Tonight's Movie: The Man Who Reclaimed His Head (1934) - A Kino Lorber Blu-ray Review

THE MAN WHO RECLAIMED HIS HEAD (1934) is an odd yet interesting drama out on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

This film was released a few weeks ago, at the high of the classic film festival season in Southern California, but I was glad to now catch up with it.

The movie begins strangely as somewhat hysterical Paul Verin (Claude Rains) staggers through the streets of Paris carrying his little girl Linette (Juanita Quigley, billed as Baby Jane) and a valise.

It's World War I and Germans are bombing the streets, but Paul finally arrives at the home of his old school chum Fernand de Marnay (Henry O'Neill), a distinguished lawyer. Once Paul somewhat gains his mental bearings -- and shows the horrified Fernand the shocking contents of the valise -- he recounts his story in flashback.

Paul is a pacificist writer with a loving younger wife, Adele (Joan Bennett). In order to give Adele a higher standard of living, Paul takes a job writing anti-war editorials for newspaper publisher Henry Dumont (Lionel Atwill).

Paul is shocked when Henry eventually "sells out" to munitions companies and backs off pacifism. Meanwhile the war begins and Paul must join the military and is sent to the front.

Henry assures Adele that he will use his influence to have Paul reassigned to a safer position, but he doesn't actually do so, as he has designs on Adele for himself; Adele belatedly recognizes this with clear eyes. Just as Adele must physically fend off Henry's brutish advances, Paul walks in the door...

Although I struggled with the film's opening minutes, as Rains' Paul is frankly weird and rather pathetic, I was on board once the flashbacks began. I was fascinated by the relationship of Paul and Adele; while the younger Adele clearly longs for frivolity and better finances, her love for Paul is never in doubt.

Bennett, one of my very favorite actresses, manages a carefully nuanced performance without the assistance of much character background from the screenplay; her Adele straddles expressing longing for some excitement and life's "finer things" while simultaneously keeping Adele rather innocent and always appreciative of her husband and child.

A scene where Adele entertains Linette with puppets and rolls around with her on the floor looks almost as if there are two youngsters at play, rather than mother and daughter. At the start of the flashbacks we learn Adele and Paul originally lived in a farm village and have been married for five years; it would have been interesting to learn more about their early relationship.

Rains' character lives in a bit of a dream world as a pacifist with few financial desires, but again, he's also sensitive enough to want to meet his wife's needs and not resent her wishes. Both actors present a very interesting portrait of a balanced marriage which I enjoyed a great deal.

I also appreciated that the movie didn't drag things out but wrapped up promptly at the 80-minute mark. It's not a wholly successful film, being rather different and strange; the political angles didn't interest me overly much, but owing to the performances and character relationships described above, I ultimately enjoyed it.

The movie was written by Jean Bart and Samuel Ornitz from Bart's play; several uncredited contributors to treatment and dialogue. The film did a fairly good job "opening up" the story with multiple sets and locations.

Juanita Quigley was just three years old but manages a fairly substantial amount of dialogue for someone so young, not to mention multiple tearful scenes. Quigley would continue acting through 1950, including roles such as Kathryn Grayson's sister in THE VANISHING VIRGINIAN (1942) and Elizabeth Taylor and Angela Lansbury's sister in NATIONAL VELVET (1944).

As a young adult Quigley become a nun for a period of time before leaving the convent, marrying, and having children. She passed away in 2017. Quigley's older sister Rita was also an actress.

The cast also includes Wallace Ford, Henry Armetta, and Lawrence Grant.

THE MAN WHO RECLAIMED HIS HEAD was directed by Edward Ludwig and filmed by Merritt Gerstad.

The Blu-ray print is from a new HD master from a 2K scan of the 35mm finegrain. It's quite nice-looking, with an excellent soundtrack.

Extras include not one but two commentary tracks, one by David Del Valle and one by Troy Howarth. The disc also contains a gallery of trailers for five other films available from Kino Lorber.

Thanks to Kino Lorber for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray.

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