THE MAN WHO FINALLY DIED On Blu-ray From Severin

 

THE MAN WHO FINALLY DIED (1963) shares a disc along with SUSPECT in Severin's CUSHING CURIOSITIES Blu-ray box set. 

The movie is based on a British TV serial, and both projects were directed by Quentin Lawrence. A man who calls himself Joe Newman (Stanley Baker) arrives in a town in Bavaria, Germany. Newman was born in the town, but he left as a child when his mother took him to England. Joe's father served in the German military in WWII, and Newman is seeking information on him. No one in the town, however, wants to give him any straight answers--including his father's friend Dr. von Brecht (Peter Cushing). Joe finds out his father's identity is being used in an international plot. 

THE MAN WHO FINALLY DIED is a black & white mystery with a few noir elements. Much of the story consists of an impatient Stanley Baker trying to find out what really happened to his father while nearly every person in the town puts obstacles in his way. It's a very talky film, and the revelation of what is actually going on isn't exactly earth-shattering. After seeing the climax, one realizes that if one of the characters had just taken Joe Newman aside and calmly explained the entire situation, a lot of trouble would have been avoided (and the movie would have been about five minutes long). 

Stanley Baker is decent enough as Joe Newman, but the character isn't very engaging, and he has a bad temper (although it has to be said his anger here is justified). Peter Cushing doesn't have a lot to do, and honestly his role here isn't as good as the one he had in SUSPECT. The main thing that can be said about Cushing's Dr. von Brecht is that he's very suspicious--but everybody in this movie acts suspicious, including Stanley Baker. 

The movie is helped by a fine supporting cast, including Niall MacGinnis, Eric Portman, Mai Zettering, and Nigel Green. Quentin Lawrence (who also directed Peter Cushing in one of his best roles in CASH ON DEMAND) does what he can to open up the story and make it cinematic, but it's obvious this production was not filmed in Germany. (As a matter of fact, the exteriors of good old Oakley Court are used in a couple scenes.) 

Severin presents THE MAN WHO FINALLY DIED in an excellent-looking 2.35:1 widescreen transfer. The only extra is a new audio commentary with Kim Newman and Barry Forshaw. The duo spend most of their time talking about Stanley Baker's acting career, and how the movie compares with other British films and TV shows of the period. It's a conversation worth listening to. 

I had never seen THE MAN WHO FINALLY DIED, and while it is a competently made feature, there aren't enough interesting moments in it to cover the 100 minute running time. It is a rare title for most Peter Cushing fans, and it's good that the company decided to include it in its Cushing Blu-ray box set.