The Two Mrs. Carrolls (1947)

[wmcclain]

The Two Mrs. Carrolls (1947), directed by Peter Godfrey.

Humphrey Bogart is a grumpy painter showing signs of lunacy. When he meets Barbara Stanwyck he poisons his wife and remarries. Then he meets Alexis Smith and suddenly Stanwyck isn't feeling too well. During a dark and stormy night she discovers the awful truth.

It's a women's thriller wrapped in film noir atmosphere. It's hard to know where to stand: we don't cheer Bogart as he becomes increasingly insane and kills off his wives, but on the other hand he is being blackmailed which makes him more sympathetic. And he sincerely loves his daughter, which makes us like him more.

We've seen crazy Bogart before, as when infected with gold fever, and he really doesn't need to roll his eyes and clutch his forehead while strange chords clash on the soundtrack, but that's the story. This is the only screen meeting of the two stars.

To Alexis Smith he says "I have a feeling this is going to be the beginning of a beautiful hatred."

Special mention goes to Ann Carter, the intelligent and beautiful little girl last seen in The Curse of the Cat People (1944). Carter was a child actress for about ten years who contracted polio and recovered but did not return to acting.

Franz Waxman score, lush but way too dramatic in spots. Edith Head costumes for Stanwyck.

Warner Archive title, remastered, available on DVD.

[Belle]

I don't know this film and I feel I should. Thanks for the heads-up.

[speedracer5]

I like this film but I cannot help but feel that Bogart was miscast. However, it is still enjoyable. This film came out the same year that Barbara Stanwyck made "Cry Wolf" with Errol Flynn. In "Cry Wolf," I feel that Flynn was miscast, as he's playing the uncle of Barbara's husband. Flynn seems too young for the role. I cannot help but wonder what both "The Two Mrs. Carrolls" and "Cry Wolf" would be like if Bogart and Flynn had switched parts. I can see Flynn as a psychotic "Black Widow" painter who kills his wives after he's no longer inspired by them creatively. Bogart seems more age-appropriate to play an uncle of Stanwyck's.

I always wondered why Ann Carter is the only character who speaks with a British accent. I guess I can assume that she was born in England and that Bogart is an American living in England. Maybe Ann picked up her accent from her mother and other people in the community.

[CinemaInternational]

Not a bad film, but probably just a touch too melodramatic, especially that moment near the end of Bogart bursting through the window as Stanwyck and the music scream. Still, not a bad noir, and it is hard to miss with that cast.

[jamesjazzguitar]

I like this film but I cannot help but feel that Bogart was miscast. However, it is still enjoyable. This film came out the same year that Barbara Stanwyck made "Cry Wolf" with Errol Flynn. In "Cry Wolf," I feel that Flynn was miscast, as he's playing the uncle of Barbara's husband. Flynn seems too young for the role. I cannot help but wonder what both "The Two Mrs. Carrolls" and "Cry Wolf" would be like if Bogart and Flynn had switched parts. I can see Flynn as a psychotic "Black Widow" painter who kills his wives after he's no longer inspired by them creatively. Bogart seems more age-appropriate to play an uncle of Stanwyck's.

I always wondered why Ann Carter is the only character who speaks with a British accent. I guess I can assume that she was born in England and that Bogart is an American living in England. Maybe Ann picked up her accent from her mother and other people in the community.

Both films were made by the Warner Bros. studio system and both in 1947 so there wouldn't have been much difficulty if the Bogart \ Flynn roles were switched. That casting would have made more sense and while both films have good qualities both might have been really fine films if those roles were switched.

[jamesjazzguitar]

I like this film but I cannot help but feel that Bogart was miscast. However, it is still enjoyable. This film came out the same year that Barbara Stanwyck made "Cry Wolf" with Errol Flynn. In "Cry Wolf," I feel that Flynn was miscast, as he's playing the uncle of Barbara's husband. Flynn seems too young for the role. I cannot help but wonder what both "The Two Mrs. Carrolls" and "Cry Wolf" would be like if Bogart and Flynn had switched parts. I can see Flynn as a psychotic "Black Widow" painter who kills his wives after he's no longer inspired by them creatively. Bogart seems more age-appropriate to play an uncle of Stanwyck's.

I always wondered why Ann Carter is the only character who speaks with a British accent. I guess I can assume that she was born in England and that Bogart is an American living in England. Maybe Ann picked up her accent from her mother and other people in the community.

Both films were made by the Warner Bros. studio system and both in 1947 so there wouldn't have been much difficulty if the Bogart \ Flynn roles were switched. That casting would have made more sense and while both films have good qualities both might have been really fine films if those roles were switched.

Both films were filmed in late 1946 \ early 1947 and Bogart was loaned out to Columbia for Dead Reckoning which was made in late 1946, so maybe there was a scheduling conflict there (i.e. Bogie wouldn't have been on the WB lot when making Dead Reckoning).

Either way, great idea!

[Detective Jim McLeod]

It's not bad but being the only Bogart/Stanwyck pairing, I was hoping for much more.