The Hands of Orlac
I don't often get as lucky as on this film.
I managed (with some much appreciated help) to obtain all of the film's footage with original German subtitles, the full translation of those titles and a 1929 English copy of the Maurice Renard novel (originally titled Les Mains d'Orlac).
You can't ask for more than that.
The novel follows the 1925 Conrad Veidt silent feature closely on all of the major points.
SPOILERS
The pianist Stephen Orlac is a victim of a train wreck. His hands are irreparably damaged. Professor Cerral performs a transplant and gives him the hands of the murderer Vasseur. Without the ability to play however, Orlac and his wife are without income. She tries to hide their financial problems from him as long as possible. Orlac's rich but eccentric father offers little assistance.
To make matters worse, a murder is committed and Vasseur's (now Orlac's) finger prints are discovered. The Orlacs are blackmailed.
However, it turns out that the blackmailer had used special rubber gloves molded to Vasseur's fingerprints in order to commit the crime himself. In fact, he had used those same gloves long before the innocent Vasseur had been executed.
Orlac can live out his life with piece of mind knowing that his hands are not those of a killer.
written: 2/15/2002
