Who in the over-50's crowd wouldn't leap at the chance to wipe the chalkboard clean and start life over again as a 20-year-old? That's basically what happens in this movie that plays like an extended episode of the Twilight Zone but even better. Written by that iconic television show's creator, Rod Serling, but even as ingenious as Serling wasn't a director on Frankenheimer's level and the end result is a great sci-fi drama directed by one of the all-time greats written by one of the all-time greats.
The script isn't as loaded down with propaganda as Serling's half-hour episodes could be but there is enough here to get the movie viewer thinking about the philosophical contexts of what the ability to start one's life over would be. In my opinion it would have been an even better film had it played with the overly witty dialog Serling was so good at.
As far as what happens to Rock Hudson's character and his new life, whether he makes it or not, you'll have to watch to find out. This is the meat of the film and where it starts to get real trippy. An unexpected, very erotic and slightly over-the-top scene in a Santa Barbara vineyard has Frankenheimer take us to the very edge before he pulls it back for a perfectly balanced third act.
You know what they say - be careful what you wish for, you just may get it. 4.5 stars/5
Who and what is Tony Wilson?
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