The Unsuspected

The Unsuspected is a 1947 American black-and-white film noir directed by Michael Curtiz and starring Claude Rains, Audrey Totter, Ted North, Constance Bennett, and Joan Caulfield. The film was based on the novel written by Charlotte Armstrong.[2] The screenplay was co-written by Bess Meredyth, who was married to director Curtiz.

The Unsuspected
Theatrical release poster
Directed byMichael Curtiz
Produced by
Screenplay by
Based onThe Unsuspected
1946 novel
by Charlotte Armstrong
Starring
Music byFranz Waxman
CinematographyWoody Bredell
Edited byFredrick Richards
Production
company
Michael Curtiz Productions
Distributed byWarner Bros.
Release date
  • October 3, 1947 (1947-10-03)
Running time
103 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$2 million (US rentals)[1]

Plot

In Victor Grandison's country house, a shadowy figure murders Grandison's secretary, Roslyn Wright. We see Claude Rains' face in a mirror. He leaves her body hanging from a chandelier. It is reported as suicide.

Cut to the studio where this man, Victor Grandison, a popular "true crime" radio host, is broadcasting.[3] After the broadcast, Victor's niece, Althea, throws a surprise birthday party for him. Victor recently lost his ward,[4] Matilda Frazier, presumed dead when a freighter burned at sea. Althea's husband, Oliver, is drinking heavily. He and Matilda were engaged before Althea married him.

Althea is shocked by the arrival of Steven Howard, who claims to be married to Matilda. Homicide Detective Donovan stays after the party to share a thick file on a hatchet-murder case with Victor and witnesses Victor's meeting with Steven. With Matilda's multi-million-dollar estate to be settled, Victor asks Donovan to investigate. Cut to the airport in Rio de Janeiro, where Matilda boards a Pan American plane.

Victor is dictating a script (to a phonograph record). His producer, Jayne Moynihan, asks what's wrong: He's lost his zip. He has a premonition. Donovan reports: Steven not only checks out; he is very rich. A cable arrives. Althea is making a play for Steven when Victor delivers the news: Matilda is alive and well and arriving the next day.

Press, a murderer whose identity Victor uncovered but kept secret, tries to kill him but is thwarted when Victor plays a copy of the confession he recorded at the time.

Steven meets Matilda at the airport, but she claims to have no memory of him or their marriage, despite compelling evidence. The next day, Steve takes the early train to town; Victor searches and finds a picture of Roslyn in Steve's wallet. In the city, Jayne meets Steve: They have been working together to prove that Roslyn was murdered. Steve goes to Donovan, who takes him to Victor's to investigate and show Victor their new evidence that it was murder.

Althea already suspects Victor. She kept quiet because she, too, depends on Matilda's money. Victor records a quarrel between Althea and Oliver and kindly encourages Oliver to leave. He confesses to Althea—and shoots her. With Matilda and Steven as witnesses, Victor uses the recordings to frame Oliver and sets the police on him. Oliver dies in a car crash when the brakes Victor damaged fail.

Jane brings Steve and Matilda together. He explains that he had known Roslyn all his life. Matilda dismisses his warnings about Victor.

Victor prepares to kill Matilda, asking her to write down text that he can use as a suicide note. He summons Mr. Press. Steven finds the recording that Victor used to frame Oliver and calls Donovan, but hangs up when Victor opens the door. Victor destroys the record. Press knocks Steve out and stuffs him into a trunk.

Victor gives Matilda drugged wine. She regains consciousness, sees the note and an empty bottle of pills, but cannot make it to the door. Donovan arrives, thanks to the call from Steve, and revives her.[5] They track Press to the trash incinerator where he has dumped the trunk.

Victor introduces his broadcast as usual but is thrown off when Donovan enters the control booth and police surround the auditorium. Matilda and a badly bruised Steven are ushered into the audience. Victor confesses to the murders, ending with: "I am The Unsuspected, your genial host, Victor Grandison."

The last scene is a long shot of Victor and two policemen, silhouetted against moonlit pavement, walking toward the yawning gates of a prison.

