Suspense (1946 film)
| Suspense | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Frank Tuttle |
| Written by | Philip Yordan |
| Produced by | Frank King Maurice King |
| Starring | Barry Sullivan Belita Albert Dekker |
| Cinematography | Karl Struss |
| Edited by | Richard V. Heermance Otho Lovering |
| Music by | Daniele Amfitheatrof |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Monogram Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 101 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $870,000[1] |
Suspense is a 1946 American ice-skating-themed film noir starring Barry Sullivan and former Olympic skater Belita, with Albert Dekker, Bonita Granville, and Eugene Pallette in support. At a cost of 1.1 million dollars, it was considered the most expensive film put out by Monogram Pictures.[2][3]
Plot[edit]
Joe Morgan (Barry Sullivan) is new in L.A. from New York. Scruffy, broke, and looking for work, he is directed to a nearby theater featuring an ice show starring Roberta Elva (Belita). Harry Wheeler (Eugene Pallette), the main assistant there, introduces Morgan to the theater owner and show producer Frank Leonard (Albert Dekker), who hires Morgan to sell peanuts. Watching Roberta's performance, Morgan is immediately taken with her. After the show, he tries to strike up a conversation, but she is driven away by Leonard. Wheeler tells Morgan that the two are married.
Later, Roberta is still avoiding Morgan's advances. When he suggests a new act for the show involving Roberta leaping full speed through a circle of long sharp knives, Leonard abruptly promotes him to a managerial position. Leonard then leaves Morgan in charge of the theater while he goes off on a business trip. Morgan continues to pursue Roberta, who initially continues to reject him, then begins to soften.
Returning to his apartment one night, Morgan is surprised to discover Ronnie (Bonita Granville), a jilted girlfriend from Chicago who is still fixated on him, has moved in across the hall. When Leonard returns from his trip, he begins to suspect Morgan's attention to Roberta and takes her away for a winter vacation at his remote mountain cabin.
Shortly after, Morgan unexpectedly arrives at the cabin with some papers for Leonard to sign, a ruse for seeing Roberta. Leonard suspects Morgan's intentions but, too late for other travel or accommodations, invites him to spend the night. Later he sees Morgan and Roberta embracing.
The next morning Morgan accompanies Roberta to a frozen pond to watch her practice. Leonard sneaks up an adjacent mountainside with a hunting rifle. He shoots at Morgan but misses, triggering an avalanche that carries him away.
Returning to Los Angeles, Roberta resumes her show with Morgan's name now in lights atop the marquee, but each is haunted by the feeling that they are being watched. Ronnie grows increasingly jealous as the couple's affair becomes more open, and arranges to get the dirt on why Morgan left New York City so hurriedly.
Pooling their clues, Morgan and Roberta become increasingly suspicious whether Leonard actually died. Morgan becomes convinced something is up when he discovers Leonard's ring in his champagne glass at a party at Roberta’s penthouse. Soon after, while working late at his office, Morgan is approached by a shadowy figure. From outside, Roberta and Wheeler hear sounds of an apparent struggle, but when Roberta goes to investigate she finds Morgan alone, locking a large roll-top desk that had previously always been left open. Roberta also finds a pipe like the one smoked by Leonard, but Morgan assures her that it's his.
The next day, the desk has been replaced by a new one, and Morgan brusquely explains that he'd had the old one hauled off and burned in the building's furnace because it was no longer worked right. He becomes increasingly distant and hostile to Wheeler and even Roberta, whose suspicions are aroused. Going to the basement to investigate, she is confronted by Morgan, and gets him to confess that he killed Leonard and had his body incinerated. She tells Morgan that she will not turn him in to the police but that he must confess himself. He refuses. That night, Ronnie also confronts Morgan with the skinny on why he left New York, triggering an assault.
Worried that Roberta will go to the police, Morgan loosens one of the long knives used in her act, which slides into the path of her jump. At the last moment in her performance he has pangs and suddenly yanks the prop clear. Retreating through the stage door, he is set to flee his predicament, but is confronted by Ronnie. Distraught, she shoots him to death.
As the camera pans away from the scene the lights spelling out "Joe Morgan" on the theater marquee go black.
Cast[edit]
- Belita as Roberta Leonard, aka Roberta Elva
- Barry Sullivan as Joe Morgan
- Bonita Granville as Ronnie
- Albert Dekker as Frank Leonard
- Eugene Pallette as Harry Wheeler
- George E. Stone as Max
- Edith Angold as Nora
- Leon Belasco as Pierre Yasha
- Miguelito Valdés as himself, a Cuban singer
Production[edit]
Musical numbers include[4]
- "Eas'-Side Boogie," by Tommy Reilly
- "With You in My Arms," by Dunham and Alexander, sung by Bobby Ramos
- "Ice Cuba," with Miguelito Valdes, singing "Cabildo"
Morris King described the film as "a psychological treatment of Crime and Punishment."[5]
Reception[edit]
![[icon]](/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small} | This section needs expansion with: appropriate dollar figures. You can help by adding to it. (November 2023) |
The film performed well at the box office.[6]
Critical response[edit]
Upon release, New York Times critic Bosley Crowther reviewed the film caustically, writing, "The Monogram people are so puffed up by the fact that their new film, Suspense, which came yesterday to the Victoria, is their first 'million-dollar release' that we wonder why some boastful genius didn't give it the title 'Expense.' At least, such a tag would betoken the little there is in this film and it wouldn't provoke expectation of something that isn't there. For, apart from some ice-skating numbers (which presumably coat all that coin), it has nothing to recommend it—let alone the thing of which the title speaks ... Frank Tuttle was the director from a script by Philip Yordan. Neither of their contributions is in the million-dollar class."[7]
In 2019, film critic Dennis Schwartz panned the film in his review, writing, "Monogram's most expensive film to date, produced by the King Brothers (Maurice and Frank) ... The heavy melodrama is suggestive of a nightmare. It is ruined by its leaden pace, lack of suspense, unpleasant characters, and unconvincing script. The film felt like a truck stuck on the ice, noisily moving back and forth to get some traction."[8]
References[edit]
- ^ Thomas M. Brady (September 8, 1946). "Out Hollywood Way". New York Times. p. X1. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
- ^ Suspense at IMDb .
- ^ Thomas M. Pryor (March 10, 1946). "Belita, Jill of All Trades". New York Times. p. X3. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
- ^ Brog. (March 27, 1946). "Suspense [review article]". Variety, March 1946. p. 205 [p. 12 in original]. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
- ^ A.H. Weiler (June 3, 1945). "By Way of Report – The King Brothers Hit the Film Jackpot – C. Bennett, Producer, Etc. – Addenda". New York Times. p. X3.
- ^ https://archive.org/stream/variety165-1947–01#page/n54/mode/1up [dead link]
- ^ Crowther, Bosley (July 5, 1946). "The Screen – Rivalry Over Ice Star". The New York Times. p. 15. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
- ^ Schwartz, Dennis. Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews, film review, August 5, 2019. Accessed: January 4, 2024.
External links[edit]
- Suspense at IMDb
- Suspense at AllMovie
- Suspense at the TCM Movie Database
- Suspense at the American Film Institute Catalog
- Suspense informational site and DVD review at DVD Beaver (includes images)
- Suspense film clip on YouTube
- Review of film at Variety