Rule Britannia Blogathon: Moore is "Haunted"

Roger Moore is The Man Who Haunted Himself

 

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be plagued by your doppelganger, a mysterious double that not only intrudes upon your life, but tries to take it over? That's the premise of The Man Who Haunted Himself, an offbeat thriller starring Roger Moore, which was originally released in 1970 by EMI Films.  Moore plays Harold Pelham, a London-based executive who has an accident while heading home from work. The circumstances of the accident are somewhat strange, as Pelham's personality seems to change during the drive. He starts speeding, ultimately running his car off the road. While Pelham's being treated for his injuries at the hospital, a monitor briefly shows two heartbeats side by side, before the readings return to normal.

Following his release from the hospital and return to work, Pelham is approached by friends and colleagues who claim to have seen him in places he hasn't been, and had conversations and interactions with him which he doesn't remember. Tensions are running high in both his professional and personal lives, as his company is involved in discussions regarding a high-profile merger, and his relationship with his wife has become strained and distant. Meanwhile, an attractive woman Pelham barely knows claims he's been having an affair with her. Is he going mad, or is someone impersonating him?

 

He meets with Dr. Harris, a psychiatrist who believes that the mysterious double is Pelham himself, and he's trying to break out of his dull and conventional lifestyle. After spending a few days at the psychiatrist's clinic, Pelham discovers that his double has been living his life while he's been away. The "other" Pelham has worked behind the scenes to finalize the merger at his company, and has also been spending time with his wife, re-energizing their relationship. He confronts his "double" at his home, culminating in a car chase down the same road where the story began; which version of Pelham will ultimately survive?

 

The Man Who Haunted Himself is an eerie, unsettling thriller which features an outstanding performance by Roger Moore as Pelham. He effectively conveys the character's increasing sense of distress and paranoia. Moore spoke in interviews throughout the years about the fact that Pelham was one of his favorite roles, since he got to stretch his acting muscles a bit, playing the two different sides of the character. There's also a fine supporting cast, full of familiar faces, featuring the wonderful Freddie Jones in a memorable turn as Dr. Harris, as well as strong work from Hildegarde Neil, Thorley Walters, Anton Rodgers and Olga Georges-Picot.

 

The film is based on "The Strange Case of Mr. Pelham," by British writer Anthony Armstrong. The story had previously been filmed by BBC Television in 1948 and 1955, and was adapted in the US for Alfred Hitchcock Presents as "The Case of Mr. Pelham," starring Tom Ewell, an episode which was helmed by Hitchcock. Production of The Man Who Haunted Himself was spearheaded by producer-director Bryan Forbes, who was head of EMI Films at the time. The movie was directed by Basil Dearden, who was also behind the camera for Sapphire, Khartoum and The Assassination Bureau. Dearden co-wrote the screenplay with Michael Relph and an uncredited Forbes. Sadly, Dearden was killed in a car accident in 1971, which occurred on the same road prominently featured in the movie.

 

While the film wasn't a huge success on its original release, it has picked up something of a cult following over the years, and has been released on both DVD and Blu-ray. I first saw it in my younger years when it aired as a Sunday afternoon movie in the New York area on Channel 9. I was captivated by its eccentric tone, the unusual visual style, courtesy of director Dearden and cinematographer Tony Spratling, and the excellent performances by Moore and Freddie Jones. If you only know Moore from his turns as The Saint or James Bond, or his roles in series like Maverick and The Persuaders, I urge you to check out The Man Who Haunted Himself. Here's a trailer for the Blu-ray release of the film from Imprint Films: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rCgP8hPXZI. This post is part of the Rule Britannia Blogathon, hosted by Terence at A Shroud of Thoughts: I'm very happy to be part of the fun! For more info, and to check out the other posts: follow this link: https://mercurie.blogspot.com/2024/06/announcing-11th-annual-rule-britannia.html.