Associate producer; Joseph H. Nadel. Producers: Mort Briskin, Robert Smith. Executive producer: Harry M. Popkin. Copyright 15 January 1951 (in notice: 1950) by Cardinal Pictures, Inc. A Harry M. Popkin Production, released through United Artists. New York opening at the Rivoli: 1 February 1951. U.S. release: 16 March 1951. Australian release: 13 July 1951. 91 minutes. Copyright length: 122 minutes.
U.K. and Australian release title (also shooting title): ELLEN.
SYNOPSIS: Someone seems to be making life miserable for Jeff. The commonly held belief of his fellow citizens is that his incredible run of bad luck is self-inflicted. Finally, he tries to commit suicide.
COMMENT: This engrossing film noir, moodily photographed by Hal Mohr, superbly designed by Boris Leven and directed with surprising authority by the normally lackluster James V. Kern, features a number of outstanding performances, most notably from Robert Young as the ambiguous "hero", Betsy Drake as a sympathetic outsider and John Sutton as an irredeemable woman-chaser.
What I particularly like about the screenplay is that it plays fair with the audience. In fact, it even glaringly draws attention to an important clue, secure in the knowledge that most of the audience (including myself) would have insufficient wit to see its obvious implication.
U.K. and Australian release title (also shooting title): ELLEN.
SYNOPSIS: Someone seems to be making life miserable for Jeff. The commonly held belief of his fellow citizens is that his incredible run of bad luck is self-inflicted. Finally, he tries to commit suicide.
COMMENT: This engrossing film noir, moodily photographed by Hal Mohr, superbly designed by Boris Leven and directed with surprising authority by the normally lackluster James V. Kern, features a number of outstanding performances, most notably from Robert Young as the ambiguous "hero", Betsy Drake as a sympathetic outsider and John Sutton as an irredeemable woman-chaser.
What I particularly like about the screenplay is that it plays fair with the audience. In fact, it even glaringly draws attention to an important clue, secure in the knowledge that most of the audience (including myself) would have insufficient wit to see its obvious implication.