The Four-Sided Triangle

(1953)
Directed by Terence Fisher
Written by Paul Tabori (adaptation/screenplay), Terence Fisher (screenplay) from a novel from William F. Temple.
Starring Barbara Payton, James Hayter, Stephen Murray, John Van Eyssen
IMDB Entry

Not all  50s science fiction involved monsters. There were some examples that dealt with the possibilities – good or bad – of technology. The Four-Sided Triangle is an example of this.

Bill Leggat (Stephen Murray) and Robin Grant (John Van Eyssen) were close childhood friends, who both get childhood crushes on Lena Maitland (Barbara Peyton). Grown up, Lena falls for Bill, leaving Robin the odd man out, and Robin is deeply disappointed. He and Bill are are scientists, developing the Reproducer, which can make exact duplicates of anything.

Robin comes up with the idea of making a replica of Lena so that he can have her. The woman – called Helen – is indeed a duplicate, but also falls for Bill. Robin comes up with a plan to fix that. Of course, it does not work.

I liked the situation, but also the way it avoids the clichés of the genre. In most movies of this vintage, Helen would go horribly wrong. It does from Robin’s point of  view, but no monster is created.

Director Terence Fisher was a very busy man in the fifties, directing several Hammer horror films.* The cast also appeared in Hammer films.

It’s an intriguing situation and an entertaining movie.

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*The Four-Sided Triangle was an early venture by Hammer, before they made their niche in horror.