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The Second Woman(1950 film)

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The Second Woman
Theatrical release poster
Directed byJames V. Kern
Screenplay byMort Briskin
Robert Smith
Produced byMort Briskin
Robert Smith
StarringRobert Young
Betsy Drake
CinematographyHal Mohr
Edited byWalter A. Thompson
Music byJoseph Nussbaum
Production
companies
Harry Popkin Productions
Cardinal Pictures
Distributed byUnited Artists
Release date
  • July 7, 1950(1950-07-07)
Running time
91 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

The Second Womanis a 1950 Americanfilm noirmystery-suspense film directed byJames V. Kernand featuringRobert Young,Betsy Drake,John SuttonandFlorence Bates.[1]Sequences of the film were shot on the coastal areas ofMonterey, California.

Plot

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Thispsychological thrillertells the story of Jeff Cohalan, a successful architect who is tormented because his fiancée, Vivian Sheppard, was killed in a mysterious car accident on the night before their wedding. Blaming himself for her death, Cohalan spends his time alone, lamenting in the state-of-the-art cliff-top home he designed for his bride-to-be.

Cohalan notices that ever since the accident, he seems to be followed by bad luck. Without explanation, his horse turns up horribly injured, and he must put it down. His dog is poisoned and dies. These events lead Cohalan to wonder if he has been cursed. Then his modernistic house burns to the ground in a definite case of arson. Cohalan moves in with Ellen Foster and her Aunt Amelia.

Cohalan is attracted to Ellen Foster from the moment they meet. The feeling is mutual. She is quite the detective, and as she learns about Jeff's past, she begins to suspect that he may be much more in danger than he himself realizes.

It turns out that his partner in architecture, Ben Sheppard, is trying to destroy him. Sheppard, who is Vivian's father, holds Jeff responsible for her death. In fact, the driver of the car was Keith Ferris, a married man with whom Vivian was having an affair. Sheppard's own wife, Vivian's mother, ran away from him, and he has a psychotic break when confronted with the truth about his daughter's car crash. Thinking Ellen is Vivian, and angry about his wife running off, Sheppard shoots at Ellen. Jeff is hit protecting her, but both survive.

When Ferris wisecracks that their boss is "nuttier than a squirrel", Cohalan decks him with ahaymakerand orders him to either leave town or be turned in too the authorities. Cohalan and Ellen then resume their romance, free from fear.

Cast

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Reception

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Film critic Craig Butler wrote: "The Second Womanis an intriguing if frustrating little thriller -- frustrating because it verges on being very good but settles for being merely OK. Part of the problem is thatWomancombines elements of various styles -- film noir, psychological drama, mystery, thriller, romance -- but doesn't meld them into a satisfying whole... All in all,The Second Womanis a good attempt that is worth watching, even if it falls short of reaching its goals. "[2]

Film critic Dennis Schwartz wrote: "Robert Young gives a subdued performance that is somewhat credible, but not all that endearing. The film's ultimate villain is the real estate industry that is spoiling the natural beauty in its need to make lots of money. But the brooding melodrama, thought of by many as film noir, never seemed vibrant as a thriller."[3]

See also

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References

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  1. ^The Second Womanat theAFI Catalog of Feature Films.
  2. ^Butler, Craig.Allmovie by Rovi,film review, no date. Accessed: August 19, 2013.
  3. ^Schwartz, Dennis.Ozus' World Movie Reviews,film review, October 3, 2004. Accessed: August 19, 2013.
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