UNDER-RATED CLASSICS #7 – SECONDS (1966)
Directed by: John Frankenheimer
Produced by: Edward Lewis
Screenplay by: Lewis John Carlino – based on the novel, Seconds, by David Ely
Cast: Rock Hudson, Salome Jens, John Randolph, Richard Anderson, Will Geer, Karl Swenson, Jeff Corey etc.
Music by: Jerry Goldsmith
***MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS***
So, I continue my articles on films which have perhaps fallen off the radar and deserve more recognition. The rules are simple. An under-rated classic can be a film I love, plus satisfy the following criteria:
- Must not have won an Oscar.
- Must not have won a BAFTA.
- Must not appear in the AFI Top 100 list.
- Must not appear in the IMDB Top 250 list.
- Must not appear in the BFI 100 Great British films.
- Must not appear in the all-time highest grossing movies of list.
Seconds (1966) is a science fiction drama which is very much of its time, but also truly relevant today. It deals with identity and lifestyle transplants. The film explores notions of escaping one’s everyday existence and living out one’s dreams through plastic surgery and scientific procedure. However, it also contains an important message, that whatever physical, social and personal changes you make there are no guarantees your life will be better. Perhaps, it is best to accept what you have and work with what nature gave you. Make positive changes to your mind and body, but know that there is no such thing as a quick fix.
The character of Arthur Hamilton (John Randolph) certainly finds this out to his cost in the narrative of Seconds (1966). His life is reasonably good, but he is dissatisfied with his job, and love for his wife has dissipated. He discovers an outfit called ‘The Company’ can, at a price, exchange his body and life, allowing him to be reborn a new man. After the procedure that man happens to be called Tony Wilson, who has the movie star looks of Rock Hudson. Hamilton/Wilson settles into a creative and hedonistic life by the beach. Yet, the sand is always softer on the other side. Soon, holes begin to show in Hamilton/Wilson’s new life.
Seconds (1966), is a psychologically eerie body-swap-sci-fi-horror film. It’s shot in crisp black and white by influential cinematographer, James Wong Howe, and contains some psychedelic visuals, weird angles, mirrored images, fish-eye lens shots, and images of actual rhinoplasty during the transformation sequence. Brilliantly directed by John Frankenheimer, it is also thematically very powerful. Aside from the dystopic warnings about plastic surgery, it also explores the nature of cults and closed communities. Rock Hudson gives a career best performance as Tony Wilson. His desperate and paranoiac scramblings in the second half of the film are painfully stressful as the character realises he has not only lost his identity, but possibly also his mind. Overall, it’s important to reiterate that organic change in itself is a positive thing, however, as Seconds (1966) demonstrates, there are no shortcuts to happiness or success.
The Cinema Fix presents: 
A great choice for this series. It’s a brilliant film. I think it’s the best work of Rock Hudson’s career. I’ve always thought of it–thematically, anyway–as a companion piece to Fellini’s 8 1/2. Whereas Fellini was generally hopeful, Frankenheimer was much more cynical, paranoid. Of course he wasn’t as talented as Fellini either.
Just sharing a personal observation. I’m probably the only person who see similarities between the films.
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Thanks very much. Very interesting points re: 8 1/2. I haven’t seen that film in years, so will re-watch with Seconds in mind. I saw Seconds in the cinema at the BFI last year again and it still retains much power. As you say Frankenheimer’s vision and this story are utterly desperate by the end. Utterly compelling though.
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I always liked Rock. He was a very good actor! And handsome. I want to see this!
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