Donovan's Brain is an independently made 1953 black-and-white science fiction horror film, produced by Allan Dowling and Tom Gries, directed by Felix E. Feist, that stars Lew Ayres and Nancy Davis. The film was distributed by United Artists and is based on the 1942 horror novel Donovan's Brain by Curt Siodmak.
Three scientists unlawfully remove the still living brain of a dead tycoon and experiment with it but the evil brain begins to telepathically control the lead scientist.
Plot[]
Dr. Patrick Cory and his wife Janice live in a mountain retreat where Cory attempts to keep a monkey's brain alive after having been removed from the monkey's skull.
The private plane of businessman Warren Donovan crashes near Cory's cabin, and rescuers request Cory's help. Donovan is seriously injured and not expected to live, so Cory takes the businessman's brain for experimentation. Cory manages to keep the brain alive in an electrified saline solution. After writing messages in Donovan's handwriting while he is sleeping, Cory believes Donovan's consciousness still survives and he attempts to communicate with the brain.
Gradually, Cory begins to exhibit Donovan's personality traits such as smoking cigars, using ruthless personal manipulation, and walking with a limp. Janice and Frank Schratt, Cory's friend and assistant, suspect that Donovan's consciousness is using telepathic mind control to overpower Cory's free will. In the meantime, news photographer Yocum discovers that Cory has illegally stolen Donovan's brain and demands money to keep the secret.
Donovan's brain grows increasingly powerful, using Cory to collect a financial fortune and taking control of Yocum's mind and forcing him into a fatal car crash. After realizing that Donovan can control only one person at a time, Janice and Frank plot to destroy the brain. However, Frank's plan goes wrong when Donovan forces Frank to shoot himself. Ultimately, lightning strikes the Cory home and a fire breaks out, burning Donovan's brain and bringing an end to the horror. Frank survives, and Cory willingly goes to accept the consequences for his actions.
Cast[]
- Lew Ayres as Dr. Patrick Cory
- Nancy Davis as Janice Cory
- Gene Evans as Dr. Frank Schratt
- Steve Brodie as Yocum
- Tom Powers as Donovan's Washington Advisor
- Lisa Howard as Chloe Donovan (credited as Lisa K. Howard)
- James Anderson as Chief Tuttle (credited as Kyle James)
- Victor Sutherland as Nathaniel Fuller
- Michael Colgan as Tom Donovan
- Peter Adams as Mr. Webster
- Harlan Warde as Treasury Agent Brooke
- Shimen Ruskin as Tailor
External links[]
Donovan's Brain (1953) at the Internet Movie Database- Donovan's Brain (1953) at AllMovie
- Donovan's Brain (1953) at Rotten Tomatoes
- Donovan's Brain (film) at Wikipedia
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