The Unsuspected (1947)

The secretary of an affably suave radio mystery host mysteriously commits suicide after his wealthy young niece disappears.

Director:

Michael Curtiz

Writers:

Charlotte Armstrong (novel), Bess Meredyth (adaptation)

Stars:

Claude Rains, Joan Caulfield, Audrey Totter

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Joan Caulfield	...	Matilda Frazier
Claude Rains	...	Victor Grandison
Audrey Totter	...	Althea Keane
Constance Bennett	...	Jane Moynihan
Hurd Hatfield	...	Oliver Keane
Ted North	...	Steven Francis Howard (as Michael North)
Fred Clark	...	Richard Donovan
Harry Lewis	...	Max
Jack Lambert	...	Mr. Press
Ray Walker	...	Donovan's Assistant
Nana Bryant	...	Mrs. White
Walter Baldwin	...	Judge Maynard - Justice of the Peace
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Charles Horvath	...	Cab Driver (unconfirmed)

Storyline

A girl has been murdered. A woman cannot remember a man who claims to be her husband. Her uncle hosts a radio murder mystery show called "The Unsuspected". Who killed the girl? Why? And who is this mystery husband?

---

Plot Keywords:

framed for murder | radio | secretary | presumed dead | radio program | 

---

Taglines:

YOU CAN'T FORSEE IT! YOU CAN'T FORGET IT!

---

Genres:

Drama | Film-Noir | Mystery | Thriller

---

Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 October 1947 (USA)

Also Known As:

Sem Sombra de Suspeita

Filming Locations:

Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Michael Curtiz Productions, Warner Bros.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Composer Max Steiner recycles one of his themes from The Maltese Falcon (1941) in the soundtrack.

---

Goofs

The position of the hotel's sign outside the window changes between shots. From the outside, the letter "K" is even with the top of the window. When first seen from inside, it is lower. But in the next shot it's back higher again, even looking from the same level - so it spells out "KILL" to the resident of the room.

---

Quotes

Althea Keane: Victor's the only man who can turn my blood to ice water.

---

Crazy Credits

Opening title and credits are typed in a bound manuscript, and we see someone's gloved hands flipping the pages.

---

Connections

References The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945)

---

Soundtracks

I Got Rhythm
(uncredited)
Music by George Gershwin
Played by the band at the club

User Reviews

Radio's Golden Age

I liked this bit of film noir. The story is a bit confusing and it lacks a solid foundation for introducing and developing characters. Unlike most films, this film might have been over edited. Another 10-15 minutes of character development might have helped.

Now having said all that, what I truly liked about this film is that it is set during the golden age of radio. Its nice to have a contemporary view of this now lost and long forgotten world. We get to see a production of an "old time radio" program. We see how sound was recorded before taping became practical. Claude Rains' character is a narrator of a spooky, murder mystery radio show very much along the lines of popular radio programs such as "The Whistler" or "Suspense" or "Lights Out." Rains was perfectly cast in this role. His "radio voice" hearkens back to the day when "the Man in Black" or "the Whistler" kept millions of Americans entranced by the glowing dial in their darkened den or bedroom.