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7.1/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 7.1/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. A Man's Head remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you like your crime movies feeling a bit dusty and genuinely weird, yeah, catch A Man's Head. It isn't a snappy procedural. It’s a slow-burn study of a guy who is clearly out of his depth. If you want high-octane thrills or clear-cut heroes, you'll probably hate this. It’s got that specific 1930s gloom that doesn't care if you like the characters or not.
The whole setup with Willy is just pathetic. He’s the kind of guy who thinks he’s a mastermind because he can pay someone else to do his dirty work. Watching him try to navigate the situation is like watching a fly hit a window.
Harry Baur plays Maigret with this heavy, almost lethargic energy. He doesn't swoop in with clever deductions. He just kind of... sits there. He lets the silence do the work. It’s a bold choice, really. You can almost feel him absorbing the grime of the room.
It’s not as polished as The Public Enemy, and honestly, that’s why I liked it. It feels a bit scuffed at the edges. Some scenes feel like they were filmed in a basement, and the audio has that charmingly scratchy quality that makes everything feel like a secret.
The pacing is a total mess, but in a good way. It stops for no reason. It rushes when you want it to linger. It feels like a real person told you this story over a drink and forgot half the details, so they just made up stuff to fill the gaps.
I’m not sure if the ending actually earns the buildup, but by that point, I was already too deep into the atmosphere to care. It’s a weird, rainy-day kind of watch. Just don’t expect a neat bow on top. Nobody is getting a happy ending here, and that feels right. 🌧️