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IMDbPro

Hands of a Stranger

  • 19621962
  • PassedPassed
  • 1h 25m
IMDb RATING
5.1/10
783
YOUR RATING
Hands of a Stranger (1962)
Home Video Trailer from Allied Artists Pictures Corp.
Play trailer1:21
1 Video
20 Photos
  • Horror
A concert pianist loses his hands in a car crash, but a surgeon gives him new ones. The experimental medical procedure goes awry when the new hands drive the pianist mad.A concert pianist loses his hands in a car crash, but a surgeon gives him new ones. The experimental medical procedure goes awry when the new hands drive the pianist mad.A concert pianist loses his hands in a car crash, but a surgeon gives him new ones. The experimental medical procedure goes awry when the new hands drive the pianist mad.
IMDb RATING
5.1/10
783
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Newt Arnold
  • Writers
    • Newt Arnold
    • Maurice Renard(novel "Les Mains d'Orlac")
  • Stars
    • Paul Lukather
    • Joan Harvey
    • James Noah
Top credits
  • Director
    • Newt Arnold
  • Writers
    • Newt Arnold
    • Maurice Renard(novel "Les Mains d'Orlac")
  • Stars
    • Paul Lukather
    • Joan Harvey
    • James Noah
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 37User reviews
    • 24Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Hands of a Stranger
    Trailer 1:21
    Hands of a Stranger

    Photos20

    Hands of a Stranger (1962)
    James Noah in Hands of a Stranger (1962)
    Michael Rye, Michael Du Pont, Joan Harvey, Paul Lukather, Irish McCalla, James Noah, and Ted Otis in Hands of a Stranger (1962)
    Michael Rye, Joan Harvey, and Paul Lukather in Hands of a Stranger (1962)
    Barry Gordon and James Noah in Hands of a Stranger (1962)
    Michael Rye, Joan Harvey, and Paul Lukather in Hands of a Stranger (1962)
    Barry Gordon and James Noah in Hands of a Stranger (1962)
    Paul Lukather in Hands of a Stranger (1962)
    James Noah in Hands of a Stranger (1962)
    Michael Du Pont, Irish McCalla, and Ted Otis in Hands of a Stranger (1962)
    Michael Rye, Joan Harvey, Paul Lukather, and James Noah in Hands of a Stranger (1962)
    James Noah in Hands of a Stranger (1962)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Paul Lukather
    Paul Lukather
    • Dr. Gil Harding
    Joan Harvey
    Joan Harvey
    • Dina Paris
    James Noah
    James Noah
    • Vernon Paris
    • (as James Stapleton)
    Ted Otis
    Ted Otis
    • Dr. Ross Compton
    Michael Rye
    • George Britton
    Laurence Haddon
    • Police Lt. Syms
    • (as Larry Haddon)
    Elaine Martone
    Elaine Martone
    • Eileen Hunter
    George Sawaya
    • Tony Wilder
    Michael Du Pont
    • Dr. Ken Fry
    • (as Michael duPont)
    Sally Kellerman
    Sally Kellerman
    • Sue
    David Kramer
    • Carnival Barker
    Irish McCalla
    Irish McCalla
    • Holly
    Barry Gordon
    Barry Gordon
    • Skeet Wilder
    Gertrude Astor
    Gertrude Astor
    • Nagging Wife
    • (uncredited)
    George Calliga
    George Calliga
    • Concertgoer
    • (uncredited)
    Carl Carlsson
    • Juggler
    • (uncredited)
    Robert Haines
    • Henpecked Husband
    • (uncredited)
    Sam Harris
    Sam Harris
    • Concertgoer
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Newt Arnold
    • Writers
      • Newt Arnold
      • Maurice Renard(novel "Les Mains d'Orlac") (uncredited)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Film debut of James Noah.
    • Goofs
      (at around 47 mins) The pianist hits the piano keys in frustration in the treble register. However, we hear the sound of the lower, bass, register instead.
    • Quotes

      [last lines]

      Dr. Gil Harding: [after Vernon was gunned to death] Have you found out whose hands they are?

      Police Lt. Syms: Not yet. Does it make any difference? I think you'll know we'll have to talk soon.

      Dr. Gil Harding: And maybe you'll be able to tell me if we had the right to push ahead so fast--even when you believe.

      Police Lt. Syms: For men like you who aren't afraid to grow, they'll always be the right.

      [Syms leaves]

    • Crazy credits
      Rather than "THE END," the ending title card reads, "WHAT IS PAST IS PROLOGUE." (The trivia section explains the theme behind this ending title card.)
    • Connections
      Featured in Aweful Movies with Deadly Earnest: Hands of a Stranger (1972)
    • Soundtracks
      How's Your Mother
      Composed by John Mosher

      Played by Red Norvo Quintet (as Red Norvo Quintette) (Red Norvo, Jerry Dodgion, Jimmy Wyble, John Markham, Red Wootten)

    User reviews37

    Review
    Top review
    6/10
    A Show of Hands
    (Some Spoilers) Obvious re-make of the Peter Lorre 1935 classic "Mad Love" the movie "Hands of a Stranger" deals with the loss of world famous concert pianist Vernon Paris, James Stapleton, most precious asset his hands. Hands that by tickling the piano keys with creates the kind of music that brings the roof down every time that he preforms.

    Going home after his greatest performance, that he practiced for six months,the cab driver Tony Wilder, George Sawaya,loses control and smashes into the oncoming traffic blinding himself and causing Vernon to lose both his hands in the accident. At the hospital emergency ward Vernon's agent George Britton, Michael Ray, begs the presiding surgeon Dr. Gil Harding, Paul Lukather,to save his hands. The doctor is told that Vernon would be as good as dead without them. Dr. Harding using the hands of a corpse, suffering from gunshot wounds that he just operated on and graphs it's hands onto the stumps of Vernon. Later their accepted by his body making the operation an amazing success, a success until Vernon attempted to play his beloved piano. It turned out that the hands grafted on Vernon were that of an extremely strong person who also happened to be a brutal murder.

    Not as bad as you would think with the acting and script far superior then most low-budget horror movies that were made back then in the early 1960's. Vernon even though he became an uncontrolled killer showed glimpses of his previous personally as a talented and sensitive artist. You could really feel for Vernon as you saw everything that he loved and cared for like his ability to play the piano and his girlfriend Elaine, Eileen Hunter, desert him at the time of his greatest need.

    Vernon was a bad guy in the movie but you could well understand why he was that way and not be that critical of him. Vernon just couldn't control both his hands and emotions that made him do the terrible things that he did in the film. "Hands of a Strager" followed the usual scenario with Vernon destroying everything, and everyone, that he came in contact with. In the end he destroyed himself as he tried to murder Dr. Harding who he held responsible for his new found lot in life.

    What really struck me about the film was the conduct of it's star Dr. Gil Harding who was anything but the mad doctor that you would have expected him to be. Concerned and understanding he didn't even want to operate on Vernon's hands at first. Dr. Harding had to be talked into it by his friend George who felt that without his hands Vernon would lose his will to live. Vernon's sister Dina, Joan Harvey, who sacrificed her personal live to care for and help Vernon become a success and was by far the most sympathetic person in the movie fell in love with Dr. Harding. Dina at first greatly disliked Dr. Harding for what he did to her brother not realizing that it wasn't his idea to operate. Which also showed that he was anything but the unstable and maniacal lunatic that's always portrayed in moves like "Hands of a Stranger".
    helpful•10
    3
    • sol-kay
    • Jun 26, 2005

    FAQ1

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 22, 1962 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Руки незнакомца
    • Production company
      • Glenwood-Neve Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 25 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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