Joseph Stefano, fresh off PSYCHO, riffs on SUSPICION/’41, an earlier Alfred Hitchcock film about a wife who comes to believe her husband is a murderer, yet so in love she’s willing to be his next victim. His script, a workable framework for a suspenser, something of a let down from a far more interesting prologue that sees Gary Cooper testify against a co-worker on a murder/robbery charge, putting the man in jail for life. Five years later, a delayed mail delivery shows up with a letter of blackmail that charges Cooper with the crime, lodging a nagging worm of doubt into wife Deborah Kerr’s head. Coop can’t explain away all the circumstantial evidence; Kerr can’t get past her doubts; and the wrong man may be in jail. If only workaday director Michael Anderson & gifted composer William Alwyn didn’t italicize every small revelation with self-defeating musical shrieks & attention grabbing camera moves. Stefano also overplays, hitting the same notes over & over. Kerr gets the worst of it, she’s either bonkers or auditioning for a remake of SORRY, WRONG NUMBER. Most commentators focus on Cooper, ill at the time in his last film (released after his death), but he’s excellent in a tough role, giving Kerr the benefit of the doubt and then some, with only a shot or two near the end revealing his grave condition. There’s actually too much material in here, enough for two or three films, just not enough for one.
DOUBLE-BILL/LINK: As mentioned, SUSPICION. OR: If SORRY, WRONG NUMBER interests you, the classic radio broadcast with Agnes Moorehead is a better bet than the disappointing 1948 film w/ Barbara Stanwyck & Burt Lancaster. LINK: Moorehead did eight radio relays, this one from 1945. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1r5GZral6zs
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