The Man Who Haunted Himself (1970)
Stalked by fear and terror – night and day!
Director
Basil Dearden

Writers
Basil Dearden
Anthony Armstrong

Starring
Roger Moore
Hildegarde Neil
Alastair McKenzie
Hugh Mackenzie
Kevork Malikyan
Thorley Waters
Anton Rodgers.

Review by Noel Baily

What WOULD you do if it happened to you?
Long before Moore’s incarnation as 007, this is arguably near the top of Moore’s filmography. After Harold Pelham has a near-death experience following an auto accident, he makes what appears to be a stoic recovery. It is only with the passage of time that he begins to notice subtle occurrences that don’t seem to dovetail with his own personality. Either he is losing his mind or there is something remarkably rotten in the state of Denmark. Friends and business acquaintances swear they have interacted with him, moments BEFORE he arrives at work…his wife notices a radical change in him and ultimately the inescapable truth presents itself – he has a doppelganger!

Call it far-fetched..It’s about the only weak point in the flick. Moore is just brilliant as he unravels in the face of his doppelganger’s one-upmanship. The final scenes where he confronts his “twin” are riveting and should silence the tidal wave of critics who insist Moore could never act!

A few years ago it was rumoured that the film was to be re-made in New Zealand (Peter Jackson?) as DOPPELGANGER, with no less a personage than Travolta in the lead, and he would certainly do the role justice. Since then, heard nothing (could it be a mistaken report about Face Off?).

This flick is well worth your effort finding somewhere, even on video.