The Beast with Five Fingers
1946 film by Robert Florey
The Beast with Five Fingers is a 1946 film about a one-handed, wheelchair-bound pianist, with a strong belief in the occult, who is murdered.
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- Directed by Robert Florey. Written by Curt Siodmak, based on the 1919 short story by William Fryer Harvey.
Your flesh will creep... AT THE HAND THAT CRAWLS!! (taglines)
Donald Arlington edit
- Eight bones has the carpus, five the metacarpus, fourteen the phlanges, all in all, all in all, twenty-seven all in all. Abracadabra.
Dialogue edit
- Francis Ingram: Hilary, do you know why you are here?
- Hilary Cummins: No, I don't. Some anniversary perhaps?
- Francis Ingram: No, no such thing. I merely want your testimony... that I am not insane. It's very important to me to be certain that not one of you thinks I am of unsound mind. Bruce, you are an artist, a musician, You've been with me a long time. You've been with me constantly; therefore you are in a position to speak. Are you convinced that there is nothing wrong with... with my mental balance?
- Conrad Ryler: Your mental balance is equal to mine, and while I consider that a tribute to your sanity, there are certain people in San Stefano who consider me... slightly eccentric. Perhaps they're right.
- Conrad Ryler: I know, Julie, you're afraid. He's holding you with his pain and helplessness. He draws his energy from your life. He'll never let you go.
- Julie Holden: But I must go.
- Conrad Ryler: Tell me, Signor Conrad, in a case like this, whom does one condole? To whom does one express his grief and sympathy?
- Ovidio Castanio: To me. I made a very fair living playing chess and gambling with him. Eating his food, drinking his wine. Now that he's gone, I'm without doubt the chief mourner.
- Julie Holden: I wish that we could leave right now.
- Conrad Ryler: It won't be long, only a few days. In the meantime, keep your chin up.
- Julie Holden: Why?
- Conrad Ryler: So that I can kiss you.
- Duprex: Would you like me to represent you in the matter?
- Raymond Arlington: Of course.
- Duprex: What would my share be?
- Raymond Arlington: Share? You mean your fee?
- Duprex: I said share.
- Raymond Arlington: What do you want?
- Duprex: A participation, or to say, one third. You understand, I would offer my services to Miss Holden, under the same circumstances.
- Donald Arlington: You mean you'd help her instead of us?
- Duprex: I am on the side of those who engage me.
- Ovidio Castanio: It was a dreadful accident, entirely unexpected.
- Conrad Ryler: Yes, accidents usually are.
- Ovidio Castanio: But of course, you are aware of the law that forbids the export of authentic antiques without a special permit?
- Conrad Ryler: Ma certa, Commissario. I am well aware of every law. I would not dream of dealing in authentic antiques.
- Ovidio Castanio: In my mind there is no doubt the hand is walking around.
- Conrad Ryler: You don't believe in things like that.
- Ovidio Castanio: Unfortunately for the peace of our souls, one cannot explain everything logically that happens in this world, Signor Conrad.
- Clara: The Devil's haunting this house! The Devil! Signor Ingram's hand!
- Giovanna: Quickly, before it catches up with us!
- Antonio: Ah, you're always imagining things. The night your grandmother died, you heard skeletons rattling.
- Clara: Well if you don't believe me, why are you running away?
- Antonio: Well, it can't hurt to be on the safe side.
- Hilary Cummins: Look, there they go. Giovanna, Antonio, and Clara. They're more afraid of ghosts than of the law.
- Ovidio Castanio: The law doesn't like it too much either. If I were not the Commissario, I would be right with them.
- Conrad Ryler: Isn't this your handwriting, Hilary?
- Hilary Cummins: No, it's Ingram's. His hand wrote it. Don't you see? The hand, it must be here! I have to find it, it must be somewhere!
Taglines edit
- Your flesh will creep... AT THE HAND THAT CRAWLS!!
- It walks like a spider... it stalks like a cobra!
- A Sensation of Screaming Suspense!
- You've never seen the like of it!
Cast edit
- Robert Alda — Bruce Conrad
- Andrea King — Julie Holden
- Peter Lorre — Hilary Cummins
- Victor Francen — Francis Ingram
- J. Carrol Naish — Commissario Ovidio Castanio
- Charles Dingle — Raymond Arlington
- John Alvin — Donald Arlington
- David Hoffman — Duprex
- Barbara Brown — Mrs. Miller
- Patricia White — Clara
- William Edmunds — Antonio
- Belle Mitchell — Giovanna
- Ray Walker — Mr. Miller
- Pedro de Cordoba — Horatio
