Actuakers
One of my all time favorites.
Gurlyndrobb
While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.
Allison Davies
The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.
mark.waltz
In 1932, Charles Laughton appeared in a thriller called "Payment Deferred" where he is a suspect in the murder of his wife over his feelings towards a much younger woman. The wife in that film was soft spoken and gentle compared to the shew here, played with hateful bitterness by Rosalind Ivan to the 100th degree of hamminess. Laughton is soft spoken and gentle, but the moment their son leaves the house (to an abundance of cackling happiness by the unforgiving Ivan), Laughton moves into the now empty bedroom, simply responding to his wife's demands to know why that the answer might frighten her. At his office, Laughton shows compassion to a young boy runner who has been pinching coin for sweet treats and a young woman (Ella Raines) who is despondent over her personal situation. But even a milquetoast like Laughton has his breaking point, and if there's ever been a wife who has crossed a line, it's the miserable Ivan. The light in Laughton's eyes comes back as he spends time with Raines, ignoring his unhappy home life. The demise of Ivan is played out subtly (offscreen) yet giving doubt to the audience whether Laughton was responsible or not. The truth is up to Scotland Yard detective Stanley Ridges, as shrewd as Ivan the Terrible was shrewish. Considering that Edward G. Robinson got the Ivan treatment in "Scarlet Street" right afterwards, I'm surprised that the British stage vet didn't pin a clause with her agent for no more harpy wives. The 1902 London atmosphere is beautifully captured, most subtly without the excessive cockney accents and overabundance of eccentrics. As directed by Robert Siodmark, this is a rare period film noir with a touch of Gothic thriller as well. The details into every major character is perfectly laid out, with small little hints even in Ivan who is hypocritically moral in denying her own failures with her marriage to Laughton. Only a few well filmed scenes of fog add onto that cliché. This is one of the superb unsung classics that deserves to be regarded as a near masterpiece.
fouregycats
No plot summary here, just watch this film and if you're a film buff and love the old films, here ya go. You'll become fascinated and addicted to Charles Laughton, who is one of the greatest actors to ever appear in films. He breathes so much life and brings so much nuance into this role that it's supernatural.
howardmorley
I saw this film for the first time today (21/9/10) mainly to see one of my American film heroines, Ella Raines.As other reviewers have observed this film does not appear on DVD, at least I have not seen it before and I regularly check availability of 1940s films which are my speciality.I finally saw it on "Youtube.com".Ella had a unique, genuine & generous quality, which comes through in all her films which I have seen and which no amount of acting can disguise.This quality is almost a blueprint which is with you for life and film producers must have noticed this quality in Ella when casting her in roles.Two examples, see "Impact" & La Dama Desconocida".The plot and similarities with the celebrated Dr. Crippen trial of 1910 have already been outlined by other reviewers.Of course the wretched moral code was in force in 1944, but the producers at least left one in some doubt of the denouement and great sympathy for Charlie Laughton's character.My only criticism was the obvious use of American actors playing British parts which rather grates on me.Bear in mind this was 1944 and us Brits were doing useful things like helping to win the war.At the time American actresses like Gwyneth Paltrow, Renee Zellweger & others were not around who could do convincing British accents.That is why I prefer to see Ella playing American characters on her home ground and why I awarded this film 6/10, as above average
Alex da Silva
Philip Marshall (Charles Laughton) is trapped in a loveless marriage and his wife Cora (Rosalind Ivan) refuses to grant him a divorce. He meets Mary (Ella Raines) and they embark on a romance of friendship before he puts an end to it because of his married status. Meanwhile, Cora has discovered the secret and jumps to a wrong conclusion vowing to humiliate both him and Mary in both their workplaces and their social sets. Cora has an accident and dies. Phillip and Mary are now free to live together but Inspector Huxley (Stanley Ridges) suspects murder.This is an atmospheric thriller where the viewer is in complete sympathy with the suspect. The cast are all very good with the exception of John Marshall (Dean Harens) and his annoying girlfriend. Why has he got an American accent when he is supposed to be English? Anyway, the rest of the cast give their characters real depth so that we dislike those that we are meant to - Rosalind Ivan as Laughton's wife and neighbour Gilbert (Henry Daniell) - and like the main characters of Laughton and Raines.....and you always think "Oh no" whenever Inspector Huxley appears on the scene.......if only he wasn't so inquisitive and determined.........It's a good film and Laughton is both funny and charming - the scenes between him and his wife are very entertaining.
