Film Snail

6.2

Brainstorm

NR·1965·105m

Thriller

Summary

Scientist Jim Grayam saves his boss' wife from suicide but then falls in love with her.

Cast

Jeffrey Hunter

Jim Grayam

Anne Francis

Lorrie Benson

Dana Andrews

Cort Benson

Viveca Lindfors

Dr. Elizabeth Larstadt

Stacy Harris

Josh Reynolds

Kathie Browne

Angie DeWitt

Phillip Pine

Dr. Ames

Michael Pate

Dr. Mills

Robert McQueeney

Sgt. Dawes

Strother Martin

Mr. Clyde

Joan Swift

Clara

George Pelling

Butler

Victoria Paige Meyerink

Julie Benson

Stephen Roberts

Judge

Pat Cardi

Bobby

Leon Alton

Spectator (uncredited)

Tom Anfinsen

Party Guest (uncredited)

David Armstrong

Party Guest (uncredited)

Frank Baker

Executive (uncredited)

Harry Bartell

Detective (uncredited)

Suzanne Benoit

Nurse (uncredited)

Gary Bohn

Bailiff (uncredited)

Steve Carruthers

Executive (uncredited)

James J. Casino

Party Guest (uncredited)

Donald Chaffin

Orderly (uncredited)

William Conrad

Mental Patient (uncredited)

Roberto Contreras

Asylum Inmate (uncredited)

Isabel Cooley

Nurse (uncredited)

George DeNormand

Attorney (uncredited)

Barbara Dodd

Party Guest (uncredited)

William Duffy

Orderly (uncredited)

Biff Elliot

Detective (uncredited)

Joe Evans

Inmate (uncredited)

Pamelyn Ferdin

Little Girl in Lobby (uncredited)

Fred Fisher

Party Guest (uncredited)

Duke Fishman

Inmate (uncredited)

Jimmie Horan

Party Guest (uncredited)

Steve Ihnat

Dr. Copeland (uncredited)

Byron Keith

Guard (uncredited)

Kenner G. Kemp

Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)

Johnny Kern

Party Guest (uncredited)

Richard Kiel

Asylum Inmate (uncredited)

Lloyd Kino

Mr. Komato (uncredited)

Robert Locke Lorraine

Party Guest (uncredited)

Elaine Martone

Party Guest (uncredited)

Charles Maxwell

Insane Man in Courtroom (uncredited)

William Meader

Party Guest (uncredited)

Joseph Mell

Insane Inmate with Flowers (uncredited)

John Mitchum

Guitar-Playing Inmate (uncredited)

Ray Montgomery

Charlie the Gate Guard (uncredited)

George N. Neise

Party Guest (uncredited)

Monty O'Grady

Executive (uncredited)

James O'Hara

Party Guest (uncredited)

Bill Quinn

Psychiatrist at Sanity Hearing (uncredited)

Paul Ravel

Inmate (uncredited)

Anthony Redondo

Reporter (uncredited)

Victor Rodman

Asylum Inmate (uncredited)

John Roy

Spectator (uncredited)

Wendy Russell

Party Guest (uncredited)

Jeffrey Sayre

Lawyer (uncredited)

James Seay

Judge at Scavenger Hunt (uncredited)

Alfred Shelly

Detective (uncredited)

Hal Taggart

Man at Sanity Hearing (uncredited)

Julie Van Zandt

Mother (uncredited)

Maurice Wells

Judge (uncredited)

Crew

Director

William Conrad

Screenplay

Mann Rubin

Story

Lawrence B. Marcus

Reviews

Geronimo1967

April 3, 2023

This is probably the most complex role I ever saw Jeff (no - rey) Hunter ever undertake, and he's actually not at all bad. He is "Grayam", a man who comes to the aid of the slightly inebriated wife of his boss. "Lorrie" (Anne Francis) is considerably more grateful than her husband "Benson" (Dana Andrews) and it soon becomes clear that she has the hots for him and he, however reluctantly at first, is beginning to reciprocate. Pretty swiftly they are having an affair and rather curiously her husband seems to know all about it and care not a jot. He knows his wife will never leave her wealthy and confortable life - he plays a manipulative game and he plays it well. To thwart this, the two come up with a plan to eliminate "Benson" in plain sight and to cleverly orchestrate the scenario so as to allow his use of a plea of insanity. He sows the seeds well, gradually convincing all around him that he's not the full shilling before... What he didn't really reckon on though was the fickleness of "Lorrie" and the adeptness of the court-appointed psychiatrist "Larstadt" (Viveca Lindfors) who plays well here as the doctor who clearly knows how to play this game of intellectual cat and mouse every bit as well as her quarry. It's perhaps a little too long - too much time is spent on the establishment scenes, but Hunter, Francis and Lindfors are effective here as William Conrad gradually builds this into a sophisticated psychological drama that twists and turns nicely before a denouement that I found to be suitably pathetic. It's rarely seen these days, and may be a bit tame by 21st century standards, but it is a strong and characterful story that is well delivered and well worth a watch.