Movie Review: The Amazing Transparent Man (1960) directed by Edgar G. Ulmer
We open with the daring escape of notorious safecracker Joey Faust (Douglas Kennedy) from prison. We swiftly learn that his release has been sponsored by Major Paul Krenner (James Griffith), who received a medical discharge due to a shrapnel wound. (Joey snarks that it was probably in his head…but no one contradicts this, and Krenner does seem to have some issues, if you know what I mean.) Krenner has also recruited driver Laura Matson (Marguerite Chapman) and guard Julian (Red Morgan) to assist him, but the plan centers around his pet scientist Dr. Peter Ulof (Ivan Triesault).
Dr. Ulof has developed a method of using radiation to turn organic matter (including humans) invisible. A second treatment can reverse the process. Krenner wants to use this to build an army of invisible soldiers to–well, anything he wants to. He’s holding Dr. Ulof’s daughter Maria hostage to ensure cooperation.
To start mass production, Krenner needs more radioactive materials. Problem is, the materials he needs are heavily guarded by the government. Only a master safecracker could get into the vault, and invisibility will allow Joey to evade the human guards.
While the plan meets with initial success, the conflicting motivations of Krenner’s group, and the non-perfection of the invisibility process, lead to disaster.
The basic idea for the plot is sound, and Dr. Ulof is a suitably tragic character. There’s a lot of potential here. I especially liked the opening credits, with a flashlight illuminating the prison wall.
But this is very much a cheap B-movie, and the lack of budget shows in the minimal special effects, sloppy writing and rushed storytelling. It could easily have used another ten minutes or so to flesh out the characters and their relationships. Who is Joey Faust when he’s not being a safecracker? What’s Laura’s motivation and how did she join the group? Does Maria understand that Krenner’s a bad man?
Because it’s short, this movie often winds up as a double feature with other Fifties sci-fi. And that’s probably the best way to watch it, paired with something like The Brain That Wouldn’t Die or the MST3K version.
