BRING ON THE BAD GUYS!

Magneto

BRING ON THE BAD GUYS! [Top to bottom: Magneto; Fu Manchu; Dr. Mabuse; Fantomas. Not pictured: Diabolik].

This week we look at the wonderful villains who make movies so much fun: the bad guys who make life miserable for our heroes and so many others, but who certainly enliven the film-going experience for all of us. Interestingly, all of these bad guys come from literary sources -- novels, pulps, and comics.

Dr. Fu Manchu

Fantomas first appeared in the novel of that title in 1911. A diabolical criminal mastermind and master of disguise, he starred in many novels, several silent films, and a few ersatz spy-type movies in the sixties. This week you can read a review of the first book, the first silent film, and the first, I believe, of the sixties big-screen adaptations.

Dr. Mabuse

Dr. Fu Manchu first appeared in Sax Rohmer's novel The Mystery of Fu Manchu (aka The Insidious Dr. Fu Manchu) in 1913. This was followed by many more books in the series, the Hollywood film The Mask of Fu Manchu, a Republic movie serial, an American TV show that lasted half a season, and a British movie series starring Christopher Lee. The character's nadir, aside from the last Lee film, was the parody The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu, Peter Sellers' last movie. You can also read about The Blood of Fu Manchu, the fourth of the Fu-Lee movies.

Dr. Mabuse first appeared in the 1921 novel, Dr. Mabuse der Spieler by Norbert Jacques and became a bestseller. The silent and sound films made by German director Fritz Lang made the character even more popular. Mabuse was turned into a Dr. No-type villain in several sixties films, including The Death Ray Mirror of Dr. Mabuse, and in 2013 there was a terrible film about him, Doctor Mabuse, which starred several original Dark Shadows cast members.

Diabolik was an Italian comic book/graphic novel character who first appeared in 1962, and was in the tradition of Fantomas and Mabuse, especially the former. Danger: Diabolik was, to my knowledge, the only film featuring the character.

Fantomas

Magneto first appeared in the Marvel comic X-Men 1 in 1963. First presented as a one-dimensional villain out to conquer the world for mutantkind (but more for himself) he was made more dimensional in the comics and then in several big-budget feature films made beginning in 1980. Played originally by Sir Ian McKellan, a younger version of the character was later essayed by Michael Fassbender in such films as X-Men: First Class; X-Men: Days of Future Past; and X-Men: Apocalypse.

I had planned on including a recent movie about Sumuru, Sax Rohmer's villainess, so the ladies would have equal time, but ran out of time, although what I've seen so far of the movie did not make me want to rush to see the rest.

FANTOMAS Marvel Allain and Pierre Souvestre

FANTOMAS. Marcel Allain and Pierre Souvestre. Introduction by John Ashbery. First published 1911. Penguin Classics.

This is the first in a series of many, many novels concerning the French master criminal and master of disguise, Fantomas. As the novel begins, there is some question as to whether Fantomas actually exists, but police inspector Juve is convinced that he not only exists but is behind several diabolical crimes. The first of these is the ghastly and brutal murder of the Marquise de Langruen in her locked bedroom, then the murder of Lord Beltham, who is found locked in a trunk. Major characters include Etienne Rambert, who is convinced that his son, Charles, who was so fascinated by Fantomas, is the killer of the Marquise. Then there's the man, Gurn, who may have been the lover of Lady Beltham and may be involved in her husband's death. Juve is eventually able to unmask Fantomas and tell exactly which people the criminal genius was impersonating, but Fantomas has the last laugh and escapes the guillotine via truly despicable means. He "himself was shaken by the horror of the plot he contrived" -- although it's hard to believe the cruel and sociopathic Fantomas would be shaken by any deviltry. Altthough Fantomas and its sequels have been dismissed as mere entertaining pulp stories, this first book in the series, besides being clever and suspenseful, reveals an interesting knowledge of human nature, and the book is quite well-written. The novels were made into several silent serials as well as several sound pictures.

Verdict: Watch out for Fantomas -- he could be anyone! ***.

FANTOMAS: IN THE SHADOW OF THE GUILLOTINE

Rene Navarro and Renee Carl

FANTOMAS: IN THE SHADOW OF THE GUILLOTINE (aka À l'ombre de la guillotine/1913). Director: Louis Feuillade.

The evil genius Fantomas (Rene Navarre) has stolen gems from one terrified woman, Princesse Danidoff (Jane Faber), in a hotel, and is now responsible for the murder of Lord Beltham. Inspector Juve (Edmund Breon) is determined to bring the master criminal to justice. Juve determines that Fantomas is actually Mr. Gurn, the love of Lady Beltham (Renee Carl), and Gurn is arrested and set to be executed. But with the help of Lady Beltham, and the unknowing complicity of the actor Valgrand (Andre Volbert), who plays Fantomas on the stage, Gurn will outwit both Juve and the guillotine. This is the first in a series of short silent films based on the novel Fantomas and subsequent volumes. This film eliminates the grisly murder of the Marquise, as well as the dismaying fate of Valgrand. Beautifully remastered, Fantomas is essentially a curio, well done if basically static, and enlivened by a pastiche musical score. Back in the day, it was probably great fun for French audiences to see scenes from such a popular work of fiction enacted on the screen. Less so today.

Verdict: Interesting curio. **1/2.

FANTOMAS (1964)

FANTOMAS (1964). Director: Andre Hunebelle.

"I have committed most of most of my crimes wearing the faces of my victims."

Inspector Juve (Louis de Funes) is determined to catch the master criminal and murderer, Fantomas (Jean Marais). Reporter Fandor (also played by Marais) thinks that Famtomas doesn't really exist and writes a phony interview with the man. This angers the real Fantomas, who not only kidnaps Fandor, but uses a life-like mask of his face to commit his crimes, such as an incredible jewel robbery where there are dozens of guards and guests all over the place. Then he uses the mask (made of something resembling real skin, which Fantomas has created) of Inspector Juve, who is arrested as Fantomas! This all leads to a merry chase with both Juve and Fandor frantically pursuing the arch-fiend as he tries to make it to his waiting submarine. 

Fantomas is inspired by French novels of the sociopathic criminal, Fantomas, but the tone of this movie, following the cue of the James Bond movies, is much lighter, and eventually approaches parody (unlike the Bond films). Inspector Juve's antics make him begin to resemble Inspector Clouseau, but Funes is good in the role (although not as good as Herbert Lom as Clouseau's nemesis in the films with Peter Sellers) and there are a few genuinely amusing sequences, such as when a whole room of witnesses puts together an identikit photo of "Fantomas" and it looks just like Juve, to his horror. In his true guise, Fantomas wears a blue mask that disguises his features, and his underground headquarters is full of arches and macabre touches (just like a Bond villain). Mylene Demongeot is cast as Fandor's fiancee, Helene, a photographer who gets into the action on more than one occasion but who is still mostly decorative, as is Marie-Helene Arnaud as Lady Beltham, an associate and lover of Fantomas'. The action scenes that comprise the last quarter of the film are never on the same thrilling level as the best of the Bonds, and a scene when Fandor's brakes fail seems to go on forever. More Fantomas features followed.

Verdict: Passable sixties version of durable French villain. **1/2.