The old horror classic Donovan’s Brain (1953) came across our plate recently. Starring Nancy Davis (Reagan) and Lew Ayres, it starts with a scientist, his wife (a nurse), and his alcoholic assistant, who happens to be a surgeon. They are experimenting on monkey brains at the home lab when a plane crashes nearby. The lone survivor’s brain is saved; it1 recovers, and then begins to grow and exhibit powers, now that it’s been loosed of its burdensome, failing body. Eventually, it tries to take over the scientist and implement its ambitions.
Sounds awful, doesn’t it?
It’s not. Once the concept of working telepathy is accepted, the rest of the story falls into place. The dialog is good, including a number of unexpected, yet logical responses which indicate the writers dealt in more than canned phrases. The story features ambition, setback, reaction to the setback, surprise twist. The characters are well-drawn, and the acting, if not stellar, is good enough to support the movie. The technical aspects are adequate to the demands of the movie. The brain is pleasingly cheesy.
In the end, it disappoints a little as the ending seems predictable, yet it had to end somewhere. Themes might have been more deeply explored, it could have been darker, and yet, it … was good enough.
It’s not earth-shattering, but on a cold January afternoon, when the snow is blowing and you’re wondering if the Arctic is taking up residence on your porch, you could do worse than to watch Donovan’s Brain.
1Do brains have gender?
