The Second Woman - Robert Young

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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r

(aka "Ellen" or "Here Lies Love" or "Twelve Miles Out")

directed by James V. Kern
USA 1950

A better-than-average psychological thriller, The Second Woman blends aspects of Rebecca and Gaslight into a savvy, neo-Gothic style (there's even an ultramodern, Manderley-like pile of memories high above the crashing ocean; it, too, ends in conflagration).

Robert Young plays a young architect who can't wriggle out from under a jinx. The night before their wedding, a car crash claimed the life of his fiancée, for whom he'd built the cantilevered "house with wings." Now it's a mausoleum where he broods to the Tchaikovsky on the sound track. Lapses of memory and moody episodes undermine his work. His horse, his dog, even his prize rosebush die mysteriously. He's sinking, an object of pity and, increasingly, apprehension.

Into this slough of despond comes a guardian angel (Betsy Drake), an intelligent and independent insurance investigator who falls for him, as he for her. (She's something of an anomaly in film noir, where all the brains and spunk usually go to the wicked women.) She supplies Young with the resolve to solve the puzzle when he ceases to care.

Excerpt of review from Bill McVicar at imdb.com located HERE

Posters

Theatrical Release: 7 July 1950 (USA)

Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews

DVD Review: Alpha - Region 0 - NTSC

Big thanks to Gregory Meshman for the Review!

DVD Box Cover		CLICK to order from:
Distribution	Alpha Region 0 - NTSC
Runtime	1:30:39
Video	1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 5.5 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate
Audio	Dolby Digital Mono (English)
Subtitles	None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Alpha Aspect Ratio: Fullscreen - 1.33:1 Edition Details: • Alpha Video DVD Catalog DVD Release Date: April 15th, 2003 Keep Case Chapters 7

Comments

Here is another film noir from Alpha Video and the interlace transfer on this DVD is more acceptable compared to their other releases. There is some contrast boosting and the print has many marks and specs, but the image is surprisingly clear and watchable. This is a decent film noir effort and the Alpha release is quite acceptable release from Alpha. Hopefully, we will see an improved transfer either from MGM (as film was distributed by United Artists) or as part of The Wade Williams Collection (as it was on VHS as part of that collection).

- Gregory Meshman