The Prowler (1951)

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.

Director:

Joseph Losey

Writers:

Robert Thoeren (story), Hans Wilhelm (story)

Stars:

Van Heflin, Evelyn Keyes, John Maxwell

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

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 ...

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Plot Keywords:

obsession | obsessive love | murder | police car | police officer | 

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Taglines:

WHAT woman would welcome THE PROWLER.

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Genres:

Drama | Film-Noir | Thriller

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 May 1951 (USA)

Also Known As:

Cost of Living

Filming Locations:

Calico Dry Lake, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Horizon Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Evelyn Keyes was deeply affected by the death of her father-in-law, Walter Huston, that occurred while the film was in production.

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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.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Bud Crocker: [to Webb while they walk up to the house] Quite a hacienda.
[rings doorbell]
Susan Gilvray: Oh, thank you so much for coming.
Bud Crocker: You report a prowler ma'am?
Susan Gilvray: Yes, about twenty minutes ago. I looked up and there was this man looking in the window.
Bud Crocker: Which window?
Susan Gilvray: It was one of the back windows.
Bud Crocker: Well there's an empty lot on that side isn't there?
Susan Gilvray: Yes. When he saw that I'd seen him, he jumped away from the window and I-I phoned you.
[...]

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Connections

Featured in Kika (1993)

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Soundtracks

Baby
Lyrics by Dick Mack
Music by Lyn Murray
Sung by Robert Carroll (as Bob Carroll)

User Reviews

He's certainly NOT your average cop...

Webb Garwood (Van Heflin) is NOT your average policeman. After he and his partner respond to a prowler call, they leave....and Officer Garwood returns later. He claims he's just checking in on the woman but it soon is obvious that he is very interested in the pretty, well-heeled lady. At first, she rebuffs his advances...but soon is infatuated with him. The problem is that she is married...and Webb has a plan. You see, he's a master manipulator and his interest in Susan (Evelyn Keyes) is more than just sexual...he knows she has money...money which can help him retire in style! So he hatches a crazy plan to kill the husband...and thus live happily ever after! So what comes of this vicious plan?!

In some ways, this is a good example of film noir--such as the dirty cop, the murder and the affair. But in other ways, it's not quite a typical noir. The camera angles and dark cinematography is missing and the picture is a bit more Hollywood in look than a typical noir. I'd more consider this one noir-lite! This isn't really a complaint...more just an observation about the style of the film.

All in all, this is a very exciting and bleak film. The ending is top-notch and the film one of Heflin's best. Well worth seeing...and oddly not especially well known or formulaic in the least.