The Lost Moment (1947)

An publisher insinuates himself into the mouldering mansion of the centenarian lover of a renowned but long-dead poet in order to find his lost love letters.

Director:

Martin Gabel

Writers:

Leonardo Bercovici (screenplay), Henry James (novel)

Stars:

Robert Cummings, Susan Hayward, Agnes Moorehead

Cast

Cast overview:
Robert Cummings	...	Lewis Venable
Susan Hayward	...	Tina Bordereau
Agnes Moorehead	...	Juliana Borderau
Joan Lorring	...	Amelia
Eduardo Ciannelli	...	Father Rinaldo
John Archer	...	Charles
Frank Puglia	...	Pietro
Minerva Urecal	...	Maria
William Edmunds	...	Vittorio

Storyline

In a long flashback, a New York publisher is in Venice pursuing the lost love letters of an early-19th-century poet, Jeffrey Ashton, who disappeared mysteriously. Using a false name, Lewis Venable rents a room from Juliana Bordereau, once Jeffrey Ashton's lover, now an aged recluse. Running the household is Juliana's severe niece, Tina, who mistrusts Venable from the first moment. He realizes all is not right when late one night he finds Tina, her hair unpinned and wild, at the piano. She calls him Jeffrey and throws herself at him. The family priest warns Venable to tread carefully around her fantasies, but he wants the letters at any cost, even Tina's sanity.

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Plot Keywords:

love letter | publisher | centenarian | mansion | overgrown garden | 

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 November 1947 (USA)

Also Known As:

Recordações

Filming Locations:

Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Walter Wanger Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In 1962 Michael Redgrave successfully adapted the story to the New York stage starring Maurice Evans and Wendy Hiller.

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Goofs

When Lewis rescues Juliana from the fire, Juliana's stunt double can be seen grabbing onto Lewis and helping him carry 'her' out.

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Quotes

Juliana Borderau: I never sleep. I hear every sound in this house.

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Connections

Referenced in Myra Breckinridge (1970)

User Reviews

sweet little movie

This turned up on tv and, having recently seen another James adaptation, The Innocents, I thought I'd take a look. This is quite a sweet little film, despite its sinister content and ghostly images of Venice. Cummings, Hayward and Moorehead are all excellent. "Venice" looks as good as the real thing, and the film has that watchable quality which sits with the very best of the 40s. One I'll certainly go back to.