The Man Who Haunted Himself (1970)
After seeing Roger tout this for ages as his favorite film and the only time he was allowed to really act, I finally snagged a DVD late last year for a pittance and just now got around to watching it.
It’s an interesting film, unsettling at times and well-paced. It has a “small” feel to it, especially in comparison to the Bonds, but clever camerawork, artful editing and one or two “how did they do that way back then” effects raise it safely out of “made for TV” territory.
Roger really does give his all here and it’s very effective. Much as I love the guy (still my favorite Bond), over his career he often seemed to struggle with scenes that demanded deep emotion, almost as if he was uncomfortable potentially revealing something personal or genuine. At best, he could usually manage the “righteous anger” routine as Templar or Bond, yelling at some baddie, but even then it didn’t always work. Here, however, he manages to sell (for me at least) a portrayal of a man whose life is coming apart at the seams and who’s gradually descending into madness.
One of the best moments (SPOILERS) comes late in the film when what we realize is Roger’s evil self shows up at the office looking self-assured with that patented Roger Moore gleam in eye, as if he knows a joke no one else is in on. It’s pretty much the world-famous “Roger as Bond” persona except here, somehow, it has a disturbing, even frightening effect. The fact that until now we have only seen this character as a colorless automaton or an unraveling neurotic makes the sudden appearance of the cocky, self-assured Roger Moore(tm) unsettling, even though that’s the guy we’re normally most familiar with.
Ultimately the whole affair leaves us with more questions than answers, which historically has not been the recipe for box office success, so I’m not surprised this film remains obscure. I need to watch it again with the wife so we can engage in a debate about what it all means, if anything. But as frustrated as that sort of thing left me in my youth, I have to say it’s kind of refreshing at this stage, when so few films are willing to dare anything beyond what the accountants and focus groups tell them is guaranteed to sell.
It also looks great, considering this was a DVD and not a Blu-Ray.
If there’s any weak point, it’s the music, which is unimpressive at best and downright distracting at worst. There’s a tune that repeats throughout the picture that is treated as somehow meaningful (various characters play it on their turntables in addition to all the scenes where it’s not diegetic) but it’s got a “Pop” vibe that undermines scenes that should have been creepy or suspenseful, while not being “Pop” enough to sell any soundtrack albums. I’d love to see this thing again with a proper score.
Another thing that works against it – through no fault of the filmmakers – is its similarity to an episode of The Persuaders that covered similar ground in a less sombre fashion. Having Roger central to both created a sense of deja vu and with the music added to the confusion of just what I was supposed to be feeling.
Ultimately, I agree it’s probably Roger’s best outing as an actor. It’s interesting to speculate what direction his career might have taken without Bond, but ultimately I’m pretty sure things turned out for the best, all the way around.
