The Madonna's Secret

The Madonna's Secret (1946)

** (out of 4)

Artist James Corbin (Francis Lederer) has his latest model murdered and it strikes one man (Edward Ashley) strange that a previous model died the same way. The second victim's sister (Ann Rutherford) decides to go undercover as a model to try and prove that the artist is the murderer. THE MADONNA'S SECRET features some good performances and nice cinematography but that's about it as the story itself is rather tiresome and director Wilhelm Thiele just doesn't add too much suspense to the material. In fact, I'd say that the entire film has a very weak energy level that really keeps the viewer from getting too caught up in the material. The screenplay itself really doesn't have too much going for it as there are way too many long dialogue sequences that just go no where and end up hurting the film more than helping. As I said, the performances are actually pretty good and they help keep the film moving. Lederer was very believable as the troubled artist and I really liked how the actor could make you not trust him one second but then change your mind the next. Ashley makes for an entertaining good guy and Rutherford gets to shine in a role away from Andy Hardy. John Litel is good as the main cop on the case and Leona Roberts is also good as the artist's mother. I will admit that the final twist in the story is a good one and something that I didn't see coming.

Francis Lederer is a successful painter who uses Linda Stirling as a model, but only her body, the face is that of a model from a previous life in France. That model ended up murdered, but Lederer was cleared all of charges, and he moved to the US with his mother. After Stirling begs him to paint her face too, he does. And she ends up murdered as well, in a similar fashion as the French model. Theater columnist Edward Ashley knows about Lederer's past and points the police to him, but they can't make a case. Stirling's sister Ann Rutherford tries to investigate and becomes a model for Lederer herself. Meanwhile a portrait hanging in a gallery has attracted the attention of wealthy socialite Gail Patrick. But when Lederer refuses to sell it to her, she gets him to paint her portrait. The murders are not yet done...

This movie is a competent Republic noir/mystery, that has a slight Gothic feel to it due to the painting angle. Lederer does a nice mentally tormented artist, and Rutherford is great, backed by a solid cast. The story is nothing too special, and neither is the identity of the killer (the suspect pool is rather shallow), but the movie isn't dull, altho it is a bit talky in parts... And it has a memorable torch singer meets knife-throwing act scene at a nightclub. That lady has nerves of steel!

The DoP for this movie was John Alton. Needless to say this movie looks the part (helped by the great looking print I saw). Beautiful shadows, coming from all angles, but also done tastefully and subtly. Director William Thiele does a nice job too, and the cast & crew make this a movie that rises above its Republic standard. Good stuff, recommended! 7/10

The Madonna's Secret (1946)

A psycho-mystery that broods and clunks along pretty well but too much a twist on a twist kind of movie. In fact, it's so obvious that the main character, a tortured artist, is suspected from the first minute, you know something else is up. What you don't suspect is what, and so by the end there is that final twist. I suppose this should or could have been a Vincent Price Gothic chiller, but in the hands of the leading man, Francis Lederer, it's a dark and serious affair. No camp allowed.

This comes near the end of director William Thiele's B-movie career (followed by a slew of Lone Ranger t.v. episodes and then, a step sideways for 36 shows of Cavalcade of America, a staple of 1950s American middlebrow normalcy). So we might be glad the movie is as good as it is, and I think the main reason is ace cinematographer John Alton. There are subtle movements of the camera that make an ordinary conversation take on depth, at least in terms of mise-en-scene. And the truly dramatic lighting (including some obvious back projection stuff of Lederer speeding in a boat at night) is great just to watch.

The series of women who pose and/or get themselves killed is curious--they do all look the same at a glance--and might have been more fun if extended a bit more. That is, they are all relatively cardboard characters, including the main character, who can't get out of his angst filled cliché, and so we can't really get involved emotionally in their fates. We just watch. And so thank you Mr. Alton for making that watching worth the ride. If you don't give a hoot about lights and camera, give this a by.

Francis Lederer is a painter haunted by his past, using Linda Stirling as his model, but painting the face of his dead model in Europe. He was a suspect in her murder by drowning, but nothing concrete was proven, and so he went free and came to America.

Now he has fallen in love with Miss Stirling and now she too is dead of drowning. Police detective John Litel hounds him, but he has an alibi, and suggests he has an enemy. The cops have to let him go, but they play a spy in his home. Is it Miss Stirling's sister, an actress, or is it rich Gal Patrick, who wishes to buy Lederer's last painting because of the notoriety, or is it Ann Rutherford, who says she has been sent by the modeling agency? Lederer hires her, and while she is changing, he looks in her hand bag and discovers a gun.

It's in interesting set-up for a film noir, and DP John Alton shoots strong, sharp shadows of prison bars. William Thiele directs from a script he co-wrote. It's a good cast, and worth a look, despite a slightly botched ending.

"The Madonna's Secret" is a pretty good film. Had it offered more red herrings and possibilities, it would have been even better.

James Corbin (Francis Lederer) is a famous painter who is hiding out in America. Why is he hiding? Because back in Europe one of his models was murdered and he was tried for this crime. Although acquitted, his reputation has been ruined. He is still painting however and once again he's fallen in love with his model...and she soon is found dead!! Once again he's arrested but they have to release him because he had an alibi. But a reporter insists that Corbin in guilty and convinces the recently murdered model's sister (Ann Rutherford) to become the next model to get the goods on Corbin. However, she and another model both soon fall in love with the guy! Are they destined to die as well? And, most importantly, who is doing this and why?

I think the plot was very, very clever and I enjoyed the movie. But it had a few things that should have been done a bit better. First, having Rutherford's character fall in love so easily, considering her sister just died and he might have done it, seemed unbelievable. Second, there just weren't many possible killers introduced during the course of the movie and I correctly guessed their identity almost immediately. A few red herrings definitely would have added to the suspense. Still, despite a few problems here and there, a dandy picture.