The Colossus of New York
Directed by Eugene Lourie
Written by Thelma Schnee and William Goldbeck
1958/USA
Paramount Pictures
First viewing/Amazon Instant
“I am a brain, Watson. The rest of me is a mere appendix.” ― Arthur Conan Doyle, “The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone”
The cheese factor complements a story that’s a little different for its time and genre.
The Spensser’s are a talented family. Father William (Otto Kruger) is a noted brain surgeon. Son Henry is a pioneer in the field of automation. The most gifted of all is the youngest boy, Jeremy (Ross Martin). As the film begins, he has just won the Nobel Peace Prize for his work on food production in the polar regions.
Sadly, just after his family returns from Stockholm, Jeremy is hit by a truck and killed. William demands that an ambulance be sent for and takes the body back to his laboratory. William and Henry combine their skills to revive Jeremy’s brain in an automaton body. Their work backfires spectacularly.
This is cheesy but very entertaining. The scenes between the colossus and Jeremy’s little son are classic. The film does suffer from an odd and obtrusive piano score.
Trailer
