Die schwarze Lawine

The great acting of Claudette Colbert and Robert Ryan covers up in The Secret Fury a rather over the top melodramatic story with a really baffling conclusion. It will never be rated at the top ten of either Colbert and Ryan's film credits.

It sure begins ordinarily enough in fact rather amusingly as Ryan has a bit of trouble getting into his own wedding as he's in a suit and everyone else has a tuxedo (Ryan is carrying his tux) and no one will let him tell them he's the groom.

But when the minister asks if anyone has just cause why Colbert and Ryan should not wed, a stranger pushes in and says that Colbert is already married to his friend and he was best man at the wedding. The stranger is Dave Barbour and when they check on his story it seems true enough as Colbert can't provide a real reason not since on the day of 'wedding' she apparently spent it alone.

Later on the 'husband' is found dead in a closed room with Colbert and she's put on trial for murder and totally cracks up on the stand as the gaslighting is proving too much.

I can say this much without giving away the ending. Usually in films like this you will find Bob Ryan behind the evil scheme, but in this case he's stalwart and true and doesn't stop believing in Claudette. He continues sleuthing on his own and in the end the real villain is discovered with a motive that will leave you scratching your head.

This film will offer you the opportunity to see stage legend Jane Cowl as Colbert's aunt and Vivian Vance as a hotel maid in a role quite different than Ethel Mertz. Still it's the stars who put over a rather incredible and incredulous story for your viewing pleasure.

This movie was terrific and even with a less than convincing ending, it's still well worth seeing. The film begins as Claudette Colbert is about to marry Robert Ryan. When the minister asks if anyone has any objections, a guy jumps up and announces that Colbert CAN'T get married because she already is married!! Colbert insists this isn't true, but when they investigate they find that the Justice of the Peace and many others remember her wedding and there is even a signed wedding license! Slowly, it becomes apparent that Claudette's mind is slipping and people around her seriously doubt her sanity. Then, when the supposed first husband is murdered, all evidence and suspicion falls on Colbert.

The film is an exciting mystery suspense film, as what I have so far described is only the first half of the movie. What follows is amazingly intelligent and captivating. Unfortunately, the conclusion, though, is a bit of a let-down, as the guiding force behind all this turns out to come "right out of left field"--and is baffling since it was so unexpected and impossible to guess based on the information given to the viewer. However, in spite of this, the film was so good, I can even excuse the limp ending. In particular, Robert Ryan did a great job as the "knuckle-busting" fiancé, though apart from him the other performances were also excellent.

The Secret Fury, in many ways a run-of-the-mill romantic suspense drama (directed by Mel Ferrer) boasts top-notch principals in Colbert and Ryan; it stays puzzling if not quite gripping until towards the end, when implausibility conquers suspension of disbelief -- as so often it does in this genre. But for some viewers the film's highlight will be the portrayal of blowsy Leah by Vivian Vance -- the immortal Ethel Mertz on "I Love Lucy." Oddly, Vance had very few film roles; her true home was Broadway, where (among other gigs) she understudied for Ethel Merman. Here she contributes a winning turn as a chambermaid suborned to play a minor part in a nefarious scheme; watch her half-heartedly trying to wave away the smoke when she's puffing a furtive cigarette in the hotel's linen-storage room -- a transgression for which she ultimately pays the supreme penalty.

I was surprised, that ''The Secret Fury'' was an enjoyable good film...... Probably because, I didn't have any expectations for this movie..... Though, the film does have it's plot holes..... I would say, that you couldn't guess who was behind the whole scheme, until the very end of the movie..... At first, I thought, it was Robert Ryan, using the same method, like ''Gaslight'' where husband tries to drive his wife mad, but I was wrong...... The main problem, with the movie is, they drive at a whole other direction, which gave no clues at the beginning...... I thought, Robert Ryan & Claudette Colbert carried their parts well...... Plus, Vivian Vance, a fine character actress, who steals scenes in this one...... Those who like movies, that keeps you guessing, will like this one......

Claudette Colbert is a wealthy woman driven to near insanity in "The Secret Fury," also starring Robert Ryan and Jane Cowl. On her wedding day, a man appears who claims that an heiress, Ellen (Colbert), is already married. An investigation ensues, and the evidence is against her. When her "husband" is murdered in her presence, she is put on trial.

This looked to me like a B movie, and it made for very compelling watching. My only quibble with it - and it's not a minor one - is that I was very disappointed with the ending. The motive for the crime seemed preposterous.

Robert Ryan plays Ellen's fiancé, and it's a different role for him. Here he's heroic and likable rather than villainous.

One of the most interesting things about the film is Vivian Vance in a small but showy role. She's excellent as a hotel maid who recognizes Ellen and verifies that she was indeed married before. It was a treat to see her do something besides Ethel Mertz.

Claudette Colbert is very good as the troubled woman. She's not a natural fit for the role, being more at home in comedy, but she makes it work. She's very believable as an older woman seeking happiness only to have it snatched from her at the last minute.

Mel Ferrer directed this very well, and I recommend it, though I wasn't crazy about the ending.