The Secret Fury
The Secret Fury is a 1950 American black-and-white psychological thriller film noir directed by Mel Ferrer and starring Claudette Colbert, Robert Ryan and Jane Cowl.[2]
| The Secret Fury | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Mel Ferrer |
| Produced by | Jack H. Skirball Bruce Manning |
| Screenplay by | Lionel Houser |
| Story by | Jack Leonard James O'Hanlon |
| Starring | Claudette Colbert Robert Ryan Jane Cowl |
| Music by | Roy Webb |
| Cinematography | Leo Tover |
| Edited by | Harry Marker |
Production company | Loring Theatre Corporation |
| Distributed by | RKO Radio Pictures |
Release date |
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Running time | 85 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Plot
A wealthy classical pianist, Ellen, is accused of already being married when she attempts to take her wedding vows; the wedding guests are shocked. They temporarily call off the wedding and the couple tries to investigate why someone would accuse her of already being married.
With the help of a lawyer and the district attorney, the couple tracks down and questions the justice of the peace that signed her wedding papers. Even he recognizes her as the woman he married. Frustrated, the couple next visits the man to whom Ellen is accused of being married. In a back room a gunshot fires and Ellen is accused of killing the man. She breaks down after a lengthy trial, is eventually found not guilty due to insanity, and is sent to a mental institution. Meanwhile, her fiance David, still believing her innocence, begins to find clues that may help free her.
Cast
- Claudette Colbert as Ellen R. Ewing
- Robert Ryan as David McLean
- Jane Cowl as Aunt Clara Ewing
- Paul Kelly as District Attorney Eric Lowell
- Philip Ober as Gregory Kent
- Elisabeth Risdon as Dr. Twining
- Doris Dudley as Pearl Collins
- Dave Barbour as Lucian Randall
- Vivian Vance as Leah, the hotel maid
- José Ferrer as José
Reception
When released, critic Bosley Crowther lambasted the film, especially the screenplay, writing, "Things must be tough in the picture business when such a respectable cast as is in The Secret Fury, now on the Paramount's screen, descends to such cheap and lurid twaddle as this R. K. O. melodrama is, Claudette Colbert, Robert Ryan, Paul Kelly, Philip Ober, Jane Cowl and even José Ferrer in a 'bit' role are the major performers who expend more physical energy than intelligence on this wantonly unintelligible tale.... To lay any blame on the performers for the nonsense that takes place on the screen would be an obvious injustice."[3]
References
- "The Secret Fury: Detail View". American Film Institute. Retrieved May 18, 2014.
- The Secret Fury at the American Film Institute Catalog.
- Crowther, Bosley. The New York Times, film review, June 22, 1950. Accessed: July 23, 2013.