This is an exciting Gothic thriller that will keep you guessing. A moody artist, a beautiful model who is brutally murdered and the sister who tries to prove his guilt drives this psychologically and in ways that make you unsure that the dark eyed and sinister looking Francis Lederer is the Jekyll and Hyde he seems to be.
Linda Stirling, the Rita Hayworth like beauty, is first seen singing as a knife thrower takes a risk with her and Lederer paints a picture of her being impaled. Truth is stranger than paintings, and Stirling is murdered, with her sister Ann Rutherford taking a modeling job to find a way of pricing him guilty. Gail Patrick is a flirtatious art patron who makes a play for him, unaware of dangerous implications in his past.
Sort of like "Rebecca" set in the world of art, this has Lederer its Maxim DeWinter, Stirling as the lady of mystery and murder, and Rutherford its innocent Joan Fontaine like waif who may or may not be in danger with her dealings with the dark souled artist.
Then, there's Leona Roberts as his clinging mother which gives hidden psychological clues to Lederer's psyche. He's excellent, delivering a performance of subtle gentility and angry passions, making him an excellent anti-hero. Rutherford, Patrick and Roberts are quite good as well. Everything has been meticulously put together, from the costumes and sets to the music and cinematography. It's a beautiful piece of art, hidden away to the point of obscurity and really deserving of a major rediscovery.
Linda Stirling, the Rita Hayworth like beauty, is first seen singing as a knife thrower takes a risk with her and Lederer paints a picture of her being impaled. Truth is stranger than paintings, and Stirling is murdered, with her sister Ann Rutherford taking a modeling job to find a way of pricing him guilty. Gail Patrick is a flirtatious art patron who makes a play for him, unaware of dangerous implications in his past.
Sort of like "Rebecca" set in the world of art, this has Lederer its Maxim DeWinter, Stirling as the lady of mystery and murder, and Rutherford its innocent Joan Fontaine like waif who may or may not be in danger with her dealings with the dark souled artist.
Then, there's Leona Roberts as his clinging mother which gives hidden psychological clues to Lederer's psyche. He's excellent, delivering a performance of subtle gentility and angry passions, making him an excellent anti-hero. Rutherford, Patrick and Roberts are quite good as well. Everything has been meticulously put together, from the costumes and sets to the music and cinematography. It's a beautiful piece of art, hidden away to the point of obscurity and really deserving of a major rediscovery.