Somewhat cavalier Hollywood adaptation of the classic Wilkie Collins’ mystery novel (less a Whodunit than a Who-Is-It) makes for good spooky Victorian fun. (Is there a faithful first-class iteration out there?) The basic set-up & characters are recognizable: a family fortune to inherit, a hidden step-sister, the pretty companion & the handsome art teacher, a trio of odd villains and neurasthenic uncle, even if the story runs its own course. But with the Good Guys indifferently cast (Gig Young & Alexis Smith hopelessly American; Eleanor Parker only right in half of a double role), the film gets taken over by the Baddies (corpulent, threatening Sydney Greenstreet; John Emery, chilly & supercilious; and a memorably nasty, lunatic John Abbott). And with Warners unable to decide if they were making an A or B+ production, director Peter Godfrey & lenser Carl Guthrie put out standard Hollywood backlot Brit flavor. On the other hand, Max Steiner composed an unusually ambitious score, too little known and helping the third act ratchet up considerable suspense. Worth a look.
DOUBLE-BILL: A friendly rival to Dickens, Wilkie Collins launched the Victorian Mystery novel. But this film comes in the wake of more unified pics it strongly influenced like George Cukor’s big ticket GASLIGHT/’44 (Ingrid Bergman, Charles Boyer, Angela Lansbury, Joseph Cotton) and John Brahm’s HANGOVER SQUARE/’45 (Laird Cregar, Linda Darnell, George Sanders).
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