Pitfall (1948)

John Forbes is a family man who's tired of the 9 to 5 humdrum of his job an insurance company executive. Life gets a little more exciting for him when he calls upon femme fatale Mona ... See full summary »

Director:

André De Toth

Writers:

Jay Dratler (novel), Karl Kamb (screen play),

Stars:

Dick Powell, Lizabeth Scott, Jane Wyatt

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Dick Powell	...	John Forbes
Lizabeth Scott	...	Mona Stevens
Jane Wyatt	...	Sue Forbes
Raymond Burr	...	J.B. MacDonald
John Litel	...	District Attorney
Byron Barr	...	Bill Smiley
Jimmy Hunt	...	Tommy Forbes
Ann Doran	...	Maggie
Selmer Jackson	...	Ed Brawley
Margaret Wells	...	Terry
Dick Wessel	...	Desk Sergeant

Storyline

John Forbes is a family man who's tired of the 9 to 5 humdrum of his job an insurance company executive. Life gets a little more exciting for him when he calls upon femme fatale Mona Stevens. Her boyfriend has robbed a store insured by Forbes' company and has showered her with gifts using the loot. Forbes comes to collect the ill-gotten gifts, but the boyfriend is in jail, and Forbes falls hard for Mona and begins an affair. The only problem is that MacDonald, a private dick who freelances for the insurance company, has had his eyes on Mona first. The obsessed MacDonald turns the soon-to-be-released boyfriend against Forbes.

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Plot Keywords:

insurance | family man | hard boiled | prison visit | modeling | 

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Taglines:

A man can be as strong as steel...but somewhere there's a woman who'll break him!

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Genres:

Film-Noir

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 August 1948 (USA)

Also Known As:

Caminho da Tentação

Filming Locations:

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

Company Credits

Production Co:

Regal Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

86 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

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 8, 1948 with Dick Powell, Jane Wyatt and Lizabeth Scott reprising their film roles.

User Reviews

Dick Powell's Fine Noir Edge Hits Mark

I am always amazed at Dick Powell's transition from bouyant singing star into the shadows and uncertainties of noir classics. He's absolutely delightful in the former -- and gives joy and heart to the songs he's given. Confident, good-looking, he seems to be laughing at life. In PITFALL -- it's as if his bubble has been burst -- the "perfect" home, job, family and friends have become simply routine in his mind. By venturing into the world of beautiful loser (as far as men are concerned) Lizbeth Scott -- Powell's wanderlust is satisfied only to find he's opened a "can of worms". Powell, Wyatt, Scott and Raymond Burr are effective and believable -- and the film is paced, photographed, and scripted with intelligence -- so that the viewer easily goes along for the ride. Powell's talent as an actor is underscored here. As his outlook on things changes he redefines "what he's had all along" with an underplayed, yet genuinely felt appreciation. Burr is especially chilling as the obsessed detective sent to get the goods on Lizbeth Scott. Kudos to de Toth.