The Hands of Orlac (1960)

In the world of fame and opulence, renowned concert pianist Stephen Orlac is soaring high. As he embarks on a journey to France, driven by love and devotion to wed the strikingly beautiful Louise Cochrane, the course of his life takes an unforeseen plunge. Amid a shroud of heavy fog, their aircraft crashes, leaving his skilled hands, his very livelihood, in ruin. As Orlac wakes in a world irrevocably changed, headlines of his tragic plight sit unsettlingly alongside the chilling tales of the executed strangler, Louis Vasseur. In a desperate bid to salvage his hands, Orlac undergoes a ground-breaking transplant operation. The hands that once committed heinous crimes now replace his own, setting his life on a chilling new trajectory. Haunted by the ghostly legacy of their former owner, Orlac's new hands instill in him a growing sense of dread. He finds himself ensnared in their sinister grip, as they seem to take on a life of their own, steering him towards a path of crime and violence that is peculiarly reminiscent of Vasseur's. Meanwhile, a crafty magician and conman named Nero, accompanied by his beguiling Vietnamese assistant, lurk in the shadows. Sensing Orlac's tumultuous predicament, they hatch devious plans to exploit his newfound fears. As they skillfully weave their web of deceit, Nero and his assistant plot to push Orlac further towards the brink of insanity and secure their own nefarious ends. In this enthralling tale of psychological horror, The Hands of Orlac poses a chilling question - can the transplanted hands of a murderer lead an innocent man into a dangerous dance with crime and madness?

The Hands of Orlac is a crime movie featuring Christopher Lee and directed by Edmond T. Gréville.

The Hands of Orlac is currently streaming on ARROW.