Most Dangerous Man Alive


Most Dangerous Man Alive is a 1961 American black-and-white science fiction film, produced by Benedict Bogeaus, directed by Allan Dwan, that stars Ron Randell, Debra Paget, and Elaine Stewart. The film was distributed by Columbia Pictures. The screenplay was written by James Leicester and Phillip Rock and is based on The Steel Monster by Phillip Rock, Michael Pate, and Leo Gordon. Michael Pate also co-wrote the script.

Plot

Gangster Eddie Candel is framed for a crime he didn't commit, and he flees to the desert, stumbling by accident into an atomic bomb testing site. Eddie is exposed to high levels of radiation, and his body begins to transform in remarkable ways. With his new mental and physical condition, he sets out to take revenge against all those who betrayed him.

Cast

The film began as a story by Leo Gordon called The Atomic Man. Gordon went to fellow actor Michael Pate to rewrite the story. Needing money, Gordon sold his rights to Pate who took the story to his brother-in-law, screenwriter Phillip Rock.
Producer Benedict Bogeaus had wanted to shoot the film as a television pilot, to be shown on TV as three episodes, should it be picked up for syndication. Traveling to Mexico to begin shooting in 1960, Mexican film syndicates ruled that it was actually a feature film and demanded Bogeaus make it using a full crew, which would now have to be paid at feature film labor rates. With the budget now tripled, director Allen Dwan claimed he had to shoot the feature in one week, instead of five.
It was Randell's last leading role.

Home media

Cinema Rarities offers the Most Dangerous Man Alive as a manufactured on demand two-disc DVD-R set. It contains both widescreen and pan-and-scan TV versions. The widescreen is transferred from a surviving TV syndication print and contains occasional station identifiers, etc.