June 7, 2012
Invasion of the Body
Snatchers – US, 1956
I wish I had Dana Wynter’s eyes. I say this because they
speak volumes in Don Siegel’s 1956 film Invasion
of the Body Snatchers. At times, they take on the gaze of a love-struck
teenager who just can’t get enough of the object of her affection. At other times,
they instantly convey the degree of terror that Wynter’s character, Becky
Driscoll, is feeling. Towards the end of the film, the camera closes in on them
to reveal what may be the harshest moment of the entire film, for in that one moment,
all is seemingly lost for our hero, a laudable young doctor named Miles Bennell
(Kevin McCarthy). It is quite a performance.
The film takes place in one of those small idyllic towns that
one frequently sees in films, one in which everyone knows each other and
politely uses titles such as Mr. or Ms. when they talk. In this kind of
town, a doctor makes house calls at all hours of the night, and when an
emergency strikes, one can call a restaurant and ask if a particular doctor
just happens to be dining there that evening. In this kind of town, doctors and
psychiatrists are mostly noble people whose opinions carry a great weight. In
fact, in this film, all that is needed for the police to spring into action, it
seems, is the word of one of these distinguished professionals. The town in the
film also has a very modern feel to it, for some of its residents are dealing
with contemporary issues. For example, both Bennell and Driscoll are divorced,
and there’s an acknowledgement that the characters are living in a world in
which nuclear weapons are unfortunately real. In one of the film’s many
interesting moments, Bennell speculates that what is unfolding may be the
result of atomic radiation.
The film begins with the doctor returning after being away
for two weeks, and while he’s been away, a lot has happened. His secretary has
been besieged by phone calls from frantic patients, all of whom insist that Bennell
is the only doctor they want to see. Imagine his surprise when all that greets
him back at the office are cancellations and missed appointments. Two events
cause the doctor to sense that something more is amiss. First, he learns that
Becky’s cousin Wilma (Virginia Christine) may be delusional. She claims that her
uncle Ira (Tom Fadden) isn’t really her uncle. It’s not that she’s discovered
that she may have been adopted, but rather that something about Ira just feels
off. As Wilma explains it, her uncle doesn’t show even the slightest bit of emotion
anymore, not even about things that he used to have great passion for. Uncle
Ira seems perfectly normal to Bennell, but Wilma is adamant, insisting that the
difference is something only someone who knew him very well would notice. Not even
Bennell can deny the logic of this statement. In the second incident, a young
boy is practically run over when he darts in front of Bennell’s car. The boy is
completely terrified. When ask why, he just manages to get out that his mother
is not his mother. We soon learn that there are many other people making such
claims.
There is an established pattern that a film like Invasion of the Body Snatchers
inevitably falls into. The doctor must first disbelieve, then begin to suspect
that something out of the ordinary is happening, and then ultimately accept
what was once unthinkable, and Invasion
of the Body Snatchers does not deviate from this well-charted course. Eventually,
Bennell is asked to forget that he’s a doctor and accept the fantastic. However,
a film of this kind is rarely done as well as it is here. It helps that McCarthy
is thoroughly convincing throughout the film. He makes Bennell’s transition from
skeptic to believer quite easy to accept. In addition, McCarthy and Wynter have
great chemistry, and their scenes together are extremely effective. Their
dialogue cackles with energy, feeling and flirtatious double-entendres. In one
clever exchange, Bennell takes Driscoll in his arms and kisses her. She asks
him if this is an example of his bedside manner, to which he relies, “[T]hat
comes later.” How that got past the sensors I’ll never know.
If Invasion of the
Body Snatchers has a fault, it is in its explanation for what is happening
to the townspeople. At times, it appears they are being physically replaced, which
I assume would involve one life form either dissolving or killing the other, yet at the end it appears
they are being either taken over, similar to what happens in The Hidden, or inwardly altered, like 28 Days Later. The film never seems to
be able to make up its mind. However, this does not detract from what is a
thoughtful and frightening film. We care about the characters on the screen as
they fight for the right to remain who they are. In fact, there are a number of
rather moving speeches related to the value of freedom and emotion that make me
think that the film is about more than just meets the eye. Perhaps it is about some
people’s penchant for safety over risk during times of increased pessimism.
After all, losing the ability to love also means losing the ability to feel
pain.
On a personal note, I was fortunate enough to have met Kevin
McCarthy in my senior year of high school. His granddaughter was one of my
classmates, and he came to talk to us about acting. He could not have been
nicer. I’ll always remember his calm, personable demeanor, through which it was
perfectly clear just how much he enjoyed doing what he did for a living. He
will be missed. (on DVD)
4 stars
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