Whirlpool (1949)

Director:

Otto Preminger

Writers:

Ben Hecht (screenplay) and
Andrew Solt (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

28 November 1949 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Film-Noir | Mystery

Tagline:

There are two sides to every woman when she gives her heart to one man...and she loses her soul to another.

Plot:

A woman secretly suffering from kleptomania is hypnotized in an effort to cure her condition. Soon afterwards, she is found at the scene of a murder with no memory of how she got there and seemingly no way to prove her innocence.

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Shoplifter | Hypnotist | Patient | Kleptomania

Cast

Gene Tierney	...	Ann Sutton
Richard Conte	...	Dr. William 'Bill' Sutton
José Ferrer	...	David Korvo (as Jose Ferrer)
Charles Bickford	...	Lt. James Colton
Barbara O'Neil	...	Theresa Randolph
Eduard Franz	...	Martin Avery
Constance Collier	...	Tina Cosgrove
Fortunio Bonanova	...	Feruccio di Ravallo
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Beau Anderson	...	Soldier (uncredited)
Myrtle Anderson	...	Ann's Maid (uncredited)
Gail Bonney	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Lovyss Bradley	...	Nurse Elliott (uncredited)
Margaret Brayton	...	Policewoman (uncredited)
Sue Carlton	...	Elevator Girl (uncredited)
Clancy Cooper	...	First Policeman (uncredited)
Oliver Cross	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Joan Dix	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Lawrence Dobkin	...	Surgeon Wayne (uncredited)
Johnny Duncan	...	Soldier (uncredited)
Eddie Dunn	...	Watchman (uncredited)
Jay Eaton	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Charles Flynn	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Sally Forrest	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Robert Foulk	...	Andy, Policeman (uncredited)
Robert Garvin	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Alex Gerry	...	Dr. Peter Duval (uncredited)
Bruce Hamilton	...	Police Sgt. Robert Jeffreys (uncredited)
Phyllis Hill	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Mauritz Hugo	...	Hotel Clerk (uncredited)
Ted Jordan	...	Harry - Parking Attendant (uncredited)
Larry Keating	...	Mr. Simms (uncredited)
Ruth Lee	...	Miss Hall (uncredited)
Ian MacDonald	...	Store Detective Hogan (uncredited)
Joyce Mackenzie	...	Daisy - Telephone Operator (uncredited)
Harold Miller	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Roger Moore	...	Fingerprint Man (uncredited)
Howard Negley	...	Gordon (uncredited)
Wanda Perry	...	Miss Wilson (uncredited)
Anitra Sparrow	...	Miss Landon (uncredited)
Randy Stuart	...	Miss Landau (uncredited)
John Trebach	...	Freddie (uncredited)
Nancy Valentine	...	Taffy Lou (uncredited)
Jane Van Duser	...	Miss Andrews (uncredited)
Lillian West	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Helen Westcott	...	Secretary (uncredited)
Mack Williams	...	Whorton (uncredited)
Margaret Zane	...	Bit Role (uncredited)

Directed by
Otto Preminger

Writing credits
Ben Hecht		(screenplay) and
Andrew Solt		(screenplay)
Guy Endore		(novel)

Produced by
Otto Preminger	....	producer

Original Music by
David Raksin

Cinematography by
Arthur C. Miller		(director of photography) (as Arthur Miller)

Film Editing by
Louis R. Loeffler		(as Louis Loeffler)

Art Direction by
Leland Fuller
Lyle R. Wheeler		(as Lyle Wheeler)

Set Decoration by
Thomas Little
Walter M. Scott

Costume Design by
Charles Le Maire		(uncredited)

Makeup Department
Ben Nye	....	makeup artist
Allan Snyder	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Marie Walter	....	hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
Sid Bowen	....	production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Eli Dunn	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Harry M. Leonard	....	sound
Winston H. Leverett	....	sound (as Winston Leverett)

Special Effects by
Fred Sersen	....	special photographic effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Jack Brown	....	gaffer (uncredited)
Logan Brown	....	grip (uncredited)
Paul Lockwood	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Anthony Ugrin	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Oleg Cassini	....	costume designer: Gene Tierney
Charles Le Maire	....	wardrobe director (as Charles LeMaire)
Sam Benson	....	wardrobe (uncredited)

Music Department
Alfred Newman	....	musical director
Edward B. Powell	....	orchestration (as Edward Powell)

Other crew
H.A. Conway	....	technical consultant (uncredited)
Weslie Jones	....	script supervisor (uncredited)
Cora Presser	....	technical consultant (uncredited)
Fred Schneider	....	technical consultant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (presents) (as Twentieth Century - Fox)

Distributors

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (1949) (USA) (theatrical) (released by) (as Twentieth Century - Fox Film Corporation)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Italian

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (DVD rating) | USA:Approved (certificate #13925) | Australia:PG | UK:PG (video rating) (2003) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

At one point in the film, Theresa Randolph (Barbara O'Neil) tells Ann (Gene Tierney) that she is old enough to be her mother. However, in reality, O'Neil was only ten years older than Tierney.

Goofs:

Continuity: Ann is arrested on June 3, 1949, but we later read on her file that she was fingerprinted by police on May 27, 1949.

Quotes:

David Korvo:You were wise not to tell your husband, Mrs. Sutton. A successful marriage is usually based on what a husband and wife don't know about each other.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Choose Me (1984)

Soundtrack:

Again

Charles Bickford's performance

Just watched this last night. I'm a fan of Otto Preminger and was therefore full of hopes, but after a terrific opening 20 minutes, it sort of falls away after all that I think. However, what a fantastic performance from Charles Bickford as the Lieutenant. Brilliant. Worth it to see his performance alone -- Ferrer is wonderful in the opening scene when he defends Gene Tierney and generally adds the right dosage of menace, but the self-hypnosis in the hospital bed is unlikely and the final ten minutes in the house are vaguely ridiculous. The relationship between him and Tierney is very strong however. It is sad to think that Tierney struggled so much health-wise, because to my mind she was the most beautiful of her generation and is utterly plausible in any of the movies that I have come across..