Mad Love: Peter Lorre is creepy and I’m here for it

Is it worth your time?

If you like movies where the villain is just a guy with a bad haircut and a worse personality, yes. It's a short, punchy 68 minutes. If you need logic or medical realism, look elsewhere. You'll probably hate it if you can't stand old movies that move at a slightly different pace than today's ADHD-fueled cinema.

Peter Lorre. My god, the man could do more with his eyes than most actors can do with a whole script. He plays Dr. Gogol, and he is just uncomfortably obsessed with Yvonne Orlac. You can feel the sweat in the room every time he looks at her. It’s gross, but you can’t look away.

The whole plot hinges on a train crash. It happens fast. Then the surgery happens, and suddenly the pianist husband has the hands of a killer who loved throwing knives. It’s ridiculous, but the movie plays it so straight that I found myself nodding along like, yeah, sure, that’s a thing that happens in Paris.

• The wax museum scene is nightmare fuel.
• The way Lorre walks... he really sells the 'mad scientist' bit without needing a lab coat to do the heavy lifting.
• The ending feels a bit rushed, like the studio said, "Okay, wrap it up, we have a lunch break."

There’s a moment where the husband, played by Colin Clive, realizes he can throw knives perfectly. He doesn't even look surprised. He just goes with it. I feel like if I suddenly had a murderer's hands, I’d be a bit more concerned about my career prospects.

It’s not as chaotic as

The lighting is super dramatic, all shadows and sharp angles. It’s very 1930s gothic. It’s nice to look at, even when the plot goes totally off the rails near the final act. Just enjoy the ride and don't ask how the stitches hold up during a knife fight.