The Mind Benders is a 1963 British movie directed by Basil Dearden. The film stars Dirk Bogarde as Dr. Henry Longman, a research scientist who becomes the subject of a dangerous sensory deprivation experiment.
The movie begins with a British scientist named Dr. Hume committing suicide after being discovered to have passed secrets to the Communists. This incident prompts Dr. Longman to question the possibilities of brainwashing and the limits of human emotions.
A group of scientists, including Longman, decide to conduct an experiment on sensory deprivation to test the human willpower and ability to resist brainwashing. Longman volunteers to be the subject of the experiment.
The experiment involves Longman being deprived of all sensory input, including sight, sound, and touch. He is monitored by the other scientists who try to manipulate his thoughts and feelings.
Eventually, Longman's wife Cathy becomes the focus of the experiment and the scientists try to make him stop loving her. Longman's willpower is tested to the limit as he struggles to maintain his love for his wife despite the manipulations.
The Mind Benders tackles the psychological effects of sensory deprivation and the concept of brainwashing. The film presents a thought-provoking and disturbing exploration of the human mind and the boundaries of free will.