Imagine if it was used not for good but for evil. What if someone wanted to duplicate atomic bombs? No, you must keep this device for yourselves. Maintain the secret as long as you can, and do the good work you intend".
Soon, the boys have an unexpected visitor. Lena (Barbara Payton) has returned from America. She is overjoyed to be reunited with her two childhood friends. She knows nothing of science ("Who is this Mr. Einstein you keep talking about"?), but wants to help Bill and Robin with their work. They are equally glad to see Lena after so many years, and make her an all-around assistant. For a time, the relationship between the three of them remains platonic. But gradually, we see that Lena begins to favor Robin over Bill, just as she did in childhood. One night at a dinner party, Robin and Lena announce their plans to marry. Bill is crushed but maintains his poker face. He wishes his old friends well, and it seems he really means it. He never attempts to break them up or intervene in any way. Instead, he buries himself in his work. He has the lab-ra-tree more or less to himself now that Robin and Lena are settling down.
One day, Bill invites Doctor Harvey over to watch another demonstration. This time, Bill is going to replicate a live animal - a hamster. The doc warns him he's on dangerous ground. "Think of the implications, Bill! It's wrong to play God". But Bill is unswayed. His experiment is a success; a duplicate hamster appears in the reception box.
"I think you see where this is going, Doctor", he says to Harvey.
The doc is aghast. "Yes Bill, I do. I'll not try to talk you out of it because I know you won't listen. I'll only beg of you to be careful".
Bill promises Doctor Harvey he will do exactly that. He's a decent chap, really, meaning no one any harm. He's about to qualify as a Mad Scientist, but his intentions are not dishonest. He's even going to ask permission to make his next replication. You see, Bill has been in love with Lena ever since they were children. Her decision to marry Robin has destroyed him. He feels he can't carry on without her, and he's not about to butt into her marriage. After all, Robin is his friend. What is he to do, then?
He hopes to replicate her, that's what! But only if she agrees to the procedure. As I said, Bill's a decent chap.
Lena does give her consent (what a sport!), because she's always loved Bill as a dear friend and doesn't like seeing him hurt. He promises her everything will turn out fine - she will return to Robin, and he - Bill - will have his own Lena to love and cherish. Into The Replicator she goes, and when the transmission is completed, there is a Second Lena in the receptor box. Bill names her Helen. She's exactly like Lena in every way............which, if you think about it, may present a problem.
I don't wanna say too much about this aspect, although I saw it coming a mile away and I suspect many viewers might also. And I don't think it was meant to be a surprise twist because it's not the end of the story. Bill has other tricks up his sleeve if things go awry. Ever the innovator, he will use the new technique of electroshock therapy on Helen, to erase her memory The real Lena stands by him all the way, knowing that love makes a man (or a woman) do strange things. When it does come, the ending to this weird little picture will be a barn-burner in the literal sense!
I very much enjoyed "Four Sided Triangle", a deadly serious and oh so English tale of love and madness. Hammer went all out on this flick, splurging for top actors and one of the very best Mad Scientist Laboratories we've seen. The Replicator itself looks like something out of Tesla. Stephen Murray goes all in with his anguished but determined portrayal of "Bill", the genius whose emotions get the better of his reasoning, something that should never happen to a man of science (but always does in these movies). Terence Fisher, an Old Hand at Hammer, directed. The movie gets Two Huge Thumbs Up from me, our second highest rating. Highly recommended, this one you won't wanna miss. The Youtube print was razor sharp, an added bonus. ////
That's all for the moment. See you in a little while at the Usual Time.
Tons of love. xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo :):)
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