CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS ENTRY: Burt Lancaster
SOURCE: Personal Collection, Shout Factory Blu Ray
STARRING: Barbara Stanwyck, Burt Lancaster, Wendell Corey
CO-STARS: Ann Richards, Ed Begley, Sr.
DIRECTOR: Anatole Litvak
STUDIO: Paramount
SUMMARY:
Barbara Stanwyck stars as Leona Stevenson, a bedridden woman living in a fancy apartment in New York City. At the beginning of the film, she tries to telephone her husband, Henry (Lancaster). The telephone operator makes a mistake when connecting the call and Leona is accidentally patched into a conversation between two men planning a murder. Leona learns the murder is planned for that evening, but loses the connection before further details (e.g., the intended victim) are revealed. She tries to report the conversation to both the operator and the police, but they seem uninterested. Most of the film’s plot is revealed in flashback as Leona calls around trying to locate her husband. One flashback reveals that Leona is the daughter of James Cotterell, owner of a major pharmaceutical company. Upon marrying Leona, Henry was given the plum job as vice president, even though the position is a glorified pencil pushing job. Henry is uninspired and unhappy being “kept” by his father-in-law and wants to make it on his own. Leona thinks he’s crazy and feels content living off her father’s dime living in the home he bought for her. Leona contacts various people who might’ve seen Henry, including Sally Hunt (Richards) a college friend who also had a crush on Henry. Sally reveals that Henry might’ve gotten himself in over his head with a group of men looking to extort a large sum of money from Cotterell’s drug company.
FAVORITE PART(S):
1) Barbara Stanwyck’s performance is the highlight of the film. She lies in bed for most of it, but she is absolutely fantastic.
2) The ending of this film. It’s an ending that can only be experienced once, and it is impactful.
3) The flashback sequences are effective and are a good way to break up the scenes of Barbara in bed.
BEST QUOTE(S):
PETER LORD: Cough drop queen. Who ever heard of a cough drop queen?
HENRY STEPHENSON: You can’t live on dreams forever. Waiting only weakens you and your dream. My motto is: “If you want something, get it now!”
***I can’t reveal some of my other favorite quotes because it’ll ruin the ending!