The Man Who Reclaimed His Head
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Edward Ludwig
Claude Rains
Joan Bennett
Lionel Atwill
Baby Jane
Henry O'neill
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
In 1915, Paul Verin walks deliberately through a French city that is under aerial bombardment, carrying a satchel and his daughter Linette. After arriving at the home of lawyer Fernand De Marnay, an old school friend, Paul shows him the shocking contents of the satchel and relates the following story: Paul lives in Clichy with Adele, his blonde wife of five years, and their daughter, writing political articles for small pay. Henri Dumont, an aspiring, ambitious politician with whom Paul had quarreled at the Bordeaux Radical , begs Paul for his assistance on the People's Advocate , acknowledging his need for of Paul's superb mind. Adele's desire to return to Paris impels Paul to accept Dumont's offer. By publishing Paul's editorials under his own name, Dumont is idolized for urging peace and shifting taxes from the poor to the rich. However, Chavez and another wealthy financier offer to drop their opposition to Dumont's ambitions if he will reverse his views, and Dumont urges Paul to moderate his positions. When Paul refuses, Dumont meets with Adele to charm her into urging Paul to accept his idea. Dumont and Adele begin to see each other regularly, although Paul still loves Adele. Paul shows Dumont proof that fifty people are pressing for war because of the financial benefits it will bring them and prepares a speech on the subject. As the Austrian Archduke is assassinated, Dumont meets on a yacht with a group of rich weapons manufacturers, who plot to continue high prices and sales to all sides to prolong the coming war, pledging not to bomb each other's factories or natural resources. Dumont rises to power on war fever, using the trust of the people that Paul's efforts had brought him while betraying his pacifist ideals. Paul retains his integrity by ending their association but, finding that his political book has been suppressed, hands the text over to Adele. After becoming a corporal on the front lines, Paul is transferred to Verdun, the scene of the bloodiest fighting. In a railroad station, Paul overhears the rumor that Dumont has sold out and is courting Adele, while preventing Paul from securing leave to go home. Enraged, Paul takes a train for Paris. Dumont calls on Adele, who rejects his advances, lonely for Paul. Seeing them together, Paul kills Dumont with his bayonet. Back in Fernand's house, Paul, alluding to the contents of his satchel, tells his friend that he wanted to retrieve his mind and the life that Dumont had stolen. Fernand persuades Paul not to commit suicide, assuring him he will be acquitted, because he is not the accused, but the accuser. Paul hands Linette to Adele when she arrives with the police.
Director
Edward Ludwig
Cast
Claude Rains
Joan Bennett
Lionel Atwill
Baby Jane
Henry O'neill
Henry Armetta
Wallace Ford
Lawrence Grant
William Davidson
Bessie Barriscale
Hugh O'connell
Rollo Lloyd
Noel Francis
G. P. Huntley Jr.
Valerie Hobson
Ferdinand Gottschalk
Doris Lloyd
Carol Coombe
Gilbert Emery
Walter Walker
Purnell Pratt
Jameson Thomas
Edward Van Sloan
Edward Martindel
Craufurd Kent
Montague Shaw
Judith Wood
Lloyd Hughes
Phyllis Brooks
Bryant Washburn
Boyd Irwin
Anderson Lawler
Will Stanton
George Davis
Lionel Belmore
Emerson Treacy
John Rutherford
Hiram Hoover
Lee Phelps
Norman Ainsley
Russ Powell
Harry Cording
Lloyd Whitlock
Lilyan Irene
William Ruhl
Rolfe Sedan
Ben F. Hendricks
Maurice Murphy
Carl Stockdale
Tom Ricketts
John Ince
Joseph Swickard
Billy West
Colin Kenny
William Worthington
Ted Billings
Margaret Mann
Russ Clark
Lois January
William Gould
Nell Craig
Grace Cunard
Wilfred North
James Donlan
Crew
Jean Bart
Albert S. D'agostino
Finley Peter Dunne Jr.
Fred Frank
John P. Fulton
Erwin Gelsey
Merritt Gerstad
Myrtle Gibson
Henry Henigson
Paul Hill
William Hurlbut
Alan Jones
Gilbert Kurland
Carl Laemmle Jr.
Carl Laemmle
Carl Laemmle
Beth Langston
F. R. Mastroly
George O'neil
Samuel Ornitz
Maurice Pivar
W. J. Reiter
Heinz Roemheld
Murray Seldeen
Barry Trivers
Mary West
Vera West
George Yohalem
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
According to a news item in Daily Variety, Gloria Stuart was considered for the female lead. Although not explicitly shown or stated, the film implies that "Paul" beheaded "Dumont" and is carrying his head in the satchel. According to Call Bureau Cast Service, James Donlan played the role of "Danglas."
