NO MAN OF HER OWN

US, 1949, 98 minutes, Black and white.
Barbara Stanwyck, John Lund, Lyle Bettger, Jane Cowl, Phyllis Thaxter, Henry O' Neill, Richard Denning.
Directed by Mitchell Leisen.

No Man of Her Own is from a thriller by Cornell Woolrich/William Irish, writer of many thrillers adapted for the screen by Paramount, including Alfred Hitchcock for Rear Window.

The film is an old fashioned 'women’s' film with the focus on Barbara Stanwyck suffering. She is expert at this. The film has a good supporting cast led by John Lund is a pleasant hero, Lyle Bettger a snarling villain. The film has the atmosphere of a mystery with touches of melodrama. It was directed by Mitchell Leisen, director of a number of effective films of this kind including the Oscar winning To Each His Own.

1. The popularity of this kind of melodrama? 'Women’s' weepy'? Of its time? In later decades?

2. Paramount production values: black and white photography, affluent atmosphere? Stars? Score?

3. Cornell Woolrich and his skill at writing thrillers, their popularity in adaptation for the screen? The blend of melodrama, soap opera and thriller?

4. The structure of the film: the crisis, the flashbacks? Audiences awaiting the arrival of the police ? and the possibility of Helen or Bill to be arrested?

5. Barbara Stanwyck's portrait of Helen: her desperation, her going to Steve, her grief, the ticket under the door, her pregnancy? The train ride, the friendship with Hugh and Patrice, sharing with them? The accident and her wearing Patrice's ring? Hospitalisation, the birth of the child? The truth? The dilemma as to what she should say? Her being welcomed by the family, their joy, the child? Assuming Patrice's identity: the grandparents, Bill and his love? The slip in the shop in writing her own name? The possibility of a future? Fitting into San Francisco society? Running the house?

6. Steve as a cad, his girlfriend, his disregard for Helen? His arrival in San Francisco, the contact, the blackmail, the pressure on Helen to marry him, her going through the ceremony, her decision to kill him? Taking the fun, finding him dead?

7. Bill and his place in the household, pleasant, in love, covering for her, the truth, the taxi ride, the disposing of the body?

8. The grandparents and their love for the child, for Helen? The strong mother? Her illness? Her hearing the phone call, her writing the letter accusing herself of killing Steve?

9. San Francisco society, lifestyle, family style?

10. The police, the investigations? The irony with each person confessing? The truth ? and the jealous girlfriend killing Steve?

11. How real/unreal are these melodramas? Audience emotional involvement? Insight through emotional involvement?