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| Gene Tierney thinks she has troubles as a kleptomaniac in “Whirlpool.” Wait until she meets Jose Ferrer’s hypnotist! |
twentieth Century Fox higher
center class luxurious meets lurid movie noir through a charlatan hypnotist, in 1950’s Whirlpool. The con man (Jose Ferrer) takes
benefit of a well-to-do housewife (Gene Tierney) who’s a kleptomaniac. As soon as
David Korvo has a hypnotic maintain on Ann Sutton, he units her up for homicide.
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| Gene Tierney’s Ann Sutton is underneath hypnotic suggestion to hold out crimes in 1950’s “Whirlpool.” The excellent news is she sleeps like a child! |
Fox studio head Darryl
F. Zanuck hoped for an additional Laura,
as Whirlpool had the identical director,
feminine star, and composer. Because the smooth-talking hypnotist, Zanuck needed an
elegant villain alongside the strains of Laura’s
Clifton Webb. Filmed in mid-1949, I perceive why Jose Ferrer was thought-about a
casting coup on the time, as he was an enormous Broadway hit as Cyrano de Bergerac.
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| Gene Tierney’s troubled housewife falls underneath phony Jose Ferrer’s spell in 1950’s “Whirlpool,”from twentieth Century Fox. |
Nonetheless, I feel Fox
ought to have caught with one among their charming cads, Vincent Worth or George
Sanders. Ferrer is all sonorous voice however seems and acts like such a bit
weasel that it begs why somebody like Gene Tierney would give him the time of
day. At the least with the 2 Fox stars, that they had stature and beauty that
allowed them the guise that hid the wiles. Or better of all, James Mason, who had
a fantastic face and voice, and was new to American films.
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| Jose Ferrer’s unctuous hypnotist is brief on appeal & lengthy on creepy in “Whirlpool.” |
Richard Conte appears considerably miscast as Ann’s
shrink hubby Invoice, however Conte at the very least has conviction. I feel that Conte is a
good-looking, strong, and intense actor. Conte would have thrived over at WB enjoying
both cops or robbers; he has that type of face. With these piercing eyes and
jutted jaw, Conte at all times seems like he’s gonna belt any person!
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| Richard Conte is the psychiatrist husband of Gene Tierney’s kleptomaniac in 1950’s “Whirlpool.” |
Charles Bickford is
at all times immediately plausible, right here as no-nonsense Lt. Colton, who finds the
complete story past perception—and he is proper! The police detective can also be mourning
the current lack of his spouse, which provides him some depth.
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| Charles Bickford is the no-nonsense police detective fixing a nonsensical crime in 1950’s “Whirlpool.” |
Barbara O’Neil, beloved
by movie followers as Scarlett O’Hara’s mom and
memorable because the deranged spouse in All
This, And Heaven Too, performs one among Korvo’s victims. To differentiate O’Neil
because the older girl, she is given a skunk-like white streak in her darkish hair!
Her efficiency is rather more refined.
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| Barbara O’Neil’s older socialite tries to present Gene Tierney’s matron some pleasant recommendation in 1950’s “Whirlpool.” |
As for Gene Tierney,
I’ve at all times admired her nice magnificence, class, and intelligence. Tierney at all times
appeared to do finest in roles the place she appeared other-worldly. Right here is not any exception,
on condition that Ann Sutton’s underneath hypnosis half the time. There’s a certain quantity
of psychology right here, with a spouse who seemingly has all the things, however resorts to
shoplifting for some type of launch. Tierney’s performing is just not electrical,
like Bette Davis, or deeply empathetic like Ingrid Bergman, however she performs properly
throughout the studio period’s stylized appearing.
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| Hey, when hypnosis does not work, drastic measures are required! Jose Ferrer and Gene Tierney in 1950’s “Whirlpool.” |
Even for a studio period
movie noir, the plotting in Whirlpool
is preposterous. The film opens with moneyed suburban matron Tierney getting
busted for shoplifting in a swanky LA retailer. When Ann Sutton is escorted to the
supervisor’s workplace by safety, onlooker David Korvo follows, and imposes his
opinion concerning the awkward state of affairs. In actuality, the safety would have
escorted him out earlier than he might end his first sentence! Nor would anyone
of their proper thoughts meet with this clearly smarmy character in public,
regardless of pink flags galore. I gained’t give away the finale, however it goes past the
pale of believability.
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| Some of the unbelievable scenes, Jose Ferrer in 1950’s “Whirlpool.” |
On the time, Whirlpool was thought-about an “A” image,
although it feels a bit minor by in the present day’s requirements. Zanuck had a private hand in
this movie, the e book was thought-about a scorching property, Ben Hecht was the
screenwriter, and many others. And but, all of the elements didn’t create a memorable
melodrama.
A part of the issue
was the miscast main males, plus neither had been significantly field workplace magnets.
Which meant the burden of carrying the image fell on Gene Tierney’s slim
shoulders. Even in her biggest car, Depart
Her to Heaven, Gene was bolstered by a robust supporting solid. As Laura, she obtained nice help from Dana
Andrews and particularly, Clifton Webb. Tierney was a number one girl who at all times
benefited from a robust main man.
The path by Otto
Preminger, rating by David Raksin, cinematography by Arthur C. Miller, and
costumes by Oleg Cassini for then-wife Tierney are all prime class. However the characters
don’t click on, as a result of off-target casting and absurd plot contrivances. Whirlpool is price a watch, however it’s not
precisely a hypnotic movie.
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| Richard Conte and Gene Tierney name it an evening in 1950’s “Whirlpool.” |
My take right here on Laura, the primary and finest of 4 movies
that Gene Tierney and Otto Preminger made collectively:
https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2018/04/laura-1944.html
