NO MAN'S WOMAN

US, 1955, 70 minutes, Black and white.
Marie Windsor, John Archer, Patric Knowles, Nancy Gates, Jil Jarman, Richard Crane, Louis Jean Heydt.
Directed by Franklin Andreon.

This is a brief supporting feature from Republic Studios in the 1950s. It is reminiscent of episodes of television series both then and in the future.

The situation is created, the focus on a selfish woman who manipulates men – and makes her out to be extremely murdererable, the audience sympathetic to her being got rid of!

Marie Windsor is expert at this kind of role. We see her reactions with a range of men and then, her murder.

There are six suspects: her former husband whom she refuses to divorce and makes demands for alimony and cash payments, his father who wants his son to be rid of her, the new girlfriend whom the son wants to marry. There is also an art expert who works in collusion with the woman, helping her with art acquisitions and writing them up in his newspaper column, the young assistant who is engaged to a young man with a small yacht.

The femme fatale antagonises the husband, his father, the potential fiancee, attempts to seduce the man with the boat, causing a quarrel with his girlfriend – and there is always the journalist.

1. Entertaining murder mystery? Plenty of suspects? And even the audience wanting Carolyn dead?

2. The luxury settings, mansions, art studios, Laguna Beach and the ocean? Police precincts? Apartments? The musical score?

3. The title, the tone, the focus on Carolyn and her independence? The men in her life? Manipulation and use?

4. The portrait of Carolyn, Marie Windsor’s screen presence, seductive and sure? With Wayne, the car ride, the paintings, her art dealings? His column and his promoting of her gallery? His guidance in her purchases? Her centre, display? Betty working for her? Otto as the caretaker? Her relationship with her husband, no love, her greed, unwilling to divorce him, stipulating huge alimony and cash grant, and antagonising her husband’s father? Her attitude towards Louise? Meeting Dick, setting her I on him? Lying to Betty? Going to the marina, getting on the boat, the day with him, attempted seduction, wanting a date?

5. Grant, the situation with Carolyn, the separation, his relationship with Louise? Support of his father? Carolyn’s visit, her financial demands? His scenes with Louise? Wanting to marry? His drinking at the bar, till early in the morning, his rash remarks to the bartender? Sleeping in the car, sleeping it off?

6. Wayne, Carolyn deceiving him, his relationship with her, personal, business? Telling her he had lost his job? Blacklisted? Her callous attitude?

7. Betty, going to the marina, learning about Dick and Carolyn, leaving her ring, the breakup? Dick, his attitude towards Carolyn, upset about the return of the ring, rectifying the situation with Betty?

8. Louise and her visit and confronting Carolyn?

9. The murder sequence, the key, entry, Carolyn the stairs, the shooting, the breaking of the glass?

10. Otto, discovering the body, discussions with the police? Suspicions? The various suspects?

11. The role of the detectives, the interrogation of Grant, not having an alibi, going to the bar, the bartender and his remembering the words? Motivation? His father confessing to save him?

12. Grant and Louise, packing up the artwork? Grant going to find Betty, confronting her, her lies, Dick’s arrival, finding the truth? The information about the gun?

13. Wayne, giving the information about Betty to Grant, his own motivations, having the key, going to the apartment, hiding the gun, confronting Louise, her trying to ring the police, the gun, Grant’s arrival? Wayne holding Louise hostage with the gun? The arrival of the police?

14. The brief and routine murder mystery – but well-acted and offering a puzzle? (Not too difficult to solve.)