The World's Greatest Sinner

1962, US, directed by Timothy Carey

The average film maudit is a pretty personal affair for the director at least, but Timothy Carey takes things to a whole new level by starring, writing, directing, producing, and probably a whole host of other things that don't make it into the credits. That seems entirely apposite for a portrait of an ordinary insurance salesman who suddenly develops such delusions of grandeur that he styles himself God, above the rules that apply to the ordinary person. As cinema, it's often amateurish, though that is likely much to do with lack of resources than lack of vision, for there's a ferocious if bizarre energy at work here -- it reminded me at times of the frenzy at the heart of a film like Cy Endfield's hypnotic Try and Get Me/The Sound of Fury, another film that comes off like a crazed report from its particular moment in history, albeit one with a good deal more polish.