Curse of the Fly (1965)

Motorist Martin Delambre attempts to keep evidence of his family's bizarre experiments in teleportation hidden from his wife, who is hiding secrets of her own.

Director:

Don Sharp

Writer:

Harry Spalding

Stars:

Brian Donlevy, George Baker, Carole Gray

Cast

Cast overview:
Brian Donlevy	...	Henri Delambre
George Baker	...	Martin Delambre
Carole Gray	...	Patricia Stanley
Yvette Rees	...	Wan
Burt Kwouk	...	Tai
Michael Graham	...	Albert Delambre
Jeremy Wilkin	...	Inspector Ronet (as Jeremy Wilkins)
Charles Carson	...	Inspector Charas
Mary Manson	...	Judith Delambre
Rachel Kempson	...	Madame Fournier
Warren Stanhope	...	Hotel Manager
Mia Anderson	...	Nurse
Arnold Bell	...	Hotel Porter

Storyline

Remember that scientist that was trying to perfect a matter transportation machine but got fused with a fly when one of the little critters got into the transporter with him? Well, this story is about three of his descendents (a son, Henri Delambre, played by Brian Donlevy and two grandsons). Seems the son wants to continue and perfect the machine while his two sons want to get out of the scientist business and live "normal" lives. The oldest son, Martin, decides to take a wife (who just happens to have escaped from a mental hospital after her parents died). Martin's father is not happy with this intrusion but finally gives in because he understands him son's needs. They all try to be a happy family until humans used in botched experiments are discovered by the new bride and the police nearly discover the lab while looking for Martin's wife. Everyone tries to get out of there via the transporter but things just don't go according to plan ...

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Plot Keywords:

experiment | scientist | teleportation | newlywed couple | rapid aging | 

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Taglines:

What Made Them Half-Human Creatures From The 4th Dimension?

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Genres:

Drama | Horror | Mystery | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

May 1965 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Curse of the Fly

Filming Locations:

Shepperton Studios, Shepperton, Surrey, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Lippert Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

86 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Claude Rains was going to play Henri Delambre at one stage.

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Crazy Credits

At the end of the closing credits: "Is this the end?"

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Alternate Versions

The UK cinema version was cut by the BBFC to reduce a shot of 2 previously teleported victims inside a glass cabinet in Albert Delambre's laboratory. The 2006 DVD is uncut.

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Connections

Featured in Cinemassacre's Monster Madness: The Fly (2009)

User Reviews

Disappointing, but not as silly as RETURN OF THE FLY

The "curse" of the fly, is the "curse" of the DeLambre family, whom has lost family members experimenting with teleportation. Two of the family members bodies had been intermixed with the bodies of house flies in two earlier films. Hence, the "curse of the fly." No one turns into a "fly" in this one; but there are plenty of gruesome results nonetheless. Nothing in the film is better than the opening sequence, as heroine Carol Gray escapes from an asylum, only to meet and marry one of the "mad" DeLambres. The slow motion shattering glass creates quite an eerie effect. Much of what occurs in the film is gruesome rather than horrific. However, nothing is more frightening than Brian Donleavy carrying on a rational conversation arguing FOR the teleportation experiments, with his back covered in horrible radiation burns, the result of his self-experimentation. This is a powerful moment in an, otherwise, fairly routine programmer.