M notwithstanding, MAD LOVE is probably Peter Lorre at his very best: his bulging eyes and sinister whisper combine to make his ghoulish Dr. Gogol (whose obsessive patronage of the Grand Guignol theater leads in the end to disaster) very Strange- but also strangely Sympathetic. In M, his unsavory character stalked unsuspecting children; here, he moons for a beautiful woman he can never really hope to possess and it's an absolutely riveting performance- one of the finest in the history of Fright Films. Director Freund no doubt deserves a great deal of credit for what we see here, but it's Lorre at his bug-eyed best who commands center stage. An outstanding movie.

Brilliant surgeon Dr. Gogol (Peter Lorre) is in love with actress Yvonne Orlac (Frances Drake). Yvonne is married to pianist Stephen Orlac (Colin Clive). When Stephen's hands are crushed in a train accident, Yvonne turns to Dr. Gogol to save them. Gogol performs a hand transplant, giving Stephen the hands of recently executed knife-thrower Rollo (Edward Brophy). Over time it becomes apparent Stephen's ability to play the piano is gone but now, whenever he's angry, he finds he has a knife-throwing ability he never had before.I believe this is the first sound adaptation of the Hands of Orlac story. It's certainly the best version of that story I've seen on film. It's an often copied story, usually without credit. Every movie you've seen that features a transplanted body part that belonged to a murderer is derivative of The Hands of Orlac. Variations of it are still being made today. But none has surpassed this one. This is one of the best horror movies of the 1930s and, surprisingly, it wasn't made by Universal. Peter Lorre is superb as the obsessive insane Gogol. Colin Clive and Frances Drake are both good, though more typical performances of the genre than the extraordinary performance of Lorre. Edward Brophy is great fun in his brief screen time as Rollo. Much is made of Ted Healey's unwanted comic relief as a nosy reporter but I don't feel he intrudes on the story much so it didn't bother me. Director Karl Freund does an amazing job, just as he did when he directed The Mummy. Freund was better known as a cinematographer. He shot such legendary films as Metropolis, Dracula, and The Good Earth. He had a wonderful eye and all of the films he worked on looked great.. This would be the last film Freund directed before returning full-time to cinematography. Check this one out if you haven't already. Mad Love is a must-see for classic horror fans.

The Opening Scenes at the Grand Guignol Theatre are worth the Price of Admission, Startlingly Strange, Bizarre, Terrifying, and Unsettling. The Costumes, Sets, and Cinematography are Amazing and set the Tone for the rest of this Horror Movie that stills lies on the Fringe, Overshadowed by other Movies from Another Studio (Universal) and Sequeled Monsters.This one is just as good as Any due to a Combination of Story (The Hands of Orlac), Director (Karl Freund), and Star (Peter Lorre) that all Deliver one of the most Offbeat, Stylish Thrillers of the Decade. Almost every Scene is a Wonder and the only thing that keeps this from becoming a Certified Masterpiece is the Obligatory Comedy Relief.But Thankfully there isn't a whole lot of that, Certainly not enough to Detract from the Overall Sensationalism that this Film Embodies. It will most Likely be an Unforgettable Experience from Anyone Watching for the First Time, Even Today. Nothing quite like it and a Real Treat.

Screen legend Peter Lorre makes a grand American debut in the starring role of this solid shocker, a rare contribution by MGM to the horror film cycle of the 1930s. He's utterly off his rocker, yet not completely unsympathetic in a story that's just one of many adaptations of "The Hands of Orlac" to be filmed over the years.Colin Clive of "Frankenstein" fame plays Stephen Orlac, a renowned concert pianist whose hands are crushed in a horrible train accident. What's a piano player to do without his hands? Stephens' wife Yvonne (beautiful Frances Drake) approaches eminent surgeon Dr. Gogol (Lorre) to work his magic. Well, what Gogol does is take the hands of a recently executed murderer (Edward Brophy) and attach them to Stephen's arms. Soon Stephens' hands seem to be acting on their own and developing a flair for throwing knives. This is perfect for Gogol, who now sees a way to worm his way into the life of Yvonne, an actress in Grand Guignol productions whom he's lusted after for a long time.Lorre is fantastic in the role of the demented Gogol. He's a delight to watch, especially in one memorable sequence where Gogol, in disguise, is attempting to influence Stephens' fragile mind. Gogol is a pretty twisted guy; not only does he get turned on by the atrocities in Yvonnes' plays, but he's a regular attendee at public executions. The rest of the cast is fine, with Clive in a slightly more restrained performance than the one he gave as Henry Frankenstein. It's nice to see Keye Luke in a small role, but the comedy relief by co-stars Ted Healy (as a stereotypically pushy reporter) and May Beatty (as Gogols' maid) is just too much. Talented cameraman and cinematographer Karl Freund ("The Mummy"), in what was unfortunately his last directorial credit, guides the whole thing with admirable style. Here he does a great job of showing us just why the concept of this story has endured for so long.Any fan of the studio genre pictures from this period is advised to seek out "Mad Love". It's good macabre fun - well paced, well shot, and well edited, and an impressive showcase for a very distinctive actor.Eight out of 10.