Truth to tell, I know nothing about Director Sam Newfield but he does a sterling job of keeping THE STRANGE MRS CRANE flowing and riveting, on the strength of a very tight script, with sharp dialogue, and before you know it the 53 minutes are up... by which point I felt cheated!
I wished it would run on a few more minutes, that is how entertaining this flick was. Beautiful Marjorie Lord - once again, never heard of her - plays the femme fatale with considerable aplomb. She has a dark past, is now married to an older man, soon to be governor, generous and rich enough to buy her a mink coat, among other luxuries. Lord stands as a woman of considerable visibility in the community.
After the first few minutes of apparent innocence, she shows her hand: she cannot wait to cheat on her hubby with former fling Robert Shayne, who views her as suitable blackmail material. Alas, he underestimates Lord's resourcefulness and survival instinct, and pays the ultimate price.
Poor Ruth Brady steps in just after the murder and police detain her. It is at this point that you realize Lord could not care less if innocent Ruth lands in jail for a crime she did not commit. Her overriding concern is not to get caught and not lose her standing in the community, and the good life afforded by her hubby's rising star.
One can argue that the ending is a little bit too convenient, that it is a major coincidence that she lands up in a jury to convict poor Ruth, and all ducks are lined up for it to happen, including placing a court verdict in a mink coat... but all elements have been there from the outset, they have not just been introduced without explanation and they come together at the wrong moment for Lord. Thus, justice is served by fate and in a clever twist to boot!
The downside to watching THE STRANGE MRS CRANE was the poor quality copy. I suspect photography must have been better than this somewhat unfocused product, but all credit to the picture that it entertained me enough that I wished it would carry on in spite of that obvious shortcoming.
Well worth watching!
I wished it would run on a few more minutes, that is how entertaining this flick was. Beautiful Marjorie Lord - once again, never heard of her - plays the femme fatale with considerable aplomb. She has a dark past, is now married to an older man, soon to be governor, generous and rich enough to buy her a mink coat, among other luxuries. Lord stands as a woman of considerable visibility in the community.
After the first few minutes of apparent innocence, she shows her hand: she cannot wait to cheat on her hubby with former fling Robert Shayne, who views her as suitable blackmail material. Alas, he underestimates Lord's resourcefulness and survival instinct, and pays the ultimate price.
Poor Ruth Brady steps in just after the murder and police detain her. It is at this point that you realize Lord could not care less if innocent Ruth lands in jail for a crime she did not commit. Her overriding concern is not to get caught and not lose her standing in the community, and the good life afforded by her hubby's rising star.
One can argue that the ending is a little bit too convenient, that it is a major coincidence that she lands up in a jury to convict poor Ruth, and all ducks are lined up for it to happen, including placing a court verdict in a mink coat... but all elements have been there from the outset, they have not just been introduced without explanation and they come together at the wrong moment for Lord. Thus, justice is served by fate and in a clever twist to boot!
The downside to watching THE STRANGE MRS CRANE was the poor quality copy. I suspect photography must have been better than this somewhat unfocused product, but all credit to the picture that it entertained me enough that I wished it would carry on in spite of that obvious shortcoming.
Well worth watching!