Sometimes we don't need to know what the inspiration or source material is, we just need to take the movie on its own terms and let it work its magic on us. DOUBLE CONFESSION isn't a magical motion picture per se, but it does cast a spell on its spectators, who are quickly drawn into a hodgepodge of scenarios and intriguing character studies that play out along a coastal resort area.
The central focus involves the death of a married woman that may have been having an extramarital affair. Her dead body is found inside a seashore cottage. Not too far away, a blackmailer's body has also been found down near the water. Police take their sweet time investigating both deaths and it is implied the woman was murdered while the man had accidentally fallen off a cliff. But these pronouncements are later reversed, when it's revealed the woman had in fact committed suicide while the man was pushed off the cliff.
The two deaths which happen on the same night are linked since both of the deceased individuals knew a businessman (William Hartnell) in town. Part of the mystery here is just how culpable Hartnell's character is in the two deaths, with police and invested local parties offering a wide array of theories.
One theory belongs to the dead woman's husband (Derek Farr) who has just returned from a few years abroad. After a lengthy separation, he was on his way to the cottage to reunite with his wife when he found her lifeless corpse. He doesn't exactly cooperate with the police, but he puts pressure on Hartnell since he holds Hartnell responsible for what's happened and has a score to settle. This unnerves Hartnell's sleazy associate (Peter Lorre, who steals every scene he's in).
Hartnell and Lorre enjoy a slightly unusual relationship. Particularly since there isn't anything Lorre won't do out of loyalty for Hartnell. At one point, Lorre devises a plan to divert suspicion from Hartnell and cause an 'accident' for Farr. As I said, there's an assortment of scenarios playing out here, and you almost need a scorecard to sort who's who and what their individual motives may be.
While all this is happening, Farr takes time along the shore to relax. He meets a pretty tourist (Joan Hopkins) with troubles of her own, involving a domestic crisis at home. She's here to clear her mind and regain perspective. She and Farr start falling for each other, even if she wonders whether he may have killed his wife, until it is proven the wife committed suicide. There's a memorable scene where Farr and Hopkins each have their fortunes read inside a tent, and they hear things told to the other about their respective pasts and futures, which draws them together even more.
Meanwhile, there is a standalone subplot that involves a single woman past her prime (Kathleen Harrison) who sets her sights on unsuspecting prey (Leslie Dwyer). The film keeps cutting back to them for lighter, amusing moments and eventually we see them pair off. They are totally unaware of the two dead bodies and the investigations that have been going on with the other characters.
Although this is not a brilliant movie, it's one I enjoy a great deal. Would it have been better in the hands of a skilled director like Alfred Hitchcock? Probably. Especially the scene in the lake where Lorre tries to kill Farr with a speedboat while Farr's out for a swim with Hopkins. The editing would have been more strategic and suspenseful if Hitchcock had overseen that sequence. But as it is, DOUBLE CONFESSION still casts a spell on us. It draws us into a series of interconnected activities about the dead and the living. The living who are facing death, get a second chance at life.
The central focus involves the death of a married woman that may have been having an extramarital affair. Her dead body is found inside a seashore cottage. Not too far away, a blackmailer's body has also been found down near the water. Police take their sweet time investigating both deaths and it is implied the woman was murdered while the man had accidentally fallen off a cliff. But these pronouncements are later reversed, when it's revealed the woman had in fact committed suicide while the man was pushed off the cliff.
The two deaths which happen on the same night are linked since both of the deceased individuals knew a businessman (William Hartnell) in town. Part of the mystery here is just how culpable Hartnell's character is in the two deaths, with police and invested local parties offering a wide array of theories.
One theory belongs to the dead woman's husband (Derek Farr) who has just returned from a few years abroad. After a lengthy separation, he was on his way to the cottage to reunite with his wife when he found her lifeless corpse. He doesn't exactly cooperate with the police, but he puts pressure on Hartnell since he holds Hartnell responsible for what's happened and has a score to settle. This unnerves Hartnell's sleazy associate (Peter Lorre, who steals every scene he's in).
Hartnell and Lorre enjoy a slightly unusual relationship. Particularly since there isn't anything Lorre won't do out of loyalty for Hartnell. At one point, Lorre devises a plan to divert suspicion from Hartnell and cause an 'accident' for Farr. As I said, there's an assortment of scenarios playing out here, and you almost need a scorecard to sort who's who and what their individual motives may be.
While all this is happening, Farr takes time along the shore to relax. He meets a pretty tourist (Joan Hopkins) with troubles of her own, involving a domestic crisis at home. She's here to clear her mind and regain perspective. She and Farr start falling for each other, even if she wonders whether he may have killed his wife, until it is proven the wife committed suicide. There's a memorable scene where Farr and Hopkins each have their fortunes read inside a tent, and they hear things told to the other about their respective pasts and futures, which draws them together even more.
Meanwhile, there is a standalone subplot that involves a single woman past her prime (Kathleen Harrison) who sets her sights on unsuspecting prey (Leslie Dwyer). The film keeps cutting back to them for lighter, amusing moments and eventually we see them pair off. They are totally unaware of the two dead bodies and the investigations that have been going on with the other characters.
Although this is not a brilliant movie, it's one I enjoy a great deal. Would it have been better in the hands of a skilled director like Alfred Hitchcock? Probably. Especially the scene in the lake where Lorre tries to kill Farr with a speedboat while Farr's out for a swim with Hopkins. The editing would have been more strategic and suspenseful if Hitchcock had overseen that sequence. But as it is, DOUBLE CONFESSION still casts a spell on us. It draws us into a series of interconnected activities about the dead and the living. The living who are facing death, get a second chance at life.