When Susan Gilvray reports a prowler outside her house police officer Webb Garwood investigates and sparks fly. If only her husband wasn't in the way.
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Title: The Prowler (1951)
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Cast
| Complete credited cast: | |||
| Van Heflin | ... | Webb Garwood | |
| Evelyn Keyes | ... | Susan Gilvray | |
| John Maxwell | ... | Bud Crocker | |
| Katherine Warren | ... | Grace Crocker (as Katharine Warren) | |
| Emerson Treacy | ... | William Gilvray | |
| Madge Blake | ... | Martha Gilvray | |
 |
Wheaton Chambers | ... | Doctor James |
| Robert Osterloh | ... | Coroner | |
|
|
Sherry Hall | ... | John Gilvray |
| Louise Lorimer | ... | Motel Manager | |
Edit
Plot Summary
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Add Synopsis
Storyline
In a fancy suburb in California, the gorgeous housewife Susan Gilvray finds a prowler outside her house late one night and she calls the police. Officer Webb Garwood and his partner answer the call but do not find anyone. Later Webb returns to Susan's house with the pretext of checking if everything is OK. Susan invites him in to have coffee with her. Webb soon learns that Susan is married to John Gilvray, a middle-aged broadcaster of a late night radio show. They also discover that they are from the same hometown. Webb makes a pass at Susan and even though she tries to put him off they soon start a love affair. When John becomes suspicious Susan ends her relationship with Webb. Though difficult Webb stays away from Susan. Without Susan's knowledge Webb plots a scheme to get rid of John; he simulates a scenario where John is "accidently" shot dead. There is an inquest and it is ruled that John Gilvray's death was not intentional. Webb quits the police-force a job he was never happy ... Written by Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Taglines:
She had to keep THE PROWLER from telling... See more »Parents Guide:
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Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
25 May 1951 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Cost of Living See more »Company Credits
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IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
Mono (RCA Sound System)Color:
Black and WhiteAspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1
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See more »
Lyrics by Dick Mack
Music by Lyn Murray
Sung by Robert Carroll (as Bob Carroll)
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Did You Know?
Trivia
Another (uncredited) crew member of this film who got caught up in the red scare and blacklist of the time was John Hubley who designed the interiors for the Gilvray's stylish hacienda and the ramshackle house in Calico. See more »Goofs
Webb tells Susan the birth of their baby will increase the ghost town's population by 33-1/3%. The birth will increase the population by 50% because the population will go from two to three. See more »Quotes
Webb Garwood: I didn't do it, Susan. I'll swear that by the only thing I ever really loved and that's you.See more »
Soundtracks
BabyLyrics by Dick Mack
Music by Lyn Murray
Sung by Robert Carroll (as Bob Carroll)
See more »
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Van Heflin is "The Prowler" in this 1951 noir directed by Joseph Losey and also starring Evelyn Keyes. Heflin plays a bitter cop named Webb who meets the lonely Susan (Keyes), whose husband works at night on the radio, when he investigates a prowler at her house. He returns, ostensibly to check up on her, and they discover they're from the same part of the country. Soon, they're involved in a love affair that has serious implications.
Losey was a hit or miss director. He was blacklisted and made several films starring Dirk Bogarde in Europe, including the amazing The Servant and a big miss, Modesty Blaise. Here he's on the money with a suspenseful, well done film. Van Heflin is brilliant as Webb, who finally sees a chance at making his dreams come true, and Keyes is wonderful as Susan, disappointed in her marriage.
"The Prowler" was restored by UCLA, and for some reason, when Christopher-Jan Horrocks discussed it on TCM, he described the story incorrectly.
Frankly, I thought this film had a couple of plot problems, but I can't go into them without giving the film away. The event that the plot hinges on is certainly a daring one for those days. I'll just say that the two main characters would have had to have been Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt for a total stranger to have realized what he realized immediately.
Well worth checking out.