Let me first give fair warning that this review contains several spoilers; but quite frankly, it won't really matter, as there is very little to spoil. This film was given the A film treatment by MGM; it had the best production values available at the time. George Pal was one of the best in the business at special effects, Miklos Rosza was the best musical director of his generation, and several cast members had great resumes. The one thing that was missing was writing; you cannot have a successful film without a good screenplay. This one was horrendous. The sad thing is that Frank Robinson had a good idea for his book, but it was badly executed, both in his book and for this turkey. Why is the film hilarious? Let us count the ways. A cigarette-smoking scientist on the committee who is supposed to be intelligent? Another scientist played by Earl Holliman, who has as much chance as being a scientist as I have of winning the Nobel Prize, George Hamilton and his tan is able to resist the greatest supergenius in the world? Susanne Pleshette and her mighty IQ is able to resist him as well? Please. But it gets worse. A PHD who climbs down an elevator shaft and carries a 38? Delusions of James Bond. Arthur O'Connell was so lucky; he dies before this turkey is more than ten minutes old. Believe it or not, this film could have been a good movie, if Robinson had pursued a more intelligent line of plot development. No, he and the studio opted for cheesy go-go dancing and stereotyped females to try and spice up the convoluted plot. Don't waste your time on this turkey, as it has a predictable ending.
Review of The Power
