In this Don Siegel's absorbing thriller, the marvelous Teresa Wright plays the
par excellence William Irish heroine :all she tries to do to save her beloved husband backfires on her.
The whodunit does not matter ,for the viewer knows at least halfway through who committed the murder ; but George and Ellen are some kind of aliens , they have no allies to side with them ; thus an attorney , engaged to Paula ,will go out of his way to clear their name ;reluctant Paula , first tired of seeing her fiancé busy or perhaps jealous of pretty Ellen ,finally shows compassion and provides a moral pillow to her sweetheart .Besides , the George /Ellen couple is not shown at all in the last pictures,which may amaze the viewer.Pathos is thus avoided.
Don Siegel is not a sentimental (see "the killers" "beguiled" "flaming star" or "invasion of the body snatchers " and its last kiss) and some scenes are ruthless: Ellen trying to pay the frogman with a broach and almost victim of a rape , the convict learning that he will be released just to be confronted with a harsh reality, the house where the murderer hides like a beast.
Suspense sustained till the last minute ,and an excellent cast.
The whodunit does not matter ,for the viewer knows at least halfway through who committed the murder ; but George and Ellen are some kind of aliens , they have no allies to side with them ; thus an attorney , engaged to Paula ,will go out of his way to clear their name ;reluctant Paula , first tired of seeing her fiancé busy or perhaps jealous of pretty Ellen ,finally shows compassion and provides a moral pillow to her sweetheart .Besides , the George /Ellen couple is not shown at all in the last pictures,which may amaze the viewer.Pathos is thus avoided.
Don Siegel is not a sentimental (see "the killers" "beguiled" "flaming star" or "invasion of the body snatchers " and its last kiss) and some scenes are ruthless: Ellen trying to pay the frogman with a broach and almost victim of a rape , the convict learning that he will be released just to be confronted with a harsh reality, the house where the murderer hides like a beast.
Suspense sustained till the last minute ,and an excellent cast.