The Depraved (1957) User Reviews

Just watch "Double Indemnity"...

[planktonrules · 5/10 · 20 March 2011]

Whether the film makers would admit this or not, this film is re-make of the classic film "Double Indemnity" (1944)...a relatively bland one. So, my question is--why not, then, just watch the original film?!

The film is set in the United Kingdom. A pretty young lady is married to an older and abusive drunk. He is no prize, so you certainly sympathize for the lady--and so does an American office who is stationed nearby. He sees firsthand what sort of a nasty piece of work the husband is...and that makes him vulnerable to the wife. Why? Well, because she's also pretty horrible..and plans manipulating him into killing the husband. Can they get away with it and how will it all end?! Well, if you've seen the earlier film, you kind of have the idea...

I gave this film a 5 simply because although is not at all original, the plot is a good one. Too bad the acting is pretty poor and the production looks so cheap. At its best, it's only pedestrian. My recommendation is this one only if you are a film noir nut or you like poor remakes.

Bad Writing, Bad Acting

[Dr. Ed-2 · 4/10 · 1 February 2001]

This film sounded promising but was a total dud. The script is terrible, a ripoff of 40s American noire classics like "Double Indemnity" and others. There is no continuity in dialog at all, with characters jumping all over the logic board. The acting of Anne Heywood, Robert Arden and Basil Dignam is atrocious. Over-the-top acting can be fun in the right genre, but this ain't it. On another note, the set decoration is among the worst I've ever seen, especially the front door/foyer area of Heywood's country house. UGH!!!!

sensationalist title cloaks mediocre thriller

[malcolmgsw · 5/10 · 5 August 2014]

As has been stated by another reviewer this is basically "Double Indemnity" in a British setting made cheaply without the genius of Billy Wilder.So everything about this film is fairly predictable.There is a slight flaw in the plot that the writer overlooked.When Robert Arden hits the husband before putting him in the car,he forgets that when the post mortem takes place not only will the bruise show up but also he will not have a significant amount of water in his lungs which will lead to the conclusion that he was dead or near death when he went into the water.Also the fact that the invitation was hand delivered will not go unnoticed.

Lonely soldier stationed in England stops to help a victim of wife abuse.

[pggarner · 21 September 2004]

This movie is a great film noir, despite not being well-known. It has a tight, believable storyline, good acting, good photography, and no Hollywood fluff at all. The story draws you in from the opening scene and develops very quickly. Anne Heyward delivers an exceptional performance as the abused wife. I felt a need to comment on The Depraved because the IMDb review I just read was inexplicably negative.The reviewer felt it was a depressing film, but only if you don't like film noir. There are no explosions, no car chases, no nudity, but if you want a dramatic, well-written plot with realistic characterizations, you'll definitely want to see this movie.

Depressing

[JohnSeal · 3/10 · 3 December 2000]

Wow, with a title like that you can't go wrong! And it was Brian 'The Avengers' Clemens first screenwriting credit! And...uh oh...it's, erm, another dreadful quota quickie from the Danziger Brothers. Except for a little visual flare in the first reel, Depraved depressingly displays the Danziger's desparately drab demimonde. Avoid.

Boilerplate Dud

[filmalamosa · 1/10 · 29 November 2012]

Basically a dud. An unhappy wife married to an older alcoholic husband convinces an American army officer to help her kill her husband and make it look like an accident.

Several flaws: the army officer should have been a lot younger it would have been much better if he had been in his twenties same age as wife rather instead of early 40s and stodgy looking to boot.

The set is atrocious especially the inside of the house with bamboo and nautical rope themes ugghhhh....especially as you are expecting an English manor house from the driveway up to it.

One curious flaw... the MPs have PMs written on their caps--is this the British system? But they were Americans at an American base.

Avoid this thing. There is no suspense to speak of and it has incredibly cheap production values...the accident was in no way suspenseful. Nothing about it was suspenseful.

