No Man of Her Own (1950)

Director:

Mitchell Leisen

Writers:

Sally Benson (screenplay) &
Catherine Turney (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

24 November 1950 (Finland)

Genre:

Drama | Film-Noir

Plot:

Helen Ferguson, pregnant, penniless and dumped by her boyfriend Steve Morley, takes the identity of the pregnant Patrice Harkness...

Plot Keywords:

Pregnant | Blackmail | Train | Expectant Mother | Inscribed Ring

Cast

Barbara Stanwyck	...	Helen Ferguson / Patrice Harkness
John Lund	...	Bill Harkness
Jane Cowl	...	Mrs. Harkness
Phyllis Thaxter	...	Patrice Harkness
Lyle Bettger	...	Stephen 'Steve' Morley
Henry O'Neill	...	Mr. Harkness
Richard Denning	...	Hugh Harkness
Carole Mathews	...	Irma - the blonde
Harry Antrim	...	Ty Winthrop
Catherine Craig	...	Rosalie Baker
Esther Dale	...	Josie
Milburn Stone	...	Plainclothesman
Griff Barnett	...	Dr. Parker
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jean Andren	...	Louise Russell (uncredited)
Georgia Backus	...	Nurse (uncredited)
Virginia Brissac	...	Justice of the Peace's Wife (uncredited)
Ivan Browning	...	Porter (uncredited)
Ashley Cowan	...	Justice of the Peace's Son (uncredited)
Charles Dayton	...	Friend of the Family (uncredited)
Jimmie Dundee	...	Patrolman (uncredited)
Franklyn Farnum	...	Train Passenger (uncredited)
Bess Flowers	...	Woman at Country Club Dance (uncredited)
Kathleen Freeman	...	Clara Larrimore (uncredited)
Sumner Getchell	...	John Larrimore (uncredited)
William Haade	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Sam Harris	...	Country Club Patron (uncredited)
Thomas Browne Henry	...	Doctor at Hospital (uncredited)
Edna Holland	...	Nurse (uncredited)
Esther Howard	...	Boarding House Owner (uncredited)
Selmer Jackson	...	Minister (uncredited)
Stan Johnson	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Richard Keene	...	Clerk (uncredited)
Mary Lawrence	...	Lucy Hunt (uncredited)
Carl M. Leviness	...	Passerby on Sidewalk (uncredited)
Frank Marlowe	...	Steve, Cab Driver (uncredited)
John Michaels	...	Delivery Boy (uncredited)
Helen Mowery	...	Harriet Olsen (uncredited)
Forbes Murray	...	Train Passenger (uncredited)
Gordon Nelson	...	Justice of the Peace (uncredited)
Barry Norton	...	Country Club Patron (uncredited)
Steve Pendleton	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Jack Reynolds	...	Country Club Party Group (uncredited)
Kasey Rogers	...	Friend of the Family (uncredited)
Jean Ruth	...	Nurse (uncredited)
Jeffrey Sayre	...	Country Club Patron (uncredited)
Emmett Smith	...	Red Cap (uncredited)
Bert Stevens	...	Train Passenger (uncredited)
Phil Tully	...	Patrol Car Policeman (uncredited)
Ray Walker	...	Plainclothesman (uncredited)
Willard Waterman	...	Jack Olsen (uncredited)
Dave Willock	...	Jimmy Baker (uncredited)
Dooley Wilson	...	Waiter on Train (uncredited)

Directed by
Mitchell Leisen

Writing credits
Sally Benson		(screenplay) &
Catherine Turney		(screenplay)
Cornell Woolrich		(novel "I Married a Dead Man") (as William Irish)
Mitchell Leisen		uncredited

Produced by
Richard Maibaum	....	producer

Original Music by
Hugo Friedhofer

Cinematography by
Daniel L. Fapp

Film Editing by
Alma Macrorie

Art Direction by
Henry Bumstead
Hans Dreier

Set Decoration by
Sam Comer
Ray Moyer

Costume Design by
Edith Head

Makeup Department
Dean Cole	....	hair stylist
Robert Ewing	....	makeup artist (as Bob Ewing)
Wally Westmore	....	makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
John R. Coonan	....	assistant director (as John Coonan)

Sound Department
Gene Garvin	....	sound
Don McKay	....	sound

Visual Effects by
Farciot Edouart	....	process photography
Gordon Jennings	....	special photographic effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Earl Crowell	....	gaffer
Erwin Newmeyer	....	grip
Haskell B. Boggs	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Don English	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Music Department
Sidney Cutner	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
George Parrish	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Leo Shuken	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Irvin Talbot	....	conductor (uncredited)

Other crew
Claire Behnke	....	script supervisor
Francis Dawson	....	dialogue director (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1950) (USA) (theatrical)
• Les Films Paramount (1950) (France) (theatrical)
• Paramount Films of Italy Inc. (1950) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Paramount (1951) (Germany) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1972) (USA) (TV) (network premiere)
• Olive Films (2011) (Canada) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Olive Films (2011) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Remade as "Mrs. Winterbourne" with Ricki Lake and Shirley MacClaine in the roles played by Stanwyck and Jane Cowl.

Quotes:

Bill Harkness:[returns to car after dumping a dead body onto a moving train] He stayed on, caught on the catwalk or whatever it is, but his hat and... came off.
Helen Ferguson:Don't.

Movie Connections:

Remade as Kati Patang (1970)

Stanwyck can bull doze her way through any silly story

Stanwyck and the other actors (Cowl Lund) make this unbelievable story come to life and be suspenseful and fun to watch. The timing is quick so you don't have time to let impossible things bother you.

Stanwyck penniless and pregnant reluctantly falls into an identity swap following a train wreck. Stanwyck at 43 is too old for the new bride role but that would be one of the more minor impossible things in this story. She is an unstoppable force (you don't dwell on plot holes) and the pace of the movie is fast---so suspending disbelief is easy.

Yes, this is a film noir but the overly complicated ending mars what could have been an even better gem. Still it is entertaining and fun.

Trivia: Jane Cowl (Mrs. Harkness) died of cancer shortly after making this movie (she dies of illness in the movie).

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