Whirlpool (Fox Film Noir)

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Actor(s):

Gene Tierney, Richard Conte, José Ferrer, Charles Bickford, Barbara O'Neil

Director(s):

Otto Preminger

Label: 20th Century Fox
Publisher(s):

20th Century Fox

Studio: 20th Century Fox
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
Binding: DVD
MPN: 2227731
Format(s): Closed-captioned, Dubbed, DVD-Video, Full Screen, Subtitled, NTSC
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
List Price: $14.98
Our Price: $13.49
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours

Editorial Reviews

Description

The wife of a psycho-analyst falls prey to a devious quack hypnotist when he discovers she is an habitual shoplifter. Then one of his previous patients now being treated by the real doctor is found murdered, with her still at the scene, and suspicion points only one way.

Amazon.com

Laura will always be director Otto Preminger's most beloved movie, but he gets closer to the essence of film noir in this fascinatingly slippery item about a psychiatrist's wife whose weakness for kleptomania makes her prey to an oily hypnotist, con artist, and manipulator par excellence. The fashion-plate wife (dresses, robes, and peignoirs by Oleg Cassini) is played by Laura herself, Gene Tierney. The mellifluous conniver is Jose Ferrer, coming off like the illegitimate son of Waldo Lydecker ("I'm so glad you're here--you make Tina's party seem an almost human event"). Among other things, Ferrer would probably like to get Tierney into bed, and a good many people--including Richard Conte as the caring husband--come to believe he has. But that's not the extent of his ambitions, and before long Tierney has been framed for a murder of convenience to clear up another bit of messiness in the cad's career. Whirlpool's mise-en-scène has a sinuous fluidity and subtle play of light and shadow (it was among the last films shot by that master of black-and-white, Arthur C. Miller), and the complexly structured screenplay--by Ben Hecht and Andrew Solt--takes us by surprise in reel after reel. There's nothing redeeming about Ferrer's character (except how much pleasure his villainy affords), but Preminger doesn't really side with any of the characters or permit our facile identification with anyone. Different parts of the movie are dominated by each of the key figures, including police detective Charles Bickford, and we keep learning there's more to each of them than we initially assumed. Whirlpool's a good title for it. Dive in. --Richard T. Jameson

Customer Reviews

No 'Laura' but Still Enjoyable

This isn't a great film. Part of the problem lies with the character assigned to Gene Tierney. The character she plays comes across more as distraught and hysterical than anything else. It's hard to imagine that anyone, regardless of how much they loved her, could believe in her. To make matters worse some of the dialogue she delivers is awful. There isn't an actor dead or alive who could make a character like that fully believable. But part of the fault lies with Tierney herself. She spends most of her screen time looking like she's in a trance, even when she's not supposed to be in one. Many of her most emotional moments are overwrought. And there are times when she doesn't seem as involved as she should be. There are some flashes of brilliance but her work here is inconsistent.

The rest of the members of the cast fare better. Richard Conte turns in a fine performance. There's never a moment when his concern or sincerity is in doubt. His character exudes confidence but allows his vulnerability show at the same time. Charles Bickford is in fine form as the cynical and weary cop who can't ignore the improbable regardless of what his training dictates. Both play off of each other and the other characters in the film well. Barbara O'Neil brings style to the role of the woman who tries to warn Tierney about the character played by (Jose) Ferrer. But it's Jose Ferrer who gives the performance that steals the spotlight. In the scenes he shares with (Gene) Tierney he plays off her in such as way as to carry them both. His moments with Richard Conte and Charles Bickford belong to him as well. Their animosity toward him becomes palpable because he passes those feelings directly to the viewer. He ends up as one of those characters that has to be hated even though his performance is loved.

The technical work on the film is strong as well. The cinematography by Arthur C. Miller is excellent. The narrative flow from scene to scene is good. Many of the shots are brilliantly atmospheric. The sets are lavish but uncluttered and done in good taste. And there are none of the fashion blunders that plague the film 'Laura'. The outfits shown in this film are sharp and tasteful. The lighting (as is often the case with the 'Fox noir' films) is often stunning. The restoration and transfer to DVD is exemplary so it looks as good as it can look.

