The Misadventures of Merlin Jones (1964)
Merlin Jones, a precocious and intelligent high-school boy, experiments with hypnosis and creates a mind-reading machine. However, his experiments land him in deep trouble with the law.
- Robert Stevenson
- Alfred Lewis Levitt
- Bill Walsh
Rating: 6.5/10 by 25 users
Alternative Title:
Country:
United States of America
Language:
English
Runtime: 01 hour 31 minutes
Budget: $0
Revenue: $0
Plot Keyword: inventor, hypnosis, mind reading, boy genius
Bit of a disappointment by the end. It starts off very good, but sharply declines from the midway point. 'The Misadventures of Merlin Jones' is practically split into two stories, one about the ability to read minds and one about hypnosis. The former is entertaining and I thoroughly enjoyed it, but the latter is extremely stagnant and slow paced. The film loses all of the promising momentum that it previously builds. Onto the cast, this is arguably Tommy Kirk's best performance to date with Disney. He is excellent as the titular character, adding a strong and fitting demeanour to the role. Annette Funicello (Jennifer) and Leon Ames (Holmsby) are noteworthy too. Overall, it's a shame the production didn't finish how it started - I'd be rating this higher if it had. Still, this is one that is worth a watch.
