SORRY, WRONG NUMBER

US, 1948, 89 minutes, Black and white.
Barbara Stanwyck, Burt Lancaster, Ann Richards, Wendell Corey, Ed Begley, Harold Vermilyea,
Leif Erickson, William Conrad.
Directed by Anatole Litvak.

Sorry, Wrong Number is a thriller from Lucille Fletcher's famous radio play of the '40s. She has adapted her radio play for the screen and opened it out. However, the plot is highly contrived, with telephone calls as the main framework and flashbacks and flashbacks within flashbacks.

Barbara Stanwyck is at her histrionic best as the hypochondriac woman on the phone who discovers a plot to kill her, and who is frantic in trying to find out what is happening and unable to save herself. A young Burt Lancaster is her husband. Ann Richards, with her Australian accent, sounds rather unrealistic as Barbara Stanwyck's friend. The direction is by Anatole Litvak, a veteran director of such films as All That Heaven Allows in the '40s and Night of the Generals in the '60s. Barbara Stanwyck was nominated for an Oscar for her performance.

1. Thriller? Famous radio play? Expanded for cinema?

2. Barbara Stanwyck as the strength of the film, her Oscar-nominated performance?

3. The film based on a play, the contrivance of situations, the focus on the phone calls, the flashbacks, the flashbacks within flashbacks?

4. The downbeat effect of the film, the sombre ending?

5. Barbara Stanwyck as Leona: spoilt, bedridden, relying on the phone, domineering on the phone, her overhearing the plan, the phone call and discovering her friend Sally, her memories of meeting Henry, taking him away from Sally, her callous attitudes? Her relationship with her father, his dominance? Henry and his job, marrying her? Disregard of Sally? The plot about the money, the phone call from Evans and his message, explanation of the plot? Her phone call to the doctor, his care, the story of Henry's visit? Henry's telegram, his phone call, his warning? Her being paralysed, knowing the truth? Her death? A wilful character?

6. Her father, his power and wealth, spoiling his daughter, dominating her, dominating Henry?

7. Henry, young, his friendship with Sally, marrying Leona, the job, his anger and frustration, entering into the plan with Evans, stealing the money? Criminals and their demand? His knowledge of his wife, the visit to the doctor? Sally and her visit? His phone call, the warning - and his failure to get Leona to move? His arrest?

8. The doctor, his concern, the visits of Henry, his treatment of Leona?

9. Sally, the past, her love for Henry, the marriage, the visit to Henry, following her husband, the discovery of the plot, the phone calls to Leona - the contrived character, her accent, the credibility of her actions?

10. Fred, his concern about Henry, the police and their plan, the raid?

11. The criminals, their plans, the pressure on Henry? Henry and his pressure on Evans, the burning of the house, the end of the plot?

12. The bleak and black mood of the film?