Unfortunately, the Direction, by Otto Preminger, is erratic. His pacing, as usual, is sharp. His placement of characters and props is solid as well. But, he has to share some of the blame for the way (Gene) Tierney's character fails. There were limits to what he could do to shape the character, that's true. It would have taken an extensive re-write to make the character more believable. But he could have pressed for more restraint when the woman was at her most overwrought. He didn't and he should have.

As a film, 'Whirlpool', has a lot going for it. The plot is an intriguing one. The story-line, which was based on a novel by Guy Endore and adapted by Ben Hecht and Andrew Solt, takes some turns that are impossible to be prepared for. It's hard to say whether all the things that take place are medically possible or not but, who cares? That's Hollywood. Viable or not the improbable premise makes for an engaging and unpredictable yarn. Many of the people, both in front of and behind the camera, were among the 'crème de la crème' of the industry at that time. Preminger did know how to pace a story, even a weak one. Gene Tierney never failed to light up a screen, even when she wasn't at her best. And the cast and crew involved in this didn't fail to make this entertaining and good to look at.

It's no 'Laura' but it does look good. And it's fun to watch.

OTTO PREMINGER, OPUS 14

***1/2 1949. WHIRLPOOL, based on the Guy Endore novel, was produced and directed by Otto Preminger. Ann Sutton, the wife of a well-known psychoanalyst, is kleptomaniac but doesn't dare to speak about it with her husband. She prefers to trust Dr. Korvo, a swindler who'll take advantage of her. Although this film is a minor entry in the filmography of Otto Preminger, it nevertheless delivers its share of pleasure to the curious movie lover. First of all, the performance of José Ferrer as David Korvo is really enjoyable, the character calling to our mind the souvenir of Waldo Laura (Fox Film Noir) Lydecker because of his cynical and venomous slickness. I also liked a lot the last scenes of WHIRLPOOL, though highly improbable, involving a self-hypnotized Korvo who's bleeding to death but still grinning. In summary, this DVD is a minor Preminger but a major addition to your library. Recommended.

A Must-Have Noir

Jose Ferrar !!! The late '40s....Hypnosis, Murderous Intrigue !!! Who Could ask for More. If you Like this Era 40s -50s Noir Film, this Should be Part of your Collection. Also "Laura"-Vincent Price; Strangers on a Train-Robert Walker; The Blue Dalhia; The Glass Key-Ladd and Lake, which should be Back in Proper "Print" . Whirlpool is a Great price too !! AMC Lost the Rights to This too(?). I Shoulda Recorded Everything, in the Early to Mid 90s-AMC !!?!!!

Not sure this is a noir, but...

Worth seeing for Jose Ferrar's performance as the oily "hypnotist" and womanizer. The film has Preminger's usual delight in the unsavoury and dark in human nature, but it also has Richard Conti rather miscast as a succesful California psychologist (kinda of like De Niro playing an Irish priest in "True Confessions"...) Of course, Gene Tierney is pretty easy on the eyes, but the film is not really noir, more of a psychological thriller. Not a good place to start if your just getting into classic film noir, but a fine little film nevertheless. Pick this up after you have squeezed everything out of "DOA", "Out of the Past", "Gun Crazy" and "Detour"...

Noir, schmoir. Enjoy this little-seen gem

Let's be honest, the two best reasons to sit through Whirlpool are 1) to see Gene Tierney at the peak of her luminous beauty, and 2) to enjoy Jose Ferrer at the peak of his ingratiating, oily charm. Slow? Is it slow? Yes, but a brisk wisecracking script about hypnosis, infidelity, and seduction would have been -- jarring. Another way of saying "slow" could be "building suspense". Charles Coburn is great as a crusty cop with a poignant backstory. Richard Conte is less convincing as a psychiatrist. Something to contemplate: What if Ferrer had played the Waldo Lydecker role in Laura? Forget the listless commentary, it adds nothing.

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