jack london short story a thousand death be virtually unrecognizable in this sluggish cinematic translation . for torture ship and the self describe protagonist becomes lyle talbot ( a bob bennett ) . the original father be now uncle irving pichel ( a herbert stander ) . a mad doctor and mr. pichel have isolate what he call and the active ingredient of the endocrine gland govern criminality . pichel take mr. talbot and some aide and and some crook on a cruise to experimentation . talbot be free from criminal taint and but become temporarily mean . additional nastiness ensues . torture ship ( 10/28/39 ) victor halperin ~ lyle talbot and irving pichel and julie bishop .