Review of The Man Who Haunted Himself (1970) by Stephen C — 15 Jul 2013

Parts of Basil Deardens final film have of course dated badly especially the films score which screams of Austin Powers.

But if you can look past the creaking parts of the film, what you get is a rather neat thriller with a great central performance from Roger Moore.

Moore plays Harold Pelham a sharp suited businessmen who while driving home wildly after work has a serious accident.

At first everything seems normal as Pelham makes a full recovery and sets about trying to repair his rocky marriage.

But why do his friends say they saw him at his club playing snookerwhen he was on Holiday with his wife?

Who is the person wrecking his business activities and having an affair with a beautiful young woman?

Is Pelham going mad ? or is there really a double of him carrying out the fantasies he can only dream of.

Dearden plays a good hand here and allows Moore to really show his acting chops as a man who may end up having a complete mental breakdown if he dosent uncover the truth.

The film also contains a corking turn from Freddie Jones as a shrink who may or may not believe anything Pelham has imagined.

This really is a cracking thriller and it also put paid to the myth that Moore wasnt a good actor as he really is superb here .