My Name Is Julia Ross (1945)

Julia Ross secures employment, through a rather-noisy employment agency, with a wealthy widow, Mrs. Hughes, and goes to live at her house. Two days later, she awakens in a different house ... See full summary »

Director:

Joseph H. Lewis

Writers:

Muriel Roy Bolton (screenplay), Anthony Gilbert (novel)

Stars:

Nina Foch, Dame May Whitty, George Macready

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Nina Foch	...	Julia Ross
Dame May Whitty	...	Mrs. Hughes
George Macready	...	Ralph Hughes
Roland Varno	...	Dennis Bruce
Anita Sharp-Bolster	...	Sparkes (as Anita Bolster)
Doris Lloyd	...	Mrs. Mackie

Storyline

Julia Ross secures employment, through a rather-noisy employment agency, with a wealthy widow, Mrs. Hughes, and goes to live at her house. Two days later, she awakens in a different house in different clothes and with a new identity. She is told she is the daughter-in-law of Mrs. Hughes and has suffered a nervous breakdown. She soon learns that the son of Mrs. Hughes, Ralph, has murdered his wife, disposed of her body and, with his mother's help, plans to pass Julia off as his wife. And then plans to eventually kill her and pass it off as a suicide.

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Plot Keywords:

black cat | kidnapping | secret passage | cat | mother son relationship | 

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Taglines:

She went to sleep as a secretary ... and woke up a madman's "bride"!

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Genres:

Drama | Film-Noir | Mystery

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 November 1945 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Woman in Red

Box Office

Budget:

$175,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

65 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In a 1988 interview about this movie, Nina Foch said the idea that Dame May Whitty had George Macready as a son was "hysterically funny in a bizarre sort of way."

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Goofs

When Sparkes calls Mrs. Hughes from the employment agency, she begins dialing the phone with the writing end of her pencil. In the next shot she's dialing with the eraser end.

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Quotes

Ralph Hughes: Marion, darling. How do you feel? Why, you look better this morning, much better! Doesn't she, Mother?
Mrs. Hughes: Indeed she does!
Julia Ross: My name isn't Marion, and I'm not married to you or anyone. I was engaged as a secretary! Now what does this all mean? Why did we leave London?
Mrs. Hughes: You haven't forgotten us again, have you, Marion?
Julia Ross: I'm not Marion, and you know it.
Mrs. Hughes: All right, dear. Let's not argue. Let's just have our tea, and perhaps another nap, and then you'll feel much better.
Ralph Hughes: I'm afraid it's cold.
Mrs. Hughes: Alice, bring...
[...]

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Connections

Version of Lux Video Theatre: My Name Is Julia Ross (1955)

User Reviews

Imprisoned on the Cornwall Coast

I can second the emotions of other comments about this taut thriller. It's extremely well-acted, especially by Nina Foch, a fine actress whose close resemblance to Ann Baxter may have limited her opportunities.

George Macready, man of the golden voice, is good as poor Marian/Julia's "husband". His mother's reactions to his violent psychopathic tendencies are among the film's best moments. Dame May Whitty is at her best as the scheming, protective mother.

The film does NOT seem too short. Its only fault is an over-reliance on convenient plot devices like a sleeping draught, a nightdress tossed out the window, a mysterious cat, an intercepted letter etc. Yet Lewis's direction is noteworthy for its economy and for the way he generates Hitchcockian suspense without overdoing anything. Three years later, Dame May Whitty would also appear in Columbia's THE SIGN OF THE RAM, in which she embodies a meddlesome busybody. That film and MY NAME IS JULIA ROSS would make a fine double-bill.