Ira Levin, an accomplished mystery writer, wrote the book in which this picture was based. The adaptation, by Lawrence Roman, works as a movie. Gerd Oswald, whose second movie this was, shows he wasn't up to the task of directing it. Perhaps with another director, a more satisfying film could have emerged.
If you haven't seen the movie, please stop reading here.
The film presents us a situation that was a classic dilemma for the times in which it was filmed: an unexpected pregnancy. It was a social issue that had more impact in those days than presently. This is a story of a young, naive coed that finds out to her horror, she is in the family way. The handsome boy that is responsible for it, goes into a state of panic, as he doesn't want any part of this situation.
The young woman is killed in front of our eyes, so there is no suspense in the fact, since we know who did it. The crime is exacerbated because the sister of the dead girl smells a rat in the way her sister, supposedly committed suicide. She starts digging into the past. The complicating factor is that Ellen, the kind sister has fallen for a hunk that hides from her the key for solving the crime.
The casting of the film was unusual in that Robert Wagner is cast as the evil Bud Corliss. Mr. Wagner with his good looks presents a facade of being what he is not. This duplicity makes us hate him. Virginia Leith, on the other hand, as the good sister, Ellen, is totally miscast. Perhaps another actress and a better direction would have made her more appealing. Joanne Woodward, as the doomed girl, makes a believable Dory. Jeffrey Hunter, as the man who discovers the mystery, makes a good impression.
If you haven't seen the movie, please stop reading here.
The film presents us a situation that was a classic dilemma for the times in which it was filmed: an unexpected pregnancy. It was a social issue that had more impact in those days than presently. This is a story of a young, naive coed that finds out to her horror, she is in the family way. The handsome boy that is responsible for it, goes into a state of panic, as he doesn't want any part of this situation.
The young woman is killed in front of our eyes, so there is no suspense in the fact, since we know who did it. The crime is exacerbated because the sister of the dead girl smells a rat in the way her sister, supposedly committed suicide. She starts digging into the past. The complicating factor is that Ellen, the kind sister has fallen for a hunk that hides from her the key for solving the crime.
The casting of the film was unusual in that Robert Wagner is cast as the evil Bud Corliss. Mr. Wagner with his good looks presents a facade of being what he is not. This duplicity makes us hate him. Virginia Leith, on the other hand, as the good sister, Ellen, is totally miscast. Perhaps another actress and a better direction would have made her more appealing. Joanne Woodward, as the doomed girl, makes a believable Dory. Jeffrey Hunter, as the man who discovers the mystery, makes a good impression.