Director:Â Jack Gold
Screenplay: John Gould and Algis Budrys
Starring:Â Elliott Gould, Joseph Bova, Trevor Howard, James Noble, Michael Lombard
Country: UK
Running Time: 93 min
Year: 1974
BBFC Certificate: PG
One of the truer oddities of British science fiction cinema, though shot in Miami and Germany, Who? alias the Man in the Steel Mask is a peculiar film directed by an underrated yet prominent British director in Jack Gold and starring two big names (Elliott Gould in his A-list days, Trevor Howard), though the real lead and titular character is the lesser known Joseph Bova.
An American scientist, Lucas Martino (Bova), working in East Germany returns across the border, except he is now a disfigured gentleman who has a rebuilt metallic face. Is he who he claims? Sean Rogers (Gould) is sent to investigate, and suspects Russian Colonel Azarin (Trevor Howard) is behind something nefarious. What emanates is an odd mix of Cold War thriller and SF but different to the moon-based Aldys Budrys story it is based on.
It is a simple plot – but it is well done. More of a psychological drama about identity, it does not veer into the camp that is suggested by Bova’s cheery Tin Man makeup (though the final image of Bova on a tractor is wonderfully offbeat). There is a solid car chase from Remy Julienne to liven things up, but it’s a character drama.
Jack Gold, one of the more prominent British TV directors of the era, with an interesting CV (The Bofors Gun, The Reckoning, Man Friday, Aces High, The Medusa Touch) handles it well, with an atmospheric opening. As Kim Newman notes in the commentary, writer Jack Gould wrote for Doomwatch, and this is very much in that mould of SF, of boardrooms and international intrigue and minor scientific advances.
Gould has little to do, despite being first billed. Howard is oddly cast, replacing Curd Jurgens at the last minute, having worked with Gold on another forgotten British SF oddity Catholics (the one where Martin Sheen is an agent of a liberalised Catholic Church sent to Ireland where Latin Mass is still performed). However, Bova is the true star, bringing a vulnerability and a humanity to a character that could easily be a cipher.
Film: 
Who? is being released on Blu-ray and DVD by 88 Films on 27th October.
LIMITED EDITION FEATURES:
– First Pressing Double Walled O-ring
– First Pressing Booklet Notes by Andrew Graves
SPECIAL FEATURES:
– Remastered High Definition Blu-Ray Presentation in 1.85:1 Aspect Ratio
– 2.0 LPCM Dual-Mono
– Optional English Subtitles
– Audio Commentary by Kim Newman and Barry Forshaw
– The Megaton Mind – Interview with Actor Edward Grover
– Who’s Mask? – Interview with Makeup Artist Colin Arthur
– Who Sounds Better? – Interview with Sound Editor Colin Miller
– Image Gallery
An informative commentary by Kim Newman and Barry Forshaw chatting on the film is included, though Newman does state Bruce Boa played the suicidal ambassador in the Final Conflict (that was Robert Arden, Boa is in The Omen as an ambassadorial aide).
Interviews with sound editor Colin Miller, makeup artist Colin Arthur and actor Edward Grover are included.
Disc/Package:
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