Seconds - A Review

This is a review of the Rock Hudson movie Seconds, a surreal yet penetrating movie directed by John Frankenheimer.

Seconds deals with an older man, Arthur Hamilton, who is a successful upper-middle class bank executive with a wife, large home, green lawn, air conditioning. He is miserable. A friend of Hamilton's hooks him up with The Company that will give Hamilton a new life.

This entails faking Hamilton's death and heavy reconstruction surgery. The old man Hamilton becomes a young man named Wilson. And Wilson just happens to look like Rock Hudson.

Seconds is very artsy. It came out in 1966 when American filmmakers were using European styles of film making. The scenes involving the old Hamilton and his wife play like Ingmar Bergman. The later scenes with young Wilson and The Company are surreal, like Godard.

I won't give any of the surprises away. The first twenty minutes is a little difficult to get into but once the plot kicks in the movie works really well.

Seconds deals with second chances and freedom. Old man Hamilton represents the status quo. He has the American Dream but is miserable. By becoming a younger man, Wilson, he is allowed to live as a successful artist but he is still miserable. Even jumping into a large vat of grapes with a bunch of naked hippies doesn't make him in happier.

This guy is miserable no matter what life he choses to go with.

Seconds is a very good, very unique American made thriller. It's like a Twilight Zone episode that was written by Bergman and directed by Godard.