DO NOT RECOMMEND

Cheap And Uninteresting Variation Of DOUBLE INDEMNITY

[boblipton · 4/10 · 23 April 2020]

Married Anne Heywood begins an affair with US Army captain Robert Arden. Soon they determine to murder her husband.

It's a variation on DOUBLE INDEMNITY and not a particularly good one. Like almost every Danziger production, the first annoying thing was the score, which consists of a single theme, repeated with no variation. Other issues include the rather lackadaisical manner in which the local Army base is run. Line readings are overwrought, and the lines themselves are not particularly interesting.

The Danzigers knew they were not creating great works of cinema. They were almost strictly a second feature operation. Still, even their American equivalent, Lippert, put some effort and well-known, if faded, stars in their productions. This one doesn't seem to have been intended to do more than fill in a one-hour gap in a program, and it does so poorly.

Not great but I enjoyed it

[ihshils-649-173072 · 5/10 · 2 April 2013]

Although this is less than a minor "noir", with poor acting, the story has an unsuspected twist (which I won't reveal). It contains some of the elements of "noir", but falls short. The main male character does become involved with a beautiful women who lures him into a fatal situation, but it is poorly done and contains many of the errors described in other reviews. I also noted the odd arm bands worn by the MP's One can always cite this film in a discussion of B (or C) movies. "Body Heat" and "Double Indemnity"(mentioned by others above) are successful. This one is OK for a few minutes while doing some exercise on your stationary bike or treadmill.

Soldier of misfortune

[kalbimassey · 4/10 · 10 May 2023]

Rugged, but sullen U. S. soldier, Robert Arden, seeks assistance from the occupants of a remote house, after his vehicle runs out of petrol, only to discover beautiful, but emotionally battered Anne Heywood cobbling together a miserable existence with irrational, unstable husband, Basil Dignam.

A repeat visit finds Arden soon swooning over used, abused and bruised Heywood, from whom the deranged Dignam has flatly reused a divorce. The couple quickly conclude that the only way to be rid of him..... is to get rid of him.

Dignam's death results in an initially routine visit from police detective, Denis Shaw, on a high from winning a Robbie Coltrane look-alike contest. Suspicions arise, however, when Arden shoots himself in the foot by vociferously bad mouthing a potential witness.

The trendy jazz score, by turns suspenseful and sensual cannot mask this morass of mediocrity. 'The Depraved' is sadly deprived of substance, originality and personality, simply coming off as no more than a half-hearted, ham-fisted retread of 'Double Indemnity'.

If you are desperate for an excuse to procrastinate over mowing the lawn, creosoting the fence or clearing a gutter, then 'The Depraved' will allow you to delay the inevitable by 71 minutes. There are more rewarding ways of passing the aforementioned time, than focusing on a movie so largely devoid of aesthetic value.

A "quota quickie" Cain clone

[melvelvit-1 · 7/10 · 16 March 2014]

A U.S. Army captain stationed in England falls for a local woman (Anne Heywood) whose brutish husband beats her and before long a murder plan is hatched...

It's quintessential noir, plot-wise (from the template forged by James M. Cain), and the story's by Brian Clemens of THE AVENGERS fame but except for some nice b&w photography and a blue-sy score, there's reely nothing new in what looks to be one of the last of Britain's "quota quickies" before the Act was repealed in 1960 (even if it was filmed in Ireland). A modest effort that ought to keep any noirista glued to the tube, nonetheless.

Who Could Resist Anne Heywood?

[jayraskin1 · 8/10 · 15 July 2012]

This is a nice and neat little suspense piece in the tradition of "Double Indemnity." and "The Postman Always Rings Twice" An army captain (Robert Arden) falls for an abused wife (Anne Heywood) of a rich man (Basil Dignam).

The most noteworthy thing, and what attracted me to watch the movie, is that it was written by master story teller Brian Clemens ("Danger Man," "The Avengers," "Captain Kronos: Vampire Killer"). Clemens' works always move quickly and mix humor, adventure and suspense in a generally pleasing manner. This movie shows that Clemens knew his craft from the beginning of his 50+ year career.

