The Fly
Short description
A scientist named André Delambre has developed a machine that can disassemble matter in one place and reassemble it in another. After testing it successfully on objects, he tries the device on himself, unaware that a fly has entered the chamber with him. The experiment goes wrong, and the two living things are merged. His wife, Helene, ends up telling the police a story that sounds impossible, while the family tries to undo what happened.
The Fly was released in 1958 and was directed by Kurt Neumann, following Carnival Story (1954) and Mohawk (1956). James Clavell wrote the screenplay, and Kurt Neumann and Robert L. Lippert produced. David Hedison plays André, with Patricia Owens as Helene, Vincent Price as André's brother François, Herbert Marshall as Inspector Charas, and Kathleen Freeman and Betty Lou Gerson in supporting roles.
The film mixes drama, horror and science fiction across its 94-minute runtime and was made by 20th Century Fox and Regal Films. It took about 3 million dollars worldwide. On IMDb it holds a rating of 7.1 from roughly 28,000 votes, while on TMDB it stands at 7 from about 627 votes. A film critics' rating of 7.4 from 43 reviews puts it slightly above the audience scores on both platforms, indicating generally favorable notices alongside solid viewer approval.
What's left behind the scenes
- The film is based on George Langelaan's 1957 novella “The Fly.”
- The film was a huge success and also became Kurt Neumann's highest-grossing film. However, he never knew this, as he died a month after the premiere, a week before the film's wide release.
- The screenplay for this film was the first cinematic work of screenwriter James Clavell, who later became famous for his novel 'Shōgun'.
- The lead role was initially offered to Michael Rennie, but he declined as he did not want to spend most of the film with his face obscured.
- The props for Delambre's laboratory cost the studio only $28,000.
- The film was included by Stephen King in his list of 100 most significant horror films from 1950 to 1980.
- Kurt Neumann exploited the actress Pat Owens' fear of insects by not showing her the fly makeup prematurely.
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