BoardChiri Bad Acting and worse Bad Screenplay
CrawlerChunky In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.
Hayleigh Joseph This is ultimately a movie about the very bad things that can happen when we don't address our unease, when we just try to brush it off, whether that's to fit in or to preserve our self-image.
Stephanie There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes
Michael O'Keefe Lon Chaney Jr. plays David Stuart, an artist that is blinded by accident...or purposely by who and why? Reginald Le Borg directs this suspenseful drama. Stuart may have a second chance at resuming his livelihood; his fiance's father has offered his own eyes upon his death. While waiting on this eye-sight transfer, the donor is murdered. Now there is a double mystery fueled by jealousy and greed. Mr. Chaney plays his role garnering sympathy without seeming wooden. Other players in this the third of six in the Inner Sanctum series: Jean Parker, George Meeker, Edward Fielding, Thomas Gomez, Paul Kelly, Jonathan Hale and Acquanetta.
Scott LeBrun The third movie in the theatrical "Inner Sanctum" series is fine entertainment for old time thriller lovers. Lon Chaney Jr. is in fine form as Dave Stuart, a painter. He's engaged to rich girl Heather Hayden (Jean Parker), and this is in fact a union that her father Stanley (Edward Fielding) is eager to see come to fruition. One day Dave mistakes acid for his eyewash and blinds himself, and Stanley promises Dave that he will provide his own eyeballs for a risky cornea operation should the old man die. Well, the old man *does* get murdered, and Dave falls under suspicion. And, as it turns out, there are others who could conceivably benefit from the death."Dead Man's Eyes" is not what this viewer would consider a great mystery, but it *is* a solid and engaging diversion for barely over an hour. (All of the "Inner Sanctum" movies have very trim running times.) It does its job at setting up dubious characters and their motives, and having suspicion keep shifting from one to another. The filmmaking (Reginald LeBorg is the director) is efficient and to the point.The acting is wonderful from much of the cast. Lon Jr. is rather over emphatic at times, but there's no denying the sincerity of his performance. Parker is cute and appealing. Acquanetta, who plays Tanya, the model who is in love with Dave, is a striking beauty but not much of an actress. Paul Kelly is good fun as Alan Bittaker, Daves' chipper psychiatrist friend. Thomas Gomez is likewise a stitch as the smirking detective on the case. Jonathan Hale (as the eye surgeon), Fielding, and George Meeker (as Heathers' pathetic former boyfriend) are all rock solid.Fans of Lon Jr. would do well to check him out in this sort of atmospheric Universal B picture, where he's not required to put on elaborate makeup or dress in fanciful costume.Seven out of 10.
binapiraeus Now this is about the most horrible thing that can happen to a painter: when Dave Stuart is just about to finish his masterpiece, of which he hopes he can get enough money to marry his fiancée Heather, his beautiful but somewhat stupid model Tanya mixes up the bottles in his bathroom - and instead of eye fluid, he puts acid into his eyes and is blinded! And now, of course, he feels completely useless, and out of decency he tells Heather he can't marry her; which suits Tanya just fine, because she, who's in love with him too, can play his nurse now and make him dependent on her... But there still is hope: the eye specialist explains that a pair of eyes from a dead man could be transplanted to him, and there's a small chance that he'll be able to see again; and Heather's father, who still loves Dave like a son and wants his daughter to become happy with him, arranges in his will that as soon as he dies, Dave will get his eyes - and that puts the old man in GREAT danger...Another "Inner Sanctum" mystery full of suspense, jealousy and psychology (Dave's best friend Alan actually is a psychiatrist), with lots of twists and turns to the intricate plot, REALLY eerie moments especially during the transplantation scenes, and marvelous acting, particularly on the part of Lon Chaney Jr. as the blinded artist - a REAL gem among the murder mysteries of the 40s!
scottmar The Star of many Universal horror classics, Lon Chaney Jr. shines as the star of Universal's Inner Sanctum series. In Dead Man's Eyes, Chaney receives the eyes of a dead man. A whodunit follows.