Woman in Hiding

"Woman in Hiding" from 1950 stars Ida Lupino, Stephen McNally, and Howard Duff.

The film begins with a narration by Lupino, over a scene where police are trying to find her dead body after a car crash.

After her father (John Litel) dies from a fall, Deborah Chandler inherits the successful mill the family owns. She marries the general manager Selden (McNally). On her wedding night, they go to a cottage and find a girlfriend (Peggy Dow) of Selden's who has let herself in with a key.

Deborah then finds out that Selden killed her father. She flees from the cottage, only to find out that Selden, knowing she would do this, has cut the brakes of the car. Deborah jumps out before the car hits the water.

Selden isn't sure she's dead because no body was found; he wants to know for sure so he can inherit the mill free and clear. So he offers a $5000 reward for anyone who can find her. Deborah sees the ad while working in a restaurant and takes off. Passing a beauty salon, she hatches the idea to change her appearance.

Well, this is a not too great part of the story. She reappears with her hair maybe two shades lighter - she keeps calling herself a blonde, but she isn't - no sunglasses, hat, nothing. A man, Keith Ramsey (Duff) running the newspaper counter at the bus station remembers meeting her. When he sees her again, he takes off in pursuit.

Keith manages to earn Deborah's trust. His motives are a little ambiguous. He calls Selden and says he's not totally sure it's his wife, and he seems concerned about her. As Deborah attempts to keep running, things get rough.

Very exciting film with good performances. Lupino gives a strong performance as frightened and vulnerable woman; McNally is good at playing evil; and a young Howard Duff is handsome and charming. As Selden's girlfriend, Peggy Dow is terrific. The screen lost a real beauty as well as a fine actress when she married and retired.

The last ten minutes or so are nerve-wracking. Enjoy.

Woman in Hiding is directed by Michael Gordon and adapted to screenplay by Oscar Saul and Roy Huggins from a story by James Webb. It stars Ida Lupino, Stephen McNally, Howard Duff and Peggy Dow. Music is by Milton Schwarzwald and cinematography by William H. Daniels.

After the mysterious death of her father, a quickfire marriage to a hugely suspicious man, and an attempt on her life, Deborah Chandler Clark (Lupino) is forced to assume a new identity and go into hiding...

No great shakes as regards the plot line, it's a standard woman in peril piece, where we the viewers know what's going on and only really await for what we hope is a punchy resolution to it all. However, overcoming the simplicity of formula, it's a film nicely constructed and performed, with plenty of suspense, tightly wound anticipation and some very pleasing visual accompaniments.

Opening with a guarded voice over from Lupino''s character, mood is nicely set at noir influenced. From here we quickly get to know the principle players and are quickly on Deborah's side. Peril and emotional pain is never far away with Gordon (The Web) and ace photographer Daniels (The Naked City) complicit in mood enhancements. Cue a cabin at nighttime bathed in oppressive moonlight, shadowed window bars striking facial menace - and as Deborah's peril grows greater - an imposing staircase ripe for a dastardly deed, Then we hit the last quarter of film and the quality really shines through. A steam train at night is grand, a splendid setting, but that is just a precursor to the exciting denouement at the deserted mill of Deborah's birthright. Daniels excels, his photography straight out of a noir fever dream, all while the industrial churning of the mill machinery adds impetus to the thrilling conclusion.

It needed more of a black heart as per outcome to be a definitive noir pic, but it comes safely recommended to noir enthusiasts regardless. 7/10

Deborah Chandler (Ida Lupino) assures her mill owner father that she is not marrying dubious plant manager Selden Clark IV (Stephen McNally). Then her father dies in a plant accident. On the day of the funeral, Selden asks her to marry him. She eventually accepts, but suspicion soon arises when distraught Patricia Monahan (Peggy Dow) shows up on their honeymoon.

There are so many red flags. It is probably for the best that the audience doesn't always see him sweet-talk her to ignore those flags. I don't think that I would believe those scenes. I can always ignore what I don't see. This is a nice little melodramatic potboiler. It helps to have Ida Lupino selling the material.

As the opening credits roll, newly wedded Ida Lupino (as Deborah Chandler) desperately tries to stop herself from crashing her car. In an attempted murder, the brakes have been disabled. We see the car drive off a North Carolina bridge and listen to Ms. Lupino's ghostly narration. But don't assume she's dead, or that the accident ends the story… After the prologue fails to uncover a dead body, we begin earlier. Inheriting a profitable mill upon the subsequently suspicious death of her father, Lupino marries the plant's general manager Stephen McNally (as Selden Clark). Apparently, they were a long-term couple; the wedding is the first of several implausible story developments. Lupino asks, "Why didn't I see it?" Don't know...

When they arrive at Mr. McNally's mountain cabin for a honeymoon, sexy Peggy Dow (as Patricia Monahan) is waiting. She reveals herself as McNally's "little business trips" lover and is understandably furious with Lupino's presence. After husband and lover smack each other around, Lupino decides she wants the marriage annulled, but McNally refuses. Lupino runs off, changes her name to "Ann Carter" and tries to hide from her homicidal husband. She meets handsome and helpful Howard Duff (as Keith Ramsey), but he isn't sure who is telling the truth. Beautiful black-and-white photography by William Daniels, effective direction from Michael Gordon and engaging performances make "Woman in Hiding" well worth following.

******* Woman in Hiding (12/27/49) Michael Gordon ~ Ida Lupino, Howard Duff, Stephen McNally, Peggy Dow

#265moviwreview

Terrific blend of melodrama and noir, this film doesn't have any surprises but the sturdy direction by Michael Gordon and terrific performances by the always great Ida Lupino good Stephen McNally, good Howard Duff and the terrific Peggy Dow make this worth a watch.

The ending is a bit lazy and during a climactic fight scene, it's kind of a mistake in showing the stunt men's faces in closeup.

But, seeing Joe Besser 7 years before Stoogedom saying "stop crowding me" is worth a watch.

Fun fact: Lupino and Duff got off to a rocky start. She thought he was obnoxious. Obviously their time on screen made their relationship blossom since they got married in 1951.

WATCH IT

3.5/5.