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IMDbPro

The Beast with Five Fingers

  • 19461946
  • (Banned)(Banned)
  • 1h 28m
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
2.8K
YOUR RATING
Peter Lorre, Robert Alda, and Andrea King in The Beast with Five Fingers (1946)
Watch Trailer
Play trailer2:02
2 Videos
33 Photos
HorrorMystery

In a turn-of-the-century Renaissance Italian mansion, its tyrannical owner, a one-handed, wheelchair-bound pianist, with a strong belief in the occult, is murdered.In a turn-of-the-century Renaissance Italian mansion, its tyrannical owner, a one-handed, wheelchair-bound pianist, with a strong belief in the occult, is murdered.In a turn-of-the-century Renaissance Italian mansion, its tyrannical owner, a one-handed, wheelchair-bound pianist, with a strong belief in the occult, is murdered.

IMDb RATING
6.5/10
2.8K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Robert Florey
  • Writers
    • Curt Siodmak(screen play)
    • William Fryer Harvey(from a story by)
    • Harold Goldman(additional dialogue)
  • Stars
    • Robert Alda
    • Andrea King
    • Peter Lorre
  • Director
    • Robert Florey
  • Writers
    • Curt Siodmak(screen play)
    • William Fryer Harvey(from a story by)
    • Harold Goldman(additional dialogue)
  • Stars
    • Robert Alda
    • Andrea King
    • Peter Lorre
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 66User reviews
    • 43Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos2

    Trailer
    Trailer 2:02
    Watch Trailer
    The Beast with Five Fingers
    Trailer 2:02
    Watch The Beast with Five Fingers

    Photos33

    Peter Lorre, Robert Alda, Victor Francen, Andrea King, and J. Carrol Naish in The Beast with Five Fingers (1946)
    Peter Lorre, Robert Alda, Victor Francen, Andrea King, and J. Carrol Naish in The Beast with Five Fingers (1946)
    Peter Lorre, Robert Alda, Victor Francen, Andrea King, and J. Carrol Naish in The Beast with Five Fingers (1946)
    Peter Lorre in The Beast with Five Fingers (1946)
    The Beast with Five Fingers (1946)
    Peter Lorre in The Beast with Five Fingers (1946)
    Peter Lorre in The Beast with Five Fingers (1946)
    Peter Lorre in The Beast with Five Fingers (1946)
    The Beast with Five Fingers (1946)
    Peter Lorre in The Beast with Five Fingers (1946)
    The Beast with Five Fingers (1946)
    Peter Lorre in The Beast with Five Fingers (1946)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Robert Alda
    Robert Alda
    • Conrad Ryler
    Andrea King
    Andrea King
    • Julie Holden
    Peter Lorre
    Peter Lorre
    • Hilary Cummins
    Victor Francen
    Victor Francen
    • Francis Ingram
    J. Carrol Naish
    J. Carrol Naish
    • Ovidio Castanio
    Charles Dingle
    Charles Dingle
    • Raymond Arlington
    John Alvin
    John Alvin
    • Donald Arlington
    David Hoffman
    David Hoffman
    • Duprex
    Barbara Brown
    Barbara Brown
    • Mrs. Miller
    Patricia Barry
    Patricia Barry
    • Clara
    • (as Patricia White)
    William Edmunds
    • Antonio
    Belle Mitchell
    Belle Mitchell
    • Giovanna
    Ray Walker
    Ray Walker
    • Mr. Miller
    Pedro de Cordoba
    Pedro de Cordoba
    • Horatio
    Victor Aller
    • The Hand (playing piano)
    • (uncredited)
    Symona Boniface
    Symona Boniface
    • Mourner
    • (uncredited)
    Gino Corrado
    Gino Corrado
    • Carabinieri
    • (uncredited)
    Franco Corsaro
    Franco Corsaro
    • Carabinieri
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Robert Florey
    • Writers
      • Curt Siodmak(screen play)
      • William Fryer Harvey(from a story by)
      • Harold Goldman(additional dialogue) (uncredited)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The piece of piano music played by Francis Ingram (Victor Francen) and later, his disembodied left hand, is the "Bach Chaconne in D Minor", as arranged to be played by the left hand alone by Johannes Brahms. It was selected by Max Steiner because the story required a piece of music that could be performed by a pianist with only his left hand, and Steiner, who was born in Vienna and whose family were friendly with Brahms, rather than composing his own original piece, immediately recognized its potential in underscoring such a grim tale. Legendary Hungarian-American pianist Ervin Nyiregyhazi performed the music played by the severed hand.
    • Goofs
      The hand print in the soil outside the mausoleum is not a print. A print would pressed into the soft soil. But, the hand print shown is in relief (raised above the surface). Hands or feet don't make that kind of impression.
    • Quotes

      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.

    • Connections
      Edited from Doctor X (1932)
    • Soundtracks
      Chaconne in D minor BMW 1004
      (uncredited)

      Composed bt Johann Sebastian Bach

      Arranged for the left hand by Johannes Brahms

      Pianist Ervin Nyiregyhazi

      ("Played on the screen by Victor Francen)

    User reviews66

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    6/10
    Beware the crawling hand!
    In a turn-of-the-century Italian village, a famed pianist (Victor Francen) with only one hand is killed. Murders soon begin occurring, and the occupants of the pianist's house believe his left-hand is committing them.

    What starts out as an average Warner Brothers melodrama/murder mystery is made memorable by the use of the disembodied hand. Robert Alda and Andrea King are forgettable leads, and J. Carrol Naish is horrible as the police inspector. Peter Lorre gives the best performance, and his scenes where he confronts the hand are great. The special effects are excellent.

    Rewatch. 3/5
    helpful•4
    0
    • guswhovian
    • May 9, 2020

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 8, 1947 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Die Bestie mit den fünf Fingern
    • Filming locations
      • Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Warner Bros.
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • Runtime
      1 hour 28 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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