Cast

Production

The Unsuspected was originally a serial in The Saturday Evening Post, running from August 11, 1945 to September 29, 1945.[6] It was published as a novel in January 1946. Warner Bros bought film rights prior to publication and in May 1946 announced that Michael Curtiz would direct. Ranald MacDougall wrote the first screenplay.[7][8]

Warner Bros had just signed a 14-picture contract with Michael Curtiz's production company, Michael Curtiz Productions, and The Unsuspected was one of the first three movies under the new arrangement. Curtiz's wife, writer Bess Meredyth, was on the board of the company, and she worked on the script.[9]

Charles Hoffman was assigned the job of producer.[10]

Casting

Although 21st century audiences may assume that Claude Rains' character was the leading role in the picture, The New York Times articles on casting of the film repeatedly report the role of "the returning war veteran," the character of Steven Howard, as the starring male role.

A September 5, 1945, press release announced Robert Alda as the film's star.[6] In The New York Times September 4, 1945 edition a headline reads: STAR ROLE SLATED FOR ROBERT ALDA; He Will Play Veteran's Part in Film Based on Charlotte Armstrong's 'Unsuspected' .[11]

The New York Times October 10, 1946 report on the deal between Curtiz and Warner Bros. noted that Humphrey Bogart was "pencilled in to head the cast".[9] A column that appeared on October 23, 1946, noted that Claude Rains was being sought instead of Bogart, suggesting that Bogart was originally being considered for the role of the villain, although the items are too brief to be certain of this, and he may have intended for the hero part.[12]

Eventually, Dana Andrews was set to star as part of a package deal including Virginia Mayo and Cathy O'Donnell. All three were under contract to Sam Goldwyn, who was lending them to Curtiz for $150,000 plus 15% of the profits.[13] Claude Rains reported to work on December 26, 1947.[14] Two weeks later, Andrews left the production. He was unhappy with the size of his part in comparison to Rains' and Curtiz refused to make changes.[13] In reporting Andrews' departure and the signing of Michael North, on January 10, 1947, The New York Times described Rains' part as a "character role".[15]

Michael North receive a special "And Introducing..." credit but he had been appearing in films for years.[16][17]

Curtiz had only agreed to take Mayo and O'Donnell in order to get Andrews, so his departure meant recasting their roles.[13] On January 4, 1947, The New York Times announced that Joan Caulfield was being borrowed from Paramount to play Matilda, the role intended for Mayo.[18] On January 15, 1947, The New York Times reported that Curtiz had signed Constance Bennett and Donald Crisp for "two major supporting roles".[19] (Crisp did not appear in the film.) All that was needed for production to resume was filling the role intended for Cathy O'Donnell. Audrey Totter was borrowed from MGM to play Althea.[20]

Eve Arden was named for a "leading role" in November 1946,[21] but was not in the cast.

Reception

Critical response

When the film was released, The New York Times film critic Bosley Crowther gave the picture a negative review, writing:

"There is reasonable ground for suspicion that the people who made The Unsuspected thought that they were fashioning another Laura, popular mystery of a few years back... But, beyond a brisk flurry of excitement and wickedness at the start, it bears little showmanly resemblance to that previous top-drawer effort in this line... (T)he yarn gets away temptingly. Once launched, however, it starts leaking, pulling apart at the seams, and generally foundering in a welter of obvious contrivances and clichés... Claude Rains is intriguing as the fashionable radio ghoul and Michael North, a new young actor, looks good as the lad who 'breaks' the case. However, the rest of the performers... are as patly artificial as the plot."[22]

Noir analysis

Film historians Alain Silver and Elizabeth Ward write that the film is impressive because of its emphasis on style: "Jack Lambert as the blackmailed killer lies in bed smoking. The radio is on and Alexander Grandison is detailing the story of his particular crime. The only source of the illumination in this dingy hotel room comes from a partially obscured flashing neon sign. The letters that are visible through the window seem to echo the thoughts of the uncomfortable murderer as it keeps blinking "KILL...KILL...KILL."[23]

