Estranha Ilusão

I enjoyed this movie despite it's weaknesses, which at times it feels like a "B" movie technically. For example, at one point the main character is watching from the sanitarium window a car exiting the driveway but his head is not following the movement of the car properly which means it was a matte shot and it looks odd. Also the mother sometimes looks the same or younger than her daughter.

However, my interest was held from beginning to the end. I cared enough about the characters to want to see how they came out of it all.

The movie is in the category of a traditional mystery/drama, but the son's obsession with destroying his mother's fiancee gives the film an interesting suggestive undercurrent. Whether this was intentional, or just viewing it from a modern perspective, I can't say.

After his wealthy and influential father is killed in a suspicious accident, a teenager by the name of "Paul Cartwright" (James Lydon) begins to have nightmares about a mysterious man attempting to ingratiate himself with his widowed mother "Virginia Cartwright" (Sally Eilers) and sister "Dorothy Cartwright" (Jayne Hazard). When he tells his family physician and good friend "Dr. Vincent" (Regis Toomey) about it he is initially told not to worry too much about it. However, Paul becomes even more alarmed when a stranger by the name of "Brett Curtis" (Warren William) arrives at his home bearing an uncanny similarity to the man in his nightmares. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that this was a decent grade-B crime-drama which featured solid acting and an imaginative plot. Admittedly, there were some scenes which were a bit unrealistic but this film was certainly worth the time spent to watch it and have rated it accordingly. Average.

"Strange Illusion," reminiscent of Shakespeare's "Hamlet" and also director Edgar G. Ulmer's own stylish 1934 effort, "The Black Cat," is so full of holes and contrivances one can hardly take it seriously. It's worth a look, however, for a quartet of captivating performances: a slick and scheming Warren William, past his prime but as solid a screen presence as he was in the early 30s; Jimmy Lydon, the epitome of wholesome, fresh-faced adolescent idealistic innocence as a young man suffering disturbing dreams about the recent suspicious death of his highly-placed politician father; Sally Eilers, also past her prime but ever so competent and fetching as Lydon's widowed mother and Charles Arnt as a weasely psychiatrist in cahoots with William. Besides this quartet, we have the wooden Regis Toomey, a sort of run-of-the-mill "B"-actor during the studio era who ended up playing supporting roles in 1960s TV shows, as a family friend who is gradually convinced by Lydon that William is, to say the least, not to be trusted. The low budget is evident throughout but it doesn't prevent the viewer from rooting for Lydon.

The movie just goes to show cheap doesn't necessarily mean bad. It's a poverty row PRC production. But the movie also has a fine cast, distinguished direction, and expert craftsmanship. On the other hand, the story tends to convolute, and we never do find out the exact nature of the "strange illusion" that anticipates real events. But then an occult touch lends the movie a mysterious nature beyond the who killed young Paul's (Lydon} father. And that opening sequence, apparently filmed through a gauzy filter, remains a real grabber.

Lydon's simply excellent in the pivotal role. Hard to believe he was only twenty at the time since he's so well poised. His teen friends are a lively bunch, showing what teen behavior and slang was like even in those war years. (See if you agree: Jayne Hazard (sister, Dorothy) looks like a fresh-faced young Marilyn Monroe.) But the real grabber is Warren William. What a creepy character his Curtis is, seeing his face light up whenever he spies a nubile young thing like Lydia (McLeod). Actually, having a near-pedophile as a character is a pretty daring move for the time. And William transitions so smoothly from the masterful to the lustful that he steals the film from heavy competition. Too bad this distinctive performer is largely forgotten. He's definitely among the rewards of watching old movies.

Anyhow, cult director Ulmer again shows how to shape difficult material into an intriguing final product, despite budgetary drawbacks.

Its films like this that gave Edgar G. Ulmer his reputation as a director who could overcome the limitations of rapid lowbudget film making, even though STRANGE ILLUSION is actually an "A" picture by PRC standards. When Ulmer had interesting material to work with, the results were often good, as they are here. The story is fairly involving. Jimmy Lydon plays a college student who dreams of his late father being killed in a train/car wreck. In the dream he sees his widowed mother being seduced by a sinister but charming figure. Then the dream begins to come true, and Lydon has to convince others is was not all just a dream. The photography is low key and moody. The film is well paced and held my interest throughout. The dream sequences are well directed. My only complaint is that Jimmy Lydon's mother looks a bit to young to have a college age son.