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Harrison's Reports (1944) - Phantom Lady

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"Phantom Lady" with Franchot Tone, Ella Raines and Alan Curtis

(Universal, January 28; time, 87 min.)

An exceptionally good murder mystery melodrama. It is a tensely exciting film, filled with intrigue and suspense, and it grips one's attention from beginning to end. Joan Harrison, the producer whose initial effort this is, reveals that she learned much in the handling of this type of entertainment through her association with Alfred Hitchcock, whom she served as assistant for a number of years. As a matter of fact, it appears as if the pupil could teach the master a trick or two. The story is of the psychological sort, revolving around a paranoic who commits a murder and, to divert suspicion from himself, builds up a strong case of circumstantial evidence against his best friend, who is convicted for the crime. Although the spectator is aware of the murderer's identity, he is held in suspense throughout owing to the constant danger to the heroine, whom the murderer pretends to aid in solving the crime. The direction and performances are competent. Word-of-mouth advertising should be of considerable aid at the box-office :—

Accused of strangling his wife, Alan Curtis, an architect, claims that, at the time of the murder, he had been with a young woman (Fay Helm) he had met in a bar, and that she had accompanied him to the theatre on the condition that he would not seek to learn her identity. All he could remember about her was that she wore an odd hat. Inspector Thomas Gomes, to substantiate his story, questions Andrew Tombes, a bartender; Matt McHugh, a cab driver; Elisha Cook, Jr., a musician; and Aurora Miranda, a dancer, whom Curtis claimed had seen him with the woman. All, however, maintain that he had been alone. As a result, Curtis is convicted on circumstantial evidence and sentenced to die. Unconvinced of Curtis' guilt, Ella Raines, his secretary, who loved him secretly, determines to find the mysterious woman. She is aided in her search by Gomez, who, too, believed Curtis innocent, and by Franchot Tone, a brilliant sculptor and Curtis' friend. Unknown to Ella and Gomez, Tone, a paranoic, had murdered Curtis' wife in an insane moment, and had bribed the witnesses to refute Curtis' alibi. Ella's efforts to track down the mysterious woman are frustrated by Tone, who continues to pose as her friend. After a series of adventures, in which Cook and Tombes are murdered, Ella succeeds in locating the missing woman, only to find that she is mentally deranged. Ella humors her into giving her the odd hat. hoping that it will serve as new evidence to re-open Curtis' case. While Ella waits for Gomez in Tone's studio, Tone, in an insane fit, reveals himself as the murderer and threatens to kill her. She is saved by the timely arrival of Gomez, whose appearance causes Tone to commit suicide. Curtis is cleared and reunited with Ella.

Bernard C. Schoenfeld wrote the screen play and Robert Siodmak directed it.

Adult entertainment.

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