Undercurrent (1946)

Middle-aged bride Ann Hamilton soon begins to suspect that her charming husband is really a psychotic who plans to murder her.

Director:

Vincente Minnelli

Writers:

Edward Chodorov (screenplay), Thelma Strabel (story)

Stars:

Katharine Hepburn, Robert Taylor, Robert Mitchum

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Katharine Hepburn	...	Ann Hamilton
Robert Taylor	...	Alan Garroway
Robert Mitchum	...	Michael Garroway
Edmund Gwenn	...	Prof. David 'Dink' Hamilton
Marjorie Main	...	Lucy
Jayne Meadows	...	Sylvia Lea Burton
Clinton Sundberg	...	Mr. Warmsley
Dan Tobin	...	Prof. Joseph Bangs
Kathryn Card	...	Mrs. Foster
Leigh Whipper	...	George
Charles Trowbridge	...	Justice Putnam
James Westerfield	...	Henry Gilson
Billy McClain	...	Uncle Ben (as Billy McLain)

Storyline

Approaching middle age, spinster Ann Hamilton, the daughter of Science Professor David Hamilton - more affectionately referred to as Dink - is intelligent, but dowdy and unsophisticated, she who never expects to get married and does nothing beyond be her tomboyish self in an effort to attract a man. Being single does not bother her as she repeatedly turns down the marriage proposal of Dink's colleague, Professor Joseph Bangs, a man she does not love. So it is with some surprise to her that she not only likes Alan Garroway, a wealthy and handsome industrialist who is doing business with Dink, but that they fall in love and get married after a whirlwind courtship. Alan made his wealth during the war in a family started business which ended up being a parts supplier to the military for their aircraft. In their bi-coastal marriage - Alan's company's headquarters in San Francisco, while he grew up and still owns property in Middleburg, Virginia, outside of Washington, DC where he has many ...

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Plot Keywords:

whirlwind romance | husband wife relationship | industrialist | haunted by the past | father daughter relationship | 

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Taglines:

LOVERS...HUNTED BY A MAD SUSICION THAT TURNS INTO TERROR (print ad - Lubbock Morning Avalanche - Tower Theatre & State Theatre - Lubbock, Texas - March 20, 1947 - all caps)

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Genres:

Drama | Film-Noir | Thriller

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Certificate:

Passed

Did You Know?

Trivia

MGM originally told Laraine Day that if she played the female lead in Keep Your Powder Dry (1945) it would reward her with the female lead in Undercurrent (1946). Although she kept her part of the bargain and appeared in that production, MGM failed to fulfill its promise and gave the lead to Katharine Hepburn. Day responded by asking and receiving a release from her MGM contract in 1946.

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Goofs

When Ann is speaking with Alan Garroway by the fireplace; she has her hands together with fingers touching and resting on the ottoman. But on the next cut after she says "tickled pink", the orientation of her arms has now changed. Her left hand is now grabbing her right wrist.

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Quotes

Ann Hamilton: If I relax, I'll drop dead.

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Connections

Featured in Forecast (1945)

User Reviews

Better the second time

The first time I saw undercurrent, I was as disturbed as everyone else by the soporific pacing.

Having just seen it for the second time, I have to say that there is much detail to enjoy. As in most Minnelli pictures, I enjoyed the awkward party scenes, in which elegant extras enjoy themselves while the principals cringe.

Katharine Hepburn is in her "insecure" mode, like in Summertime, and she is very good. The role would have been more natural for, say, Jeanne Crain.

Most enjoyable is Jayne Meadows, as a cold fish you can't quite figure out. She is incredibly beautiful in the ladies'lounge scene. Both her scenes with Hepbburn crackle with 1940s psychological intensity.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English German

Release Date:

13 January 1947 (Sweden)

Also Known As:

You Were There

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,644,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

116 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1