The World's Greatest Sinner

Timothy Carey
1962
If you watch a lot of old movies you've probably seen Timothy Carey even if you don't know him by name. First to come to mind are his oddball supporting roles in the Stanley Kubrick pictures "The Killing" (1956), and "Paths of Glory" (1957). An unrepentant weirdo on and offscreen, "The World's Greatest Sinner" is the flatulence-obsessed actor's only directorial effort. It's a truly bizarre, quasi-experimental rise of an average Joe (Carey) from mediocrity to fascistic rock 'n roll infused mega stardom. The whole thing would be generally laughable were it not for Carey's conviction and singular auteuristic focus. Many of the scenes come off as amateurishly broad brush-strokes with Clarence Hilliard's mephistophelian deal leading to gross indulgence: megalomania and sexual abandon being the big corner stones. Still, it's this amateurish nature that makes the picture interesting - rough around the edges with all the charm of a handmade Valentine, and a dose of Kenneth Anger's daring.