Seconds (1966)

Director:

John Frankenheimer

Writers:

David Ely (novel)
Lewis John Carlino (screenplay)

Release Date:

5 October 1966 (USA)

Genre:

Sci-Fi | Thriller | Mystery | Drama

Tagline:

What Are Seconds?... The Answer May Be Too Terrifying For Words!

Plot:

Want out of your life? Just pay the fee and we'll fake your death, change your face, and set up a new identity for you...

Plot Keywords:

New Identity | Surgery | Artist | Painting | Train

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Rock Hudson	...	Antiochus 'Tony' Wilson
Salome Jens	...	Nora Marcus
John Randolph	...	Arthur Hamilton
Will Geer	...	Old Man
Jeff Corey	...	Mr. Ruby
Richard Anderson	...	Dr. Innes
Murray Hamilton	...	Charlie Evans
Karl Swenson	...	Dr. Morris
Khigh Dhiegh	...	Davalo
Frances Reid	...	Emily Hamilton
Wesley Addy	...	John
John Lawrence	...	Texan
Elisabeth Fraser	...	Plump Blonde
Dodie Heath	...	Sue Bushman (as Dody Heath)
Robert Brubaker	...	Mayberry

Also Known As:

Död man lever (Sweden) [sv]
Der Mann, der zweimal lebte (West Germany) [de]
L'opération diabolique (France) [fr]
Manden der skiftede ansigt (Denmark) [da]
Opération diabolique (Canada: French title) [fr]
Operazione diabolica (Italy) [it]
Plan diabólico (Spain) [es]
Tapaus Wilson 507 (Finland) [fi]
Tapaus Wilson 714 (Finland) [fi]
Uma Segunda Vida (Portugal) [pt]

MPAA:

Rated R for some nudity.

Runtime:

100 min | USA:107 min (re-release: 1996) | Australia:103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:X (1966) (cut) | West Germany:18 (nf) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:R (1996 re-release) | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

California, USA

Company:

Gibraltar Productions

Trivia:

The mounted fish over Arthur's mantle belonged to John Frankenheimer.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Tony is being shown the blackmail film that is calculated to get him to cooperate, the blackmailer sits in the guest chair next to Tony. After an assistance enters the room, the blackmailer rises to greet him, then returns to the chair to find Tony's hat has mysteriously appeared on the chair, and has to be removed for him to sit down again.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Man in Station: Mr. Hamilton?
Arthur Hamilton: Yes?
[Man in train station hands Hamilton a folded sheet of paper and turns to walk away; Hamilton stares after him, then opens the folded paper to find an address, with no explanation]

Movie Connections:

Featured in Rock Hudson's Home Movies (1992)

the best midlife crisis film

Midlife crisis films are rare beasts, but everybody loves them. Look at the success of "American Beauty," probably the most stereotypical depiction of middle-class America that I've ever seen. Quite shallow in its way, "Beauty" was a hit because of its subject matter - it tackled some taboos and had the nerve to portray the problems of "ordinary" people. But you know what - it had been done before, and better, here.

"Seconds" is the story of a middle-aged banker who undergoes surgery to become - this part is really a gas - Rock Hudson! He's given an outlet to escape from his loveless family life and tedious job, and he becomes a swinging painter/playboy with a beautiful house on the coast. Of course, he soon finds that good looks and money are no substitute for what he really wants - some kind of genuine intimacy in his life.

Is this message a bit too predictable? Oh, I dunno - we all seem to agree that the pursuit of wealth is an empty one, yet we indulge in it all the same. The social problems explored in "Seconds" are still very much with us, and our awareness of these problems certainly hasn't solved them. The film ultimately acts as a powerful, sobering reminder that most of us aren't doing what we really want to do.

Plenty of great style on display here from director Frankenheimer. There's a wonderful "wobbly camera" drunk scene that is so realistic, you'll feel as though you've been hitting the bottle yourself. There's also consistent effective use of point-of-view shots and unusual angles. In terms of subject matter and directorial flair, this film is incredibly innovative...it's taken years for us to catch up to this kind of material, and yet we still haven't topped it. Definitely in my top twenty.