Whirlpool (1949)

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Fossy
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Joined: April 29th, 2010, 8:13 pm
Location: Cairns, Qld., Australia

Whirlpool (1949)

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Whirlpool (1949)

One would never expect that a noir movie could bring one to tears, but this one had that effect on me.

Gene Tierney—Mrs Ann Sutton
Richard Conte—Her Husband Psychiatrist Dr William “Bill” Sutton
Jose Ferrer—David Korvo hypnotist who preys on women
Charles Bickford Police Lt James Colton.
Barbara O`Neill—Theresa Randolph

Ann, a kleptomaniac, has been caught shoplifting. She is seen by David, who rescues her and makes it clear that he will see her again. Believing that she is being blackmailed, Ann offers David $5000.00. When he tears up the cheque she is impressed. She is further impressed when David hypnotises her and tells her to sleep for nine hours.

Theresa, a former “client “ of David`s tries to warn Ann, but Ann will hear nothing against David. David is in hospital, having had a gall bladder operation, when Theresa is murdered. Of course David is in the clear. Lt. Colton is assigned to the case. He knows how serious is the operation because his wife had the same operation only a month ago, and she did not survive. All clues lead to Ann who is arrested.

Attempts to find records which may clear Ann fail. Bill tries to persuade Lt. Colston to accompany Bill and Ann to Theresa`s house in an attempt to get Ann to remember. Lt. Colston is at home looking at a picture of his late wife, and decides to allow Bill`s request.

David has hypnotised himself so that he feels no pain, and has gone to the house before them, retrieved the records and is playing them. Ann remembers parts of her previous trip to the house. David, who has hid from them, jumps out with a gun and menaces them. Together they listen to the records, which reveal Ann`s innocence and David`s guilt.

But David has sprung a leak and although he ties to shoot the others, he collapses and dies from loss of blood.

As Lt. Colston is about to phone for assistance, He says “I`ll pass Mrs. Sutton over to your custody Doctor (pause ) --nice to have a wife to come home to you”.
And that`s when I cracked up.
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