The Hyperboloid of Engineer Garin

I didn't exactly know what a hyperboloid was before I watched this movie, and afterwards I admit I still don't. It seems to be a very deadly heat ray of some kind, but we don't spend a lot of time dwelling on seeing it in action, and that help illustrate the focus of this film.

There's a a science fiction premise -- a basic one that deals with the invention of a new super-weapon. But after an effective initial scene of a suspicious abandoned house being investigated, we are thrust headlong into a film more about the international intrigues to discover, control, and exploit the new weapon than about the weapon itself. And that's by and large a wise move; the intrigues are tense and the film is atmospheric. The 1920s time period and largely French setting definitely contributes to an often, smoky, secretive atmosphere.

There's a moral here about the peril of allowing moneymaking interests to control a dangerous weapon. That's well in tune with Soviet governmental ideology, but in this case it's a point well made and as no dead horses are beaten, it's not unwelcome moralizing.

The main flaw is that we jump so quickly into the plot and the hunt for the invention, that we don't get much of a chance to see the characters involved in it built up or developed. That makes things dryer than they need to be and reduces the audience investment in events. I haven't read that book that it's based on (very proudly -- it's in the design of the title card), and maybe that's a less of a problem there.

A kind of Soviet James Bond, ridiculous at the top. Embarrassing dialogues, stupid scenes, there is the idea from any James Bond movie with a crazy guy who wants to master the world, he also has a terrible weapon with which he does some damage, but everything is done in an unskillful, inept way.

My wife has read the 1927 science fiction novel on which this film is based, and assures me that it mostly makes sense. The film is far too short to handle all its plots and subplots, but can be enjoyed if you view it as incomprehensible but entertaining excerpts from a larger whole.

This is a story-set in the 1920'- about engineer Garin- a rogue-ish mad scientist intent on controlling the world with his death ray invention. Through many intrigues across international borders , we witness Garin scheming w/ double dealing government agents and business tycoons. Who will win this evil race to conquer humanity ? The set and the story are crisply presented, the black and white cinematography is ultra clear- no faded images here, the use of shadows vs light works wonderfully. The dialogue is adequate and sometimes tense. Nothing here is symbolic or surreal- what we get is a straightforward James Bond- esque plot to rule the world. But how it all ends for Garin is a most brilliant ironic piece of poetic justice that has left me with a powerful lingering image ...