I always look forward to seeing a Claude Rains film I haven't caught before. Oh well, you can't win them all. I continued watching this film because I was marveling at just how bad it was...and I realize I'm in the minority here. I do have to make a couple of exceptions to that general statement. Claude Rains is always a marvel to watch. I find him to be a rather unique character actor, and even in this very poor film, he shined.
My first problem with the film is that I found the plot to be murky. It stumbled along in a jerky fashion. I was disappointed that the main character (Rains) had become a serial murderer...making it hard for him not to be caught.
My second problem with the film was some of the worst acting I've seen in a significant film. Audrey Totter seemed to think that good acting was how she stood or how she held her arms. As far as any believable acting...well let's put it this way...what she displayed here was an unrealistic portrayal of a human being. Hurt Hatfield didn't do much better here. I was thinking that this had to be one of the earliest films of character actor Fred Clark, and indeed, it was his first credited film role.
Rains was not the only actor who did well here. Joan Caulfield was very good also.
To our reviewers who gave this film a 9...that must have been based on a hundred point scale.
My first problem with the film is that I found the plot to be murky. It stumbled along in a jerky fashion. I was disappointed that the main character (Rains) had become a serial murderer...making it hard for him not to be caught.
My second problem with the film was some of the worst acting I've seen in a significant film. Audrey Totter seemed to think that good acting was how she stood or how she held her arms. As far as any believable acting...well let's put it this way...what she displayed here was an unrealistic portrayal of a human being. Hurt Hatfield didn't do much better here. I was thinking that this had to be one of the earliest films of character actor Fred Clark, and indeed, it was his first credited film role.
Rains was not the only actor who did well here. Joan Caulfield was very good also.
To our reviewers who gave this film a 9...that must have been based on a hundred point scale.