The Big Bluff (1955)

When a scheming fortune hunter finds his rich wife is not going to die as expected, he and his lover make other plans to get her millions.

Director:

W. Lee Wilder

Writers:

Fred Freiberger (screenplay), Mindret Lord (story) (as Mindred Lord)

Stars:

John Bromfield, Martha Vickers, Robert Hutton

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
John Bromfield	...	Ricardo De Villa
Martha Vickers	...	Valerie Bancroft
Robert Hutton	...	Dr. Peter Kirk
Rosemarie Stack	...	Fritzie Darvel (as Rosemarie Bowe)
Eve Miller	...	Marsha Jordan
Max Palmer	...	Fullmer
Eddie Bee	...	Don Darvel
Robert Bice	...	Dr. Harrison
Pierre Watkin	...	Winthrop
Beal Wong	...	Art Dealer
Rusty Wescoatt	...	Frank
Mitchell Kowall	...	Coroner
Jack Daly	...	Master of Ceremonies
Paul McGuire	...	Butler
George Conrad	...	Bell Boy

Storyline

When scheming fortune hunter and erstwhile Latin lover Ricardo De Villa learns that a wealthy but sickly widow has terminal heart disease, he seduces and marries the vulnerable millionairess. Playing the part of a faithful and doting husband, he carries on a torrid affair with sexy exotic dancer Fritzi Darvel while avoiding the suspicious eyes of her jealous bongo-playing husband. When his wife's condition seems to go into remission, the impatient De Villa decides on action that will hasten her seemingly inevitable death.

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Plot Keywords:

alibi | heart attack | murder | secretary | california | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Film-Noir | Thriller

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 June 1955 (USA)

Also Known As:

Worthy Deceivers

Company Credits

Production Co:

Planet Filmplays

Technical Specs

Runtime:

71 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Fritzi Darvel: Oh, so that's it! I had an idea you were playing up to that dame!
[She slaps him hard]
Fritzi Darvel: You two-timing, no good... And on top of it, you don't even try to hide it! Carrying on an affair with another woman right under my nose! Why, you're not going to do it, and what's more, I think you're a phony! And I was ready to leave my husband! For what? For a big bluff like you!
[She succumbs to his persistant, passionate kiss]
Ricardo 'Rick' De Villa: You know you're very beautiful when you get mad! But listen, no other woman ...

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Connections

Remake of The Glass Alibi (1946)

User Reviews

Mildly interesting but undone by poor production values.

The plot of "Big Bluff" is very contrived and hard to believe. A rich lady has a bad heart and has only, at most, a year to live. Despite this, the doctor and the lady's personal secretary BOTH think it's best not to tell her—and keep this from her! Instead, she's told to take a relaxing vacation—and they hope this might prolong her life a few months more. Little do they know that this retreat is the last thing she really needs.

While in Los Angeles, hardly a place to go to relax, she meets with a money-grubbing Don Juan. When she finally does learn she only has a short time to live, she proposes to the Lothario and you know she's in for a rough time with the bum. As to what happens from there, try seeing the film for yourself, though the plot makes little sense—as why would a man want to kill a rich wife who is about to die anyway—especially so early on in the film.

The bottom line is that this film is awfully broad in its writing and acting—so broad that it's hard to believe any of this. The entire film comes off as cheaply made and obvious. It's a shame, as the plot could have been good and the no-name cast could have been better if given a chance. Plus, the direction was shoddy—whenever lines are misspoken or actors talk over each other, the scenes are no re-shot! A few simple re-shoots would have really made the film look better. Because of this, even though the film had a dandy and ironic ending, the overall effect is like a badly directed episode of "Alfred Hitchcock Presents"—not a real honest-to-goodness movie.

By the way, for you car buffs out there, this is probably the only movie in film history where a guy is being chased by a Nash Metropolitan—perhaps the least threatening and silliest pursuit car in history. In modern terms, this would be akin to a Mini Cooper giving chase!