Review of The Second Woman

I got "The Second Woman" in a 50-movie Mill Creek DVD set called "Nifty Fifties", for about 20 US dollars (including shipping); even if I find no more than 2 or 3 more movies of (at least) the same quality in the set, I will consider it money well spent! "The Second Woman" borrows elements from Alfred Hitchcock's "Rebecca" and "Suspicion", but it can stand on its own: it has a unique seaside atmosphere, a well-constructed script, interesting use of Tschaikovsky music, and fine performances, especially by the two leads. It might have benefited from being shot in color, both for scenery purposes and because colors (of the roses, of the painting, etc.) play an important role in the plot, but then again, other scenes, like the events of the night prior to when the movie opens, probably play better in black & white. *** out of 4.