Gene Tierney thinks she has troubles as a kleptomaniac in “Whirlpool.” Wait until she meets Jose Ferrer’s hypnotist!

twentieth Century Fox higher
center class luxurious meets lurid movie noir by way of a charlatan hypnotist, in 1950’s Whirlpool. The con man (Jose Ferrer) takes
benefit of a well-to-do housewife (Gene Tierney) who’s a kleptomaniac. As soon as
David Korvo has a hypnotic maintain on Ann Sutton, he units her up for homicide.

Gene Tierney’s Ann Sutton is below hypnotic suggestion to hold out crimes in 1950’s “Whirlpool.” The excellent news is she sleeps like a child!

Fox studio head Darryl
F. Zanuck hoped for an additional Laura,
as Whirlpool had the identical director,
feminine star, and composer. Because the smooth-talking hypnotist, Zanuck wished an
elegant villain alongside the strains of Laura’s
Clifton Webb. Filmed in mid-1949, I perceive why Jose Ferrer was thought of a
casting coup on the time, as he was an enormous Broadway hit as Cyrano de Bergerac.

Gene Tierney’s troubled housewife falls below phony Jose Ferrer’s spell in 1950’s “Whirlpool,”from twentieth Century Fox.

Nonetheless, I feel Fox
ought to have caught with one among their charming cads, Vincent Worth or George
Sanders. Ferrer is all sonorous voice however seems to be and acts like such a bit of
weasel that it begs why somebody like Gene Tierney would give him the time of
day. No less than with the 2 Fox stars, that they had stature and attractiveness that
allowed them the guise that hid the wiles. Or better of all, James Mason, who had
an amazing face and voice, and was new to American films.

Jose Ferrer’s unctuous hypnotist is brief on attraction & lengthy on creepy in “Whirlpool.”

 Richard Conte appears considerably miscast as Ann’s
shrink hubby Invoice, however Conte no less than has conviction. I feel that Conte is a
good-looking, strong, and intense actor. Conte would have thrived over at WB taking part in
both cops or robbers; he has that sort of face. With these piercing eyes and
jutted jaw, Conte at all times seems to be like he’s gonna belt any person!

Richard Conte is the psychiatrist husband of Gene Tierney’s kleptomaniac in 1950’s “Whirlpool.”

Charles Bickford is
at all times immediately plausible, right here as no-nonsense Lt. Colton, who finds the
complete story past perception—and he is proper! The police detective can also be mourning
the latest lack of his spouse, which supplies him some depth.

Charles Bickford is the no-nonsense police detective fixing a nonsensical crime in 1950’s “Whirlpool.”

Barbara O’Neil, beloved
by movie followers as Scarlett O’Hara’s mom and  
memorable because the deranged spouse in All
This, And Heaven Too, performs one among Korvo’s victims. To differentiate O’Neil
because the older lady, she is given a skunk-like white streak in her darkish hair!
Her efficiency is way more delicate.

Barbara O’Neil’s older socialite tries to offer Gene Tierney’s matron some pleasant  recommendation in 1950’s “Whirlpool.”

As for Gene Tierney,
I’ve at all times admired her nice magnificence, class, and intelligence. Tierney at all times
appeared to do finest in roles the place she appeared other-worldly. Right here is not any exception,
provided that Ann Sutton’s below hypnosis half the time. There’s a certain quantity
of psychology right here, with a spouse who seemingly has every thing, however resorts to
shoplifting for some sort of launch. Tierney’s performing shouldn’t be electrical,
like Bette Davis, or deeply empathetic like Ingrid Bergman, however she performs nicely
inside the studio period’s stylized appearing. 

Hey, when hypnosis does not work, drastic measures are required! Jose Ferrer and  Gene Tierney in 1950’s “Whirlpool.”

Even for a studio period
movie noir, the plotting in Whirlpool
is preposterous. The film opens with moneyed suburban matron Tierney getting
busted for shoplifting in a swanky LA retailer. When Ann Sutton is escorted to the
supervisor’s workplace by safety, onlooker David Korvo follows, and imposes his
opinion in regards to the awkward state of affairs. In actuality, the safety would have
escorted him out earlier than he may end his first sentence! Nor would anyone
of their proper thoughts meet with this clearly smarmy character in public,
regardless of pink flags galore. I received’t give away the finale, however it goes past the
pale of believability.

One of the unbelievable scenes, Jose Ferrer in 1950’s “Whirlpool.”

On the time, Whirlpool was thought of an “A” image,
although it feels a bit minor by at this time’s requirements. Zanuck had a private hand in
this movie, the e book was thought of a scorching property, Ben Hecht was the
screenwriter, and so forth. And but, all of the elements didn’t create a memorable
melodrama.

A part of the issue
was the miscast main males, plus neither had been notably field workplace magnets.
Which meant the burden of carrying the image fell on Gene Tierney’s slim
shoulders. Even in her biggest automobile, Depart
Her to Heaven, Gene was bolstered by a powerful supporting solid. As Laura, she received nice help from Dana
Andrews and particularly, Clifton Webb. Tierney was a number one girl who at all times
benefited from a powerful main man.

The course by Otto
Preminger, rating by David Raksin, cinematography by Arthur C. Miller, and
costumes by Oleg Cassini for then-wife Tierney are all prime class. However the characters
don’t click on, on account of off-target casting and absurd plot contrivances. Whirlpool is value a watch, however it’s not
precisely a hypnotic movie.

Richard Conte and Gene Tierney name it an evening in 1950’s “Whirlpool.”

My take right here on Laura, the primary and finest of 4 movies
that Gene Tierney and Otto Preminger made collectively:

https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2018/04/laura-1944.html