A superior melodramatic film noir as a serial killer threatens the mute Helen, companion and carer to the elderly, ailing Mrs. Warren.
A well-liked Helen (Dorothy Maguire – A Gentleman’s Agreement, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn) cares for the bedridden Mrs. Warren (Ethel Barrymore – Pinky, None But the Lonely Heart), a wealthy widow whose two adult sons also live in the rambling old house. The old woman is concerned for Helen’s safety when a serial killer targets ‘women with afflictions’ – in part due to her suspicions of youngest son, Steve (Gordon Oliver – Jezebel, Since You Went Away). As a terrible storm rages and the house is isolated, murder is afoot with Helen’s life in danger.
Directed by Robert Siodmak (The Killers, The Dark Mirror), it’s a feature brimming with tension as darkness descends and the house itself is as threatening as some of its residents.
Nominated for the 1947 best supporting actress Oscar (Ethel Barrymore).
Rating: 67%
An Opinion or Two 