The Mind Benders (1963): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1963, The Mind Benders is an action, thriller, drama and science fiction film directed by Basil Dearden, running about 109 minutes. “PERVERTED... SOULESS! The Most Dangerous And Different Motion Picture Ever Brought To The Screen!” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. A British scientist is discovered to have been passing information to the Communists, then kills himself. Another scientist decides that they might have brainwashed him by a sensory deprivation technique, but he doesn’t know if someone really can be convinced to act against their strongest feelings. So he agrees to be the subject in an experiment in which others will try to make him stop loving his wife.

Who’s in it. The Mind Benders stars Dirk Bogarde as Dr. Henry Laidlaw Longman, Mary Ure as Oonagh Longman, John Clements as Major Hall and Wendy Craig as Annabella, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 6.5/10, The Mind Benders has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.

Where to watch. In GB you can rent or buy it from Amazon Video. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Mind Benders page.

If you liked it. Fans of The Mind Benders tend to enjoy The Dark Knight, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Inception and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.