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The Brute Man
There is just something strangely compelling about 1946s The Brute Man. Rondo Hatton played "The Creeper," a serial killer terrorizing a whole city, specifically targeting the people he blames for an accident that essentially ruined his life. Back in his senior year of college, Hal Moffet suffered a terrible accident that left his face disfigured. Now, he keeps to the shadows & only goes out at night because his appearance frightens everyone who gets a good look at him. Frankly, he has a right to be resentful & mentally unbalanced, given the set of circumstances that ruined his life. Over the years, though, his anger has grown to uncontrollable proportions, giving birth to "the Creeper." As murders seem to keep happening one after another, the police force finds itself stymied in its investigation of the heinous crimes - although they do almost catch Hal early on in the film. He evades them by climbing a fire escape & entering the apartment of a lovely young woman named Helen Paige . Not only is she not afraid of her unexpected visitor, she is even nice to him - & no one has been nice to Hal in a long time. It isnt until his second visit to Helens apartment that he learns she is blind. Still, a definite connection is made between the two - & something of the man Hal used to be is gradually revealed to the viewer. You do come to feel sorry for the man, but its certainly not enough to redeem him - he is, after all, a vicious murderer with a lot of blood on his hands. Rondo Hatton died before this movie was released, which only adds another dimension of tragedy to the whole film. Hatton was a brave actor, a man who basically created the ubiquitous "Creeper" persona because it was the only type of character he could play. Hatton was exposed to mustard gas during World War I, & that may or may not have contributed to the onset of acromegaly in the young actor a few years later. This disease attacks the pituitary gland & causes abnormal growth in the patient, producing the kinds of facial deformities that define Hattons character in this film. The man wasnt a great actor, but I think the link between his own reality & that of his character lends an unquantifiable yet definitely detectable power to his performance. It certainly makes The Brute Man a memorable film - & in some ways a disquieting one that will leave you with mixed emotions over the character of the tragic killer. Thomas Neal was an American actor & convicted killer. Born in Evanston, Illinois, Tom Neal debuted on the Broadway stage in 1935. In 1938 he first appeared in film in Out West with the Hardys, part of the Hardy family movie series. That same year, he received a law degree from Harvard University. Neal appeared in many low budget b-movies in the 40s & early 50s. His most memorable role was that of Al Roberts in the classic film noir Detour alongside Ann Savage. They went on to make five movies together. In 1951, he took to violence against aristocratic actor Franchot Tone. The fight broke out because of their mutual girlfriend, actress Barbara Payton. Neal, a former college boxer, inflicted upon Tone a smashed cheekbone, a broken nose & a brain concussion. After the incident Tone & Payton married & Neal had a difficult time finding work. He ended up supporting himself landscaping & gardening. Payton left Tone after only seven weeks of marriage & returned to the troubled Neal. Their relationship lasted four years. Neal remarried almost immediately & in 1957 fathered a son.
Editors Choice: Film Noir Thrillers, Jungle Girl, Detour, View DVDology
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