He puts in three or four clever plot twists that help refresh the formulaic plot. For example, the abused wife is not nearly as helpless as we thought upon first seeing her.

I found Robert Arden quite good and believable as the captain. Although he did a good amount bit roles in television work, this seems to have been his only really starring movie role. It is a shame. He has a Fred MacMurray type of niceness to him which should have led him to more straight heroic roles.

Anne Heywood is our femme fatale/heroine.I knew Anne Heywood from her terrific acting in "The Fox." She is very good here as well. One sees exactly why Captain Dillon is willing to risk everything five minutes after meeting her.

While this does have elements of classic Film Noir, it is not really representative of that genre. In classic Film Noir, the hero has some disturbance in his past that catches up to him. Here Ms. Heywood is the new and only disturbance.

I think suspense and mystery fans will generally enjoy it. It is only slightly above the level of a good detective television series, but as long as you are not expecting too much that will do.

Formula Film Noir

[fordraff · 5 December 2000]

Caution: Contains spoilers.

If someone had written the script for a film noir from a computer template, this is the sort of film that would have emerged.

Strictly formula: A young attractive wife, Laura Wilton, is married to Tom Wilton, a wealthy man about twenty years her senior whom she married for his money. Tom, an alcoholic, physically and verbally abuses Laura and feels that her duty should be to keep the house in order and serve him.

Enter Dave Dillon, a handsome American Army officer from a nearby base. In no time, Laura and Dave have begun an affair, and she has enticed him into a plot to kill Tom.

They will dispatch Tom in an accident, made to look as if it resulted from Tom's drunken driving. According to formula, their plot doesn't go quite as planned. Nonetheless, Tom ends up dead.

Then, also according to formula, the accident is investigated, in this case by an obese Inspector O'Flynn. Soon he "smells a rat" and furthers his investigation. Laura and Dave say and do the wrong things; they begin to distrust each other. Finally, Laura tells Inspector O'Flynn some lies that throws suspicion on Dave.

Then, according to formula, Dave discovers that Laura is about to depart for Italy with the chauffeur she'd been having an affair with before Dave happened on the scene. Tom Wilton had fired the chauffeur, saying it wasn't seemly that Laura and he should be seen driving about the countryside together. Tom may also have suspected that Laura and the chauffeur were having an affair.

At the film's conclusion, Laura and Tom meet an end that satisfied both the U.S. Production Code and the British Censor Board.

All of this happens in 68 tight minutes.

Although it follows the classic American noir formula, the film is British. Don't think English county house, however, for the exterior of the Wilton home is very much 50s California Moderne. This is momentarily surprising. After watching Dave Dillon go up a typical English driveway, I was expecting to see a home on the order of Manderlay, but instead got this white modern one. The film does have its share of scenes filmed with the usual American light and shadow of noir.

The cast behaves perfunctorily. Of interest here is Anne Heywood early in her career. But she doesn't generate any of the heat of a classic femme fatale like Stanwyck in "Double Indemnity" or Jane Greer in "Out of the Past." Indeed, there are no sparks between her and leading man, Robert Arden.

Robert Arden plays Dave Dillon. He was American-born but gave up a singing career to play in British films. His credit list is undistinguished. Here he bears a remarkable similarity to Fred MacMurray, albeit a bit heaver than MacMurray was in his prime.

Basil Dignam plays the drunken husband; he shows a fine profile and looks like the aging Leslie Nielsen. Denis Shaw plays the overweight detective.

The film did hold my interest; there is narrative thrust. And there is some fun in seeing from what classic American noirs the filmmakers stole. Check out those sunglasses on Heywood when she lies down under the sunlamp. Very much like the ones Stanwyck wore in "Double Indemnity."

I could recommend this film only to die-hard film noir fans who just must see every noir ever made.

Good film noir with solid acting

[Two_Journeys · 8/10 · 29 April 2020]

Great plot, well written story and good directing. The movie starts of from a surprising angle. Such femme fatale movies can be quite predictable all over, but this movie offered sufficient eye candy to stay entertaining.

