A fairly routine woman-in-peril movie is elevated a bit above others of its kind by the actors in it: Barbara Stanwyck, George Sanders and Gary Merrill.
Stanwyck plays an interior designer who witnesses her neighbor from across the way (Sanders) strangling a woman. She then tries to get the police involved, who dismiss her story due to lack of evidence and the fact that Sanders is a respected gentleman and author. But Sanders wants to make sure they continue to dismiss her, and proceeds to convince Stanwyck that she's crazy and that her story is the result of her hysterical imaginings. Gary Merrill is the detective who believes her, mostly because he falls for her.
It's a little bit of "Rear Window" crossed with a little bit of "Gaslight." Sanders is terrific as the unctuous villain (who happens to be a Nazi in hiding, no less), and there's some nice creepy atmosphere generated by the cinematography and score. The movie will never be anywhere near a classic, but it has its merits and is worth 90 minutes or so of your time.
Grade: B
Stanwyck plays an interior designer who witnesses her neighbor from across the way (Sanders) strangling a woman. She then tries to get the police involved, who dismiss her story due to lack of evidence and the fact that Sanders is a respected gentleman and author. But Sanders wants to make sure they continue to dismiss her, and proceeds to convince Stanwyck that she's crazy and that her story is the result of her hysterical imaginings. Gary Merrill is the detective who believes her, mostly because he falls for her.
It's a little bit of "Rear Window" crossed with a little bit of "Gaslight." Sanders is terrific as the unctuous villain (who happens to be a Nazi in hiding, no less), and there's some nice creepy atmosphere generated by the cinematography and score. The movie will never be anywhere near a classic, but it has its merits and is worth 90 minutes or so of your time.
Grade: B