THE UNSUSPECTED
US, 1947, 103 minutes, Black and white.
Claude Rains, Joan Caulfield, Audrey Totter, Constance Bennett, Michael North, Hurd Hatfield, Fred Clark.
Directed by Michael Curtiz.
The Unsuspected is a very entertaining thriller, in the vein of Laura and Hitchcock's films. It was directed by Michael Curtiz, best known as a director of action films at Warner Pros. in the '30s and '40s, he moved to musicals and comedies in the '40s and '50s. This is his main psychological thriller.
Claude Rains is expert as Victor Grandison, the central character. He is matched by Joan Caulfield as the charming and threatened heroine. The film has all the Warner Bros. production style with a score by Franz Waxman.
A very entertaining thriller.
1. A popular thriller? Audiences used to Hitchcock's style? Mystery, suspense?
2. Warner Bros. production values: black and white photography, the world of radio? Victor's world? Light and darkness? Night and day? Shadows? Editing and pace? Mystery and suspense? The musical score?
3. The atmosphere of the '40s: the post-war period, the popularity of radio, lifestyle, travel?
4. The effectiveness of the murders at the start? Establishing the mystery? Enticing the audience? Clues?
5. Claude Rains' performance as Victor Grandison? Rains' suave style? Sinister? Charm? His work on radio, the storytelling? Victor as a person, sociable, the party? Althea and Oliver? Jane? His relationship to the world of radio and its personalities? His relationship with Matilda, his devotion towards her? His suave manner and friendliness with Steve? Matilda's return, the crises? The beginnings of his schemes?
The recordings and his killing of Althea? His skill in setting up plots? Sending Oliver to his death? Matilda writing the suicide note? Press and his taking Steve in the trunk? Grandison's relationship with the police? His final broadcast - and his suave response to his undoing? The final image of his going to prison?
6. Matilda: the portrait, her death, the sudden news of her return, the photographers at the airport, the shock news of her marriage with Steve, her devotion to Grandi, the immediate clash with Althea and her response to Althea's jealousy, moving rooms? Her being jilted by Oliver and her reaction to him? The puzzle with Steve? Fear of amnesia? Gradual attraction towards him? Friend ship with Jane, concern about Roslyn? Her believing Grandi, the writing of the note, the accepting of the drink? Her waking? The chase and being reunited with Steve?
7. Steve and his entry into the house, the mystery of his presence, the story of his marriage, the checking of details? Althea throwing herself at him? The police and her reaction? The airport sequence with Matilda? Her not believing his story? The gradual revelation of his links with the police and with Jane? His links with Roslyn? His seeing Grandison with the recording, testing it out? His being put in the trunk?
8. Althea and the portrait of the wilful and bored wealthy woman, her taunting Oliver about his drinking, her fears and her death? Oliver and his drinking? His death?
9. Jane and her wisecracking and loyal support?
10. The sketch of the police and their investigations?
11. American society, wealth?
12. The importance of the radio in pre-TV days? The radio and its influence, the effect of audiences listening to Grandison's murder stories? His being a radio celebrity?
13. The portrait of Victor as character? As centre of a thriller?
