Return of the Fly

The Return of the Fly (1959) starring Vincent Price, Bret Halsey

Synopsis of The Return of the Fly

Since the brilliant scientist of The Fly is dead, time skips forward 20 years to his now-adult son,  In The Return of the Fly, Phillipe seeks to recreate his father’s matter transporter.  He hopes to show the world that his father was a genius.  And to prove himself worthy of the love of a young woman.  But a corrupt “friend” betrays him, recreating the original accident.  Can an older Vincent Price save his nephew before it’s too late?

Review of Return of the Fly

I’ll admit to enjoying The Return of the Fly as a guilty pleasure.  Unlike The Fly, it’s not a psychological drama, but a straight-up horror film.  It also appears to be a lower-budget attempt to cash in on the success of the original.  It’s filmed in black and white, the fly-head is much larger, more people get mutated, etc..  The only actual link to the original film is Vincent Price as Phillipe’s loving uncle, and the now-adult character of Phillipe.

It’s not a bad movie – in fact, several images from it haunted me for a long while when I first saw it as a teenager.  For example, a poor police detective with the hands and feet of a frog, and vice versa.  It’s a decent film, with a fair amount of tension.  Will Phillipe exact revenge on the “friend” who turned him into a monster?  Can Vincent Price, wounded, rescue Phillipe before he gives into his flyish instincts?  What about the beautiful young French girl that Phillipe loves?  Why is the creature chasing her?

As I say, an enjoyable Saturday afternoon popcorn movie, Return of the Fly doesn’t live up to the original film.  I rate it a C+.

Cast of The Return of the Fly

• Francois Delambre (Vincent Price, House of Wax).  Phillipe’s uncle, who’s trying to rescue his nephew after the “accident”.  Vincent does his normal fine acting job
• Philippe Delambre (Brett Halsey, The Godfather: Part III).  The protagonist of the film.  An earnest young man.
• Ronald Holmes / Alan Hinds (David Frankham, 101 Dalmations, Master of the World).  The traitorous “friend” who betrays Phillipe, causes the “accident”, plans to steal the invention, etc.
• Cecile Bonnard (Danielle De Metz,Valley of the Dragons).  Philippe’s love interest.  Even as the creature, he’s pursuing her.

Product Description of The Return of the Fly

The boundaries of science are pushed to the limit once more in this sequel to the ever-popular “The Fly.” In this new thriller, Philippe, son of the ill-fated scientist who invented the matter transporter continues his father’s experiments. But once again nature and science combine with horrible results when Philippe is betrayed by his traitorous assistant, who’s trying to steal the secret of the transporter for himself. Stuck with the head and limbs of a fly, Philippe takes spectacular revenge on those who have wronged him, yet must also return to being a complete man before the fly that now has his head is killed. Featuring Vincent Price as a friend and adviser to the young scientist, this motion picture was praised for it’s acting and slick technical effects.