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The Power |
1968 American Film with George Hamilton, Suzanne Pleshette, Richard Carlson, Yvonne De Carlo, Earl Holliman, Gary Merrill, Ken Murray, Barbara Nichols, Arthur O’Connell, Nehemiah Persoff, Aldo Ray, Michael Rennie. Directed by Byron Haskin.
The Power is a little known George Pal production, predating "Scanners" where a mysterious evil super genius (no, not the coyote, this one has Psi powers, as per the title) infiltrates a research project studying the extremes of human endurance. This research is being led by George Hamilton’s character. One of the scientists reports during a meeting that the results of an anonymous intelligence test shows that one of them has super intelligence beyond measure. Following the meeting the research scientists begin dying off one by one under circumstances that although are strange they can not be proven to be murder.
An investigation ensues during which the police discover they can find no record of Hamilton's main character’s education and other important credentials. Thus he himself is cast from the project and into suspicion. So with few resources he sets of on his own to trying and uncover the identity of the real psi super villain. Suspicious at first a few of his fellow researchers seek each other out. After some tense moments they agree to trust each other and seek safety in numbers. Of course, they openly admit the possibility the real villain is in their midst. And, of course we can assume that anyone who dies is not the villain, or can we?
On a side note, according to a reference I read somewhere there was supposed to be a bondage scene involving Suzanne Pleshette. Apparently it was cut at some stages in the editing. Too bad for all us bondage buffs. But I could see where that would eliminate Suzanne's character from suspicion and these movies often want you to suspect everyone and anyone. Although if you listen carefully, her character does make a reference later in that same scene to the un- shown incident. One elderly scientist complains about being old, weak, and feeble when Susanne’s character replies with a smile “you sure didn’t seem to have any trouble tying me up.”
One particularly eerie part of the film is where Hamilton's character tries to research a name from the past of the first scientist murdered. He visits the dead scientist’s home town and talks to his parents but gets chased off the land when he mentions the mystery name. Everyone who hears that name reacts either strangely or with a peculiar amnesia. The implication is that even as a child this enigmatic evil genius was a powerful manipulating menace. Thus as a more powerful adult this person could control the world or otherwise be a threat to humanity itself.
Finally at the end of the film, after all the cat-and-mouse games, we come to a face to face duel with this super villain. Of course I will leave the ending for you to see who it is for yourself.
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© 2003 Henry Tjernlund