Dark Waters (1944)

A woman returns to the USA after a German u-boat sank her ship, and finds out that someone wants to kill her for her inheritance.

Director:

André De Toth

Writers:

Francis M. Cockrell (story), Marian B. Cockrell (story),

Stars:

Merle Oberon, Franchot Tone, Thomas Mitchell

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Merle Oberon	...	Leslie Calvin
Franchot Tone	...	Dr. George Grover
Thomas Mitchell	...	Mr. Sydney
Fay Bainter	...	Aunt Emily
Elisha Cook Jr.	...	Cleeve
John Qualen	...	Uncle Norbert
Rex Ingram	...	Pearson Jackson
Nina Mae McKinney	...	Florella
Odette Myrtil	...	Mama Boudreaux
Eugene Borden	...	Papa Boudreaux
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Leigh Whipper	...	Minor Role (unconfirmed)

Storyline

Leslie Calvin, the sole survivor of a submarine accident, goes to her relatives in order to recover emotionally. Unfortunately she encounters various scam artists led by Mr. Sydney who intend to kill her and steal the family assets. Dr. George Grover helps Leslie to defeat Sydney.

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Plot Keywords:

murder | mental illness | insanity | deception | quicksand

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Taglines:

Was love or madness to be her fate?

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Genres:

Drama | Film-Noir | Mystery | Thriller

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 August 1945 (Australia)

Also Known As:

Águas Tenebrosas

Filming Locations:

General Service Studios - 1040 N. Las Palmas, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Benedict Bogeaus Production

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

"Lux Radio Theater" broadcast a 60 minute radio adaptation of the movie on November 27, 1944 with Merle Oberon and Thomas Mitchell reprising their film roles.

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Goofs

As Leslie Calvin enters the front porch area, Cleeve empties his pipe and places it in the breast pocket of his jacket with the bowl of the pipe protruding above the pocket line. Later on the tour of the plantation as Mr. Sydney passes by Cleeve the pipe is gone but in the next shot just seconds after Mr. Sydney has walked a few steps away, the pipe is again clearly visible.

User Reviews

suspenseful drama

I first saw this film when I was about 12 years old and it scared the living daylights out of me. I saw it again recently on a nice DVD with a print from the UCLA archives and enjoyed it once more with less of the initial reaction of a 12 year old.

There are a number of elements in this productions favour.

The setting of the swamps and the remote plantation provide generous doses of eeriness for starters.

Oberon, whose star was on the decline, is perfect with her very British genteelness and performance of a woman in a vulnerable state. We are given indicators (such as the her discarded telegram) early on, that all is not well - she thinks she in going deeper into madness. She pulls this off very well.

I am a huge fan of the orchestral scoring during this period, however the lack of it here, and instead lots of sounds of the swamps, adds generously to the suspense, in addition to a number of nighttime shots.

The directors montage at the start of the film is a perfect and dramatic beginning to one of the sleeper suspense films of the period.