A Woman's Secret (1949)

Failed singer Marian Washburn confesses she shot her friend, successful singer Susan Caldwell, but her manager Luke Jordan and Detective Fowler doubt her story and cannot establish a reasonable motive.

Director:

Nicholas Ray

Writers:

Herman J. Mankiewicz (screen play), Vicki Baum (novel)

Stars:

Maureen O'Hara, Melvyn Douglas, Gloria Grahame

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Maureen O'Hara	...	Marian Washburn
Melvyn Douglas	...	Luke Jordan
Gloria Grahame	...	Susan Caldwell
Bill Williams	...	Lee Crenshaw
Victor Jory	...	Brook Matthews
Mary Philips	...	Mary Fowler
Jay C. Flippen	...	Jim Fowler
Robert Warwick	...	Roberts
Curt Conway	...	Doctor
Ann Shoemaker	...	Mrs. Matthews
Virginia Farmer	...	Mollie
Ellen Corby	...	Nurse
Emory Parnell	...	Desk Sergeant

Storyline

Susan is in the hospital with a bullet near her heart. Marian has told the police that she shot Susan in a rage as Susan was giving up singing. Marian and Luke found Susan when she was a failure. A singer with a limited range, she was a diamond in the rough which Marian and Luke taught how to walk, dress and talk. With the singing lessons, Marian had hoped that she would have the career that Marian would have had if she had not lost her voice. Even though Susan is a scatterbrain girl, Luke does not believe that Marian would have been capable of shooting her. Luke hopes that Detective Fowler will be able to find out the truth and free Marian.

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Plot Keywords:

singing | hospital | singer | death | new york city | 

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Taglines:

I had to stop her ... at any cost ... that's why I pulled the trigger !

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Genres:

Drama | Film-Noir | Mystery

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

7 February 1949 (USA)

Also Known As:

Mortgage on Life

Filming Locations:

Hollywood, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$853,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

RKO Radio Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

84 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Completed in early 1948, but not released until nearly a year later in 1949 during the tumultuous ownership of RKO by Howard Hughes.

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Goofs

Characters refer to the Luger as a revolver when it is actually a semi-automatic pistol.

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Quotes

Jim Fowler: I'll admit mister that I've heard stories that make less sense than that. They happen to be true.

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Crazy Credits

Opening and closing credits are displayed on a page of sheet music.

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Soundtracks

Let Him Go, Let Him Tarry
(uncredited)
Traditional
Sung by Maureen O'Hara

User Reviews

Lesser Ray

No need to recap the plot, which I couldn't do anyway. In fact, just what the screenplay is aiming at may be the movie's biggest secret. Is it a mystery—well no, since early on the camera shows Marian (O'Hara) pulling the trigger. Is it a noir—hardly, since the atmosphere is pretty conventional. Is it a love story (a Ray specialty)—well maybe, except who loves whom is not always clear. Sure, a movie doesn't have to be pigeon-holed to be good. But the trouble here is that Secret is simply too muddled to fit anywhere, and that's despite a luminescent turn from the incomparable Gloria Grahame.

Director Ray was especially expert at getting triumphs from love story actresses—Cathy O'Donnell, Allene Roberts, Natalie Wood, et al. No wonder Grahame fell for him in real life. However, critics are right: Jory and Douglas are both a shade too old (circa, 50) for 20-something O'Hara and Grahame. Plus, pity poor Bill Williams whose one-note, unnecessary part suggests he wandered onto the wrong set. Then there's the ill- advised comedy relief from the cop's wife that erupts half-way through as if some studio higher-up suddenly intervened.

Hard to believe cult director Ray had anything to do with this muddle. Clearly, he only went through the motions, probably as a result of an unwanted studio assignment (RKO). Too bad. But, I doubt anyone could have salvaged such confused material.