''The Man Who Reclaimed His Head'' is a 1934 American

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super- ...

directed by

Edward Ludwig Edward Irving Ludwig (October 7, 1899 – August 20, 1982) was a Russian-born American film director and writer. He directed nearly 100 films between 1921 and 1963 (some under the names Edward I. Luddy and Charles Fuhr). Ludwig was also one ...

and written by

Jean Bart Jean Bart (; ; 21 October 1650 – 27 April 1702) was a French naval commander and privateer. Early life Jean Bart was born in Dunkirk in 1650 to a seafaring family, the son of Jean-Cornil Bart (c. 1619-1668) who has been described variously a ...

and Samuel Ornitz. The film stars

Claude Rains William Claude Rains (10 November 188930 May 1967) was a British actor whose career spanned almost seven decades. After his American film debut as Griffin (The Invisible Man), Dr. Jack Griffin in ''The Invisible Man (1933 film), The Invisible Ma ...

Joan Bennett Joan Geraldine Bennett (February 27, 1910 – December 7, 1990) was an American stage, film, and television actress. She came from a show-business family, one of three acting sisters. Beginning her career on the stage, Bennett appeared in more t ...

Lionel Atwill Lionel Alfred William Atwill (1 March 1885 – 22 April 1946) was an English stage and screen actor. He began his acting career at the Garrick Theatre. After coming to the U.S., he subsequently appeared in various Broadway plays and Hollywood f ...

Juanita Quigley Juanita Quigley (24 June 1931 – 29 October 2017) was an American child actress in motion pictures of the 1930s and 1940s. She had a sister, Rita Quigley, who was also a child actress. Career Juanita Quigley was billed as "Baby Jane" in severa ...

Henry O'Neill Henry O'Neill (August 10, 1891 – May 18, 1961) was an American film actor known for playing gray-haired fathers, lawyers, and similarly dignified roles during the 1930s and 1940s. Early years He was born in Orange, New Jersey. Caree ...

and Henry Armetta. The film was released on December 24, 1934, by

Universal Pictures Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Americ ...

Plot

Paul Verin walks through the streets of 1915 Paris carrying his small daughter Linette on one arm and a black satchel on the other. Arriving at the home of Paul's boyhood friend, attorney Fernand De Marnay, Paul relates the events that led him there. Five years ago Paul and his wife Adele lived in Clichy. They lived off what Paul could make with his political writings. Adele loves Paul but she is unhappy living in Clichy. She wants to live in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Si ...

. To make enough money to move to Paris, Paul accepts an offer to write political articles for aspiring politician Henri Dumont agreeing to let Dumont take credit as the author. Dumont has political aspirations and the

anti-war An anti-war movement (also ''antiwar'') is a social movement, usually in opposition to a particular nation's decision to start or carry on an armed conflict, unconditional of a maybe-existing just cause. The term anti-war can also refer to p ...

editorials make Dumont popular. Paul and wife are able to live in Paris comfortably. Dumont's rising popularity attracts the interest of a group of wealthy arms dealers who would like the editorials to move toward a pro-war viewpoint. Paul is an avowed

pacifist Pacifism is the opposition or resistance to war, militarism (including conscription and mandatory military service) or violence. Pacifists generally reject theories of Just War. The word ''pacifism'' was coined by the French peace campai ...

and refuses to write such articles for Dumont. When war breaks out, Dumont uses his influence to see that Paul is sent to the front. Paul becomes a corporal and see action at Verdun. Paul is given leave to see Adele. At the railroad station, Paul finds his leave has been cancelled. He hears a rumor that not only is Dumont spending time with Adele but Dumont is also responsible for his leave being cancelled. On hearing this, Paul boards the train to Paris. He is arrives at his home and discovers Dumont attempting to force himself on Adele. Enraged, Paul uses his

bayonet A bayonet (from French ) is a knife, dagger, sword, or spike-shaped weapon designed to fit on the end of the muzzle of a rifle, musket or similar firearm, allowing it to be used as a spear-like weapon.Brayley, Martin, ''Bayonets: An Illustr ...

to kill Dumont. Paul reveals the contents of his satchel to de Mornay. While not graphically shown on screen, the implication of the scene is that the satchel contains the severed head of Dumont. Paul had 'lost his ‘head’ to Dumont and now he has it back. Adele arrives with the police. De Mornay will be able to get an acquittal for Paul.

Cast

as Paul Verin *

as Adele Verin *

as Henry Dumont *

as Linette Verin *

as Fernand de Marnay * Henry Armetta as Laurent *

Wallace Ford Wallace Ford (born Samuel Grundy Jones; 12 February 1898 – 11 June 1966) was an English-born naturalized American vaudevillian, stage performer and screen actor. Usually playing wise-cracking characters, he combined a tough but friendly-fac ...

as 'Curly' * Lawrence Grant as Marchant * William B. Davidson as Charles *

Harry Cording Hector William "Harry" Cording (26 April 1891 – 1 September 1954) was an English-American actor. He is perhaps best remembered for his roles in the films '' The Black Cat'' (1934) and ''The Adventures of Robin Hood'' (1938). Life and career ...

as French Mechanic (uncredited) * Maurice Murphy as Leon - a Soldier (uncredited) *

Edward Van Sloan Edward Van Sloan (born Edward Paul Van Sloun; November 1, 1882 – March 6, 1964) was an American character actor best remembered for his roles in the Universal Studios horror films such as ''Dracula'' (1931), ''Frankenstein'' (1931), and '' T ...

as Board Director (uncredited)

Production

The film was based on a 1932 stage play which also starred Rains.

Jean Arthur Jean Arthur (born Gladys Georgianna Greene; October 17, 1900 – June 19, 1991) was an American Broadway and film actress whose career began in silent films in the early 1920s and lasted until the early 1950s. Arthur had feature roles in three F ...

played Verin's wife. In the play, the character of Paul Verin was physically malformed and suffered from various ailments. In the film, he did not. Though it isn't known why the change was made, it was likely Rains' choice. Neither the play or the film were successful. The play closed after only 23 performances and the film was did not sell many tickets.Soister, John T with Wioskowski, JoAnna. Claude Rains: A Comprehensive Illustrated Reference to His Work in Film, Stage, Radio, Television and Recordings. McFarland and Company Publishers, 1999. Pg. 34

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Man Who Reclaimed His Head 1934 films 1930s English-language films American drama films 1934 drama films Universal Pictures films Films directed by Edward Ludwig American black-and-white films Films set in the 1910s Films set in Paris Films scored by Heinz Roemheld American films based on plays 1930s American films Films produced by Carl Laemmle Jr.