The postman gives him away.

[ulicknormanowen · 29 April 2020]

Of course the story is derivative ; it borrows from "double indemnity" and " the postman always rings twice " .But the suspense is sustained throughout .

Unlike both heroines of the movies I mention above,Laura ,in her first scenes ,is considered a victim whose husband is a brute: he is an alcoholic and beats her . Although very attractive , she did not look like a femme fatale at first sight :she's rather bashful ,and it's all the more surprising when she reveals her true colors.

To have located the action in an American military base in England justifies the party "where the soldiers and officers can meet the local population ".And a local Hercule Poirot is at hand .Not a film noir masterpiece ,but entertaining throughout.

Excellent noir on the moral degradation of an honest army officer

[adrianovasconcelos · 8/10 · 6 May 2023]

I have to admit off the bat that I had never heard of Director Paul Dickson. In light of that, and of the fact that THE DEPRAVED is a B picture done on a shoestring budget, I can only praise the quality of the ensemble work that went into the film, and which he oversaw with obvious competence and even flair.

To that extent, Dickson relied on three superb performances: Anne Heywood, as the cucumber-cool scheming wife and femme fatale; Carrol Levis as Major Kellaway, a thoughtful, supportive senior officer who realizes that his subordinate has played a part in Anne Heywood's husband's demise; and Robert Arden, who manages to convey honesty, decency, and thoughtfulness... until he falls in love with Heywood, who suckers him into murdering abusive hubby Dignam.

It is true that THE DEPRAVED does not present any novel twist. As other reviewers indicate, it borrows ideas from THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE when Arden pushes the vehicle into a lake, and DOUBLE INDEMNITY from the moment Heywood keeps the husband's wallet with the clear intent of making Arden the fall guy.

In fact, given a part where she says very little, Heywood's facial expressions are what truly build up her character as completely selfish femme fatale. The film's conclusion is inevitable, Arden has nothing more to lose.

Cinematography by Jimmy Wilson is exceptional for a B film, the score is quite pleasant, but jarringly cut by Heywood's husband's mood swings and vicious hands. The script by Brian Clemens may borrow some ideas from great James Cain novels, but it still deserves high praise for its objectivity. It held my attention to the end of its 71 minutes.

Recommended viewing.

It proves that in Britain we couldn't come close to doing American film noir but...

[jamesraeburn2003 · 14 January 2016]

US army officer, Captain Dillon (Robert Arden), runs out of fuel on a country lane on his way back to base. He goes to a nearby mansion and meets the glamorous Laura (Anne Heywood). He asks to use the telephone to call for help and takes an immediate liking to Laura who is suffering abuse from her alcoholic husband, Tom Wilton (Basil Dignam), who beats her up. The local army base is about to go on maneuvers and, in order to keep the local people happy, the army decides to hold a party at the base. Dillon sees an opportunity to see Laura again by offering to deliver the invitations, which he does and it is then when Laura persuades him to murder her husband so that they can be together. At the party, Dillon gets Wilton drunk and when he leaves alone in his car Laura is waiting down the road and flags her husband down. Meanwhile, Dillon has slipped away from the party and they knock him out, put him in his car and drive it into the lake to make it look as if he lost control of it in his drunken state and drowned. But is their perfectly planned murder as foolproof as it appears and is Laura the innocent, long suffering wife she claims to be?

If ever there was an example of a British film to prove that we could not come anywhere near to doing American film noir then this is certainly it. But, taken on its own merits, this is still an above average crime thriller from quota-quickie specialists The Danziger Brothers. Its tautly directed by the talented Paul Dickson and, despite the shoestring budget, succeeds in creating an engaging little film. The screenplay is by Brian Clemens who would go on to produce and write many classic episodes of the classic spy series The Avengers and here he ensures that the audience gets an unexpected twist at the climax.

The Depraved was as the support feature to Richard Widmark's wartime courtroom drama, Time Limit, on the Gaumont-British circuit in 1957.