References
  1. "Top Grossers of 1947", Variety, 7 January 1948 p 63
  2. The Unsuspected on IMDb.
  3. The synopsis on TCM.com, which is copied from the AFI Catalog, says that this broadcast happens at the same time as Roslyn's murder. This is not true. Her death has already happened and is discussed. The confusion may have arisen because Grandison does use the timing of his regular broadcast as an alibi. Donovan later discovers that Grandison left the studio and took an earlier train than usual.
  4. The synopsis on TCM.com, which is copied from the AFI Catalog identifies Matilda as Victor's niece. She is named as his ward in the film and never described as either his niece or Althea's cousin.
  5. The synopsis on TCM.com, which is copied from the AFI Catalog, says, incorrectly, that Matilda calls the police. She does not. She collapses trying to reach the door. After Donovan breaks in and revives her, he tells her that it was Steve's call that alerted him to trouble.
  6. "The Unsuspected". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved 2020-04-26.
  7. "CURTIZ WILL DIRECT 'THE UNSUSPECTED': Named by Warner Brothers to Do Armstrong Novel--Jean Hersholt May Play Villain". New York Times. May 20, 1946. p. 19.
  8. Frank Daugherty (Mar 21, 1947). "Michael Curtiz Launching His Own Production Unit: Hollywood Letter". The Christian Science Monitor. p. 5.
  9. "WARNERS ARRANGE DEAL WITH CURTIZ; Studio to Film 14 Pictures Made by Producer on Own --First 3 Are Ready Of Local Origin". timesmachine.nytimes.com. Retrieved 2020-04-27.
  10. "PRODUCERS' CRADLE: The New Ones in Hollywood Are Coming Up From the Writers' Ranks". New York Times. Sep 28, 1947. p. X4.
  11. "STAR ROLE SLATED FOR ROBERT ALDA; He Will Play Veteran's Part in Film Based on Charlotte Armstrong's 'Unsuspected' Of Local Origin". The New York Times. 1945-09-04. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-04-26.
  12. "NEWS OF THE SCREEN; Anne Baxter, Fox Star, Gets Lead in 'Blaze of Noon,' Paramount Film--Holden, Tufts in Cast". timesmachine.nytimes.com. Retrieved 2020-04-27.
  13. "DAN DURYEA SIGNS 7-YEAR CONTRACT; He Will Do 3 Films Per Annum for Universal-International-- Goldwyn-Curtiz Deal Off Package Deal for Film Off Metro to Do Marshall Story". timesmachine.nytimes.com. Retrieved 2020-04-27.
  14. "COLUMBIA STUDIO SIGNS TWO STARS; Blondell to Appear in 'Corpse Came C.O.D.'--Signe Hasso in 'Assigned to Treasury'". timesmachine.nytimes.com. Retrieved 2020-04-27.
  15. "Michael North Signs for Lead in 'The Unsuspected'-- Replaces Dana Andrews in Curtiz Film". timesmachine.nytimes.com. Retrieved 2020-04-27.
  16. "The Unsuspected: Credits". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved 2020-04-27.
  17. "AFI|Catalog: Michael North". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved 2020-04-27.
  18. "KANIN TO PRODUCE 'ART OF MURDER'; First Independent Films Will Be Released by U-l -- Curtiz Borrows Joan Caulfield". timesmachine.nytimes.com. Retrieved 2020-04-27.
  19. "LIBERTY FILMS BUYS STORY BY SAM ROSS; Studio Pays $75,000 for 'He Ran All the Way' -- Mother Cabrini Screening Finished". timesmachine.nytimes.com. Retrieved 2020-04-27.
  20. Schallert, Edwin (Jan 29, 1947). "DRAMA AND FILM: Lead in 'Race Street' Awaits Anne Jeffreys". Los Angeles Times. p. A3.
  21. "PARAMOUNT PLANS 'CATALINA' MUSICAL; Hayden, De Wolfe, Cass Daley and Olga San Juan to Head Cast of Color Picture". timesmachine.nytimes.com. Retrieved 2020-04-27.
  22. Crowther, Bosley. The New York Times, film review, "The Unsuspected, New Warner Mystery, With Joan Coalfield and Michael North, at Strand -- Blonde Savage at Rialto", October 4, 1947; accessed: July 13, 2013.
  23. Alain Silver and Elizabeth Ward (1992). Film Noir An Encyclopedic Reference to the American Style. The Overlook Press. ISBN 0-87951-479-5.
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