CinemaSerf

Jul 9, 2022

7.0

This is quite an effective little mystery that reminded me at times of "Gaslight" (1944). Claudette Colbert wakes up, suddenly, on a train without any idea how she got there. Repatriated with her husband "Richard" (Don Ameche) she continues to have dizzy spells, increasingly frequent moments of disorientation; she even seems to try to commit suicide. Luckily for her, "Bruce" (Robert Cummings) is on hand to try and fathom out what's happening to her. Is it all in her imagination, or are more sinister machinations afoot...? Douglas Sirk manages well to build a sense of suspense, and both Colbert and a particularly seedy Cummings help the plot develop into a decent, psychological drama that has a fair degree of jeopardy to it - right until the end. Keep an eye out for an early example of Raymond Burr doing his detective bit, and Rudy Schrager's score adds richness as the tension mounts.