Angel Face (1952) 7.3
Ambulance driver Frank Jessup is ensnared in the schemes of the sensuous but dangerous Diane Tremayne. Director:Otto Preminger |
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Angel Face (1952) 7.3
Ambulance driver Frank Jessup is ensnared in the schemes of the sensuous but dangerous Diane Tremayne. Director:Otto Preminger |
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| Complete credited cast: | |||
| Robert Mitchum | ... |
Frank Jessup
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| Jean Simmons | ... |
Diane Tremayne Jessup
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Mona Freeman | ... |
Mary Wilton
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Herbert Marshall | ... |
Mr. Charles Tremayne
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Leon Ames | ... |
Fred Barrett
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| Barbara O'Neil | ... |
Mrs. Catherine Tremayne
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| Kenneth Tobey | ... |
Bill Crompton
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Raymond Greenleaf | ... |
Arthur Vance
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Griff Barnett | ... |
The Judge
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Robert Gist | ... |
Miller
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Morgan Farley | ... |
Juror
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| Jim Backus | ... |
Dist. Atty. Judson
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
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Grandon Rhodes | ... |
Prison Chaplain
(scenes deleted)
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Charles Tannen | ... |
TV Broadcaster
(scenes deleted)
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Ralph Volkie | ... |
Good Humor Man
(scenes deleted)
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When Mrs. Tremayne is mysteriously poisoned with gas, ambulance driver Frank Jessup meets her refined but sensuous stepdaughter Diane, who quickly pursues and infatuates him. Under Diane's seductive influence, Frank is soon the Tremayne chauffeur; but he begins to suspect danger under her surface sweetness. When he shows signs of pulling away, Diane schemes to get him in so deep he'll never get out. Written by Rod Crawford <puffinus@u.washington.edu>
Jean Simmons meets the man of her dreams just as he walks into a nightmare in "Angel Face," an Otto Preminger film released in 1952. Simmons is excellent as a beautiful young woman who hates her wealthy stepmother, adores her father, and is obsessed with an ambulance driver, played by Robert Mitchum, who comes to the family home when it appears Diane's stepmother tried to kill herself. Although the victim claims that someone tried to kill her...
Mitchum brings a perfect touch of ne'er do well and untrustworthiness to the role. He has ambition, he has a job, but he's a jerk to his girlfriend (Mona Freeman) and seems more than happy to take up with Diane when she pursues him.
Simmons, though not as striking as Vivien Leigh, has a similar look - she's petite, with a beautiful figure and facial structure, and gorgeous eyes. Her performance as Diane is right on - even the cynical Mitchum character can't quite figure her out, even when he thinks he has. She keeps her stepmother off-balance, too. There are some wonderful touches - when she walks into her father's house toward the end of the film, without any dialogue, one knows she can no longer live there.
The ending is breathtaking. This Preminger film has the pace lacking in "Fallen Angel," which is another character study of a sort.