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poster of Whirlpool
Rating: 6.4/10 by 79 users

Whirlpool (1950)

The wife of a psychoanalyst falls prey to a devious quack hypnotist when he discovers she is an habitual shoplifter. Then one of his previous patients now being treated by the real doctor is found murdered, with her still at the scene, and suspicion points only one way.

Directing:
  • Otto Preminger
Writing:
  • Ben Hecht
  • Guy Endore
  • Andrew Solt
Stars:
Release Date: Fri, Jan 13, 1950

Rating: 6.4/10 by 79 users

Alternative Title:
Whirlpool - US
Il segreto di una donna - IT
Le mystérieux docteur Korvo - FR

Country:
United States of America
Language:
English
Runtime: 01 hour 38 minutes
Budget: $0
Revenue: $0

Plot Keyword: kleptomania, hypnosis, film noir, shoplifting, hypnotist, psychoanalyst

Gene Tierney
Ann Sutton
José Ferrer
David Korvo
Richard Conte
Dr. William 'Bill' Sutton
Charles Bickford
Lt. James Colton
Eduard Franz
Martin Avery
Barbara O'Neil
Theresa "Terry" Randolph
Fortunio Bonanova
Feruccio di Ravallo
Robert Foulk
Policeman Andy
Larry Keating
Mr. Simms (uncredited)
Myrtle Anderson
Ann's Maid (uncredited)
Gail Bonney
Minor Role (uncredited)
Lovyss Bradley
Nurse (uncredited)
Margaret Brayton
Policewoman (uncredited)
Sue Carlton
Elevator Girl (uncredited)
Ruth Clifford
Nurse Eliott (uncredited)
Clancy Cooper
First Policeman (uncredited)
Oliver Cross
Minor Role (uncredited)
Joan Dix
Minor Role (uncredited)
Johnny Duncan
Soldier (uncredited)
Eddie Dunn
Watchman (uncredited)
Jay Eaton
Minor Role (uncredited)
Sally Forrest
Minor Role (uncredited)
Alex Gerry
Dr. Peter Duval (uncredited)
Mauritz Hugo
Hotel Clerk (uncredited)
Ruth Lee
Miss Hall (uncredited)
Ian MacDonald
Hogan - Store Detective (uncredited)
Joyce Mackenzie
Daisy - Telephone Operator (uncredited)
Harold Miller
Party Guest (uncredited)
Roger Moore
Fingerprint Man (uncredited)
Howard Negley
Gordon (uncredited)
Wanda Perry
Miss Wilson (uncredited)
Anitra Sparrow
Miss Landon (uncredited)
Randy Stuart
Miss Landau (uncredited)
John Trebach
Freddie (uncredited)
Nancy Valentine
Taffy Lou (uncredited)
Helen Westcott
Simms' Secretary (uncredited)
Charles Flynn
Policeman (uncredited)

John Chard

A successful marriage is usually based on what a husband and wife don't know about each other. An interesting and divisive film noir thriller directed by Otto Preminger and written by Ben Hecht (under the blacklist pseudonym Lester Barstow) and Andrew Solt. Adapted from the novel "Methinks the Lady" written by Guy Endore, the film Stars Gene Tierney, Richard Conte, José Ferrer, and Charles Bickford. Arthur C. Miller is the cinematographer and David Raksin, under the watchful eye of Alfred Newman, provides the music. The plot sees Ann Sutton (Tierney), the wife of a successful psychoanalyst (Conte), arrested for shoplifting since she has some kleptomania issues. Just when it seems Ann is about to be thrust into a world of scandal, she is saved by smooth-talking hypnotist called David Korvo (Ferrer). Korvo, however, is not what he seems to be, and Ann soon finds herself involved in blackmail and murder and her marriage on the brink of collapse. Confused and emotionally torn, Ann is unsure whether or not she has committed a crime. It looks bleak unless her husband or the police can get to the bottom of the murky mystery. Combining a psychological thriller core with overt melodramatics, Whirlpool has still to convince many of the film noir hoards as to its worth. Some critics find the concept of the story silly and hard to take, whilst others have gone a step further to suggest that Preminger and Hecht have merely remade Hitchcock's Gregory Peck starrer Spellbound (Hecht on screenplay duties there too) from four years earlier. Either way, and putting a noirish sheen on a Hitchcock movie is no bad thing by the way, Preminger's movie is a compelling little piece of cinema. The central theme of hypnosis as a weapon gives the film a dark edge and Preminger nicely portrays a world containing sympathetically flawed characters. While in the form of Ferrer's oily slick Korvo, film noir gets a most intriguing Mabuse/Freudian like villain of high entertainment value. Tierney doesn't have to do much here, asked to portray confusion and a almost constant state of hypnotism, she delivers well enough whilst always remaining innocently sexy. Conte's woodenness as the husband oddly benefits the story, while also worthy of a mention is the ever watchable Charles Bickford as Lt. Colton, a thinking man's copper, Bickford keeps it serious as the daftness of the plot threatens to submerge and unhinge the drama. Frowned upon by big hitting American critics, the film found support from notable Frenchies Rivette and Godard. It seems that like myself, they also liked the quirky and creepy nature of the beast. 7/10


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