THE WHOLE TRUTH
UK. 1958, 84 minutes, Black and white.
Stewart Granger, Donna Reed, George Sanders, Gianna Maria Canale.
Directed by Dan Cohen, John Guillermin.
An entertaining murder story from the late fifties. Stewart Granger had passed the peak of his career but still was a good screen presence. George Sanders excels at the type of role which he is used to. The filmmaking background of the murder mystery and its Frenen setting adds an exotic touch. The film was directed by John Guillermin who had made small budget English films and move to bigger budgets. with the Blue Max and eventually to film The Towering Inferno, King Kong and Death on the Nile.
1. An interesting and entertaining murder mystery? The quality of the mystery?
2. A small budget production, the stars, the French netting, the background of filmmaking? How real, contrived?
3. The flashback structure and the devices for the clock going back? The creation of puzzle, tension, inquiry an regards the chase and the hero, new significance when these sequences were seen again?
4. Stewart Granger's style as Max? As hero, questionable hero? The audience wondering about his being chased by the police? Seeing him at work as a producer with his suave manner, his handling people, the encounter with Gina and the clash after their affair, his response to Gina's threat of blackmail? His love for Carol after their estrangement? His ability in lying to Carol? His anxiety about the villa and his clothes being there? Man of fear, response to threats, prepared to compromise?
5. Max becoming the victim of plans of Carliss? The party, Carliss’s visit and his response to a Scotland Yard man, his reaction to the news of Gina’s murder? The irony of Gina’s being at the party? His response to his arrest, his lying to the police, his assertions of innocence? His interaction with the police, with Carol and her disappointment? The way that he told the truth? The encounter with Carliss in the restaurant and his hearing of the truth, and how he was being victimized? The melodramatics of his escape and confrontation? How credible a character for this kind of situation?
6. The presentation of Gina as the temperamental actress, her tantrums, behaviour on the set, trying to control Max? The car ride, her invitation to him to come up and the suspicions laid, the irony of her being at the party and persuading him to go to the villa? The type that would be murdered? How credible was her marriage to Carliss?
7. George Sanders' style as Carliss? The audience believing that he was a Scotland Yard man, his hold over Max? Sanders' irony and his vocal delivery and being persuasive? His changed tone when he was more the underdog and victim especially in his dealings with the police? His behaviour in the cafe when he revealed his plan and all its intricacies? His behaviour with Carol and his overlooking the cigarette lighter? His being confronted by fear at the end and his recklessness? His background as a businessman, religious books, the marriage to Gina, his growing madness and mania and the way that he described this in the restaurant?
8. Carol as heroine, the estrangement with Max, her anxiety at the party, her reaction to his arrest and the revelation of the affair, her doubt, her belief in him, the clues with the cigarette lighter, her finally being threatened?
9. The picture of the police and their investigations, the background of all the filmmaking people?
10. The build-up to an appropriate climax, the threats to Carol? Carliss in control, Max’s escape, the chase, the death? The light ironic touch with the actress impersonating Gina arriving at the end?
