A millionaire businessman's brain is kept alive after a fatal accident, and communicates clues to a doctor on the trail of the killer.

Anna Holt

Dr. Peter Corrie

Stevenson

Dr. Frank Shears

Ella

Mr. Walters

Immerman

Martin Holt

Marion Fane

Furber

Dr. Miller

Thomas Gabler

Dr. Miller

Stevenson's secretary

Da Silva

Inspector Pike

Dance Hall MC (uncredited)
Instrument of Terror! An adaptation of film noir legend Curt Siodmak's novel, Donovan's Brain, The Brain offers up a murder mystery narrative to go with the mad science angle. It's not particularly thrilling but it does tick along nicely and director Freddie Francis has a keen eye for scene staging. Cast features Peter Van Eyck, Anne Heywood, Cecil Parker and Bernard Lee, and they all do what is required to make the material work. Stand out moments involve some delightfully monstrous paintings, a lie detector scene and all the sequences where Van Eyck is possessed by the brain of the powerful industrialist who was murdered by person or persons unknown. Good and safe "B" schlocky fare for the so inclined. 6/10
September 5, 1962

Anna Holt

Dr. Peter Corrie

Stevenson

Dr. Frank Shears

Ella

Mr. Walters

Immerman

Martin Holt

Marion Fane

Furber

Dr. Miller

Thomas Gabler

Dr. Miller

Stevenson's secretary

Da Silva

Inspector Pike

Dance Hall MC (uncredited)
Instrument of Terror! An adaptation of film noir legend Curt Siodmak's novel, Donovan's Brain, The Brain offers up a murder mystery narrative to go with the mad science angle. It's not particularly thrilling but it does tick along nicely and director Freddie Francis has a keen eye for scene staging. Cast features Peter Van Eyck, Anne Heywood, Cecil Parker and Bernard Lee, and they all do what is required to make the material work. Stand out moments involve some delightfully monstrous paintings, a lie detector scene and all the sequences where Van Eyck is possessed by the brain of the powerful industrialist who was murdered by person or persons unknown. Good and safe "B" schlocky fare for the so inclined. 6/10
