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A killer who targets women with imperfections is on the loose. Everyone suspects the next victim will be Helen, who is mute and works as a caregiver for a wealthy old woman. Who is the killer and is Helen safe?

George Brent stars in this, along with a marvelous cast. I am not familiar with Brent's work, but he was amazing here. And working under Robert Siodmak? What more can you ask for? The Siodmak brothers were a strong force in their day, and sadly forgotten by many today.

If you like film noir, thrillers or subtle horror, this film is really a must-see. The title is a tad misleading. Near as I can tell, the spiral staircase plays no important role in the film. But, still, a must-see regardless of title.

In the beginning of the Twentieth Century, a serial-killer is terrorizing a small town, killing women with imperfections. In the Warren manor, the mute servant Helen (Dorothy McGuire) nurses Mrs. Warren (Ethel Barrymore) who is terminal in bed. The newcomer Dr. Parry (Kent Smith) falls in love for Helen and has the intention to take her to specialists in Boston for treatment for recovering her voice and marry her. When the reckless Steve Warren (Gordon Oliver) arrives from Europe, he stays in the mansion with his mother and his stepbrother Professor Albert Warren (George Brent) and has a brief affair with Albert's assistant Blanche (Rhonda Fleming). When a crippled woman is killed in the town, Mrs. Warren advises Helen to leave the house immediately since she is in danger. When a murder occurs in the mansion, Helen does not know who is trustful to help her to call Dr. Parry to rescue her.

"The Spiral Staircase" is a suspenseful stylish movie, with a magnificent black and white cinematography that follows the German Expressionism and wonderful set decoration in Victorian style. It is impressive the use of shadows and lights in many unforgettable scenes, like for example Blanche in the basement or Helen in the spiral staircase. The beginning is an awesome tribute to the earlier days of the cinema. The performances are excellent and it is impossible to individually highlight any actor or actress. The plot keeps the tension until the very end in this great movie. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Silêncio nas Trevas" ("Silence in the Darkness")

It's 1916 and a rash of women being killed who are 'imperfect' in the eyes of the killer whomever it is have both Dr. Kent Smith and bedridden dowager Ethel Barrymore concerned for the life of Dorothy McGuire, a beautiful, but mute servant girl in her house.

There's not much mystery to this film, it's not hard to guess the identity of the perpetrator, given the limited number in the cast. But The Spiral Staircase is one of the most atmospheric films ever done. Director Robert Siodmark made terrific use of the Victorian era set of the Warren house where 90% of the film is done. The centerpiece of course being The Spiral Staircase.

Two years before a deaf mute act won Jane Wyman an Academy Award, a lot of people, me included, felt Dorothy McGuire should have at least gotten a nomination for her role. She conveys so much in her portrayal, the meekness of her character and the gradual overwhelming fear that takes over her as she senses danger. Worse even when she fixes on the wrong individual as her menace.

Ethel Barrymore got an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress as the crotchety old woman who was in McGuire's keeping. But Ethel had won the same Oscar back in 1944 for None But The Lonely Heart. She lost in the finals to Anne Baxter for The Razor's Edge.

George Brent, Gordon Oliver, Rhys Williams, Rhonda Fleming, and Elsa Lanchester round out a good cast in one of the best atmospheric thrillers ever put on film.

THE SPIRAL STAIRCASE is one of the best known in the "old dark house" genre. These films typically feature a disparate group of characters who inevitably find themselves alone and trapped within a huge, rambling and spooky old house on the night of a storm, with a killer amongst them. What's notable about this outing is just how stylish it is: the story is nothing special, but the style makes it.

The story features a black-gloved killer (complete with POV shots) who hides in wardrobes and stalks his young, female victims and strangles them. In one of the movie's most infamous shots, the viewer sees a victim from the killer's point of view, and she's missing her mouth; symptomatic of his disturbed mind, and highly eerie with it. The whodunit aspect of the storyline is played up strongly, with some red herrings thrown into the mix, although it's pretty easy for a modern viewer to guess the identity of the murderer.

THE SPIRAL STAIRCASE features some decent performances, particularly from Dorothy McGuire, playing (unusually) a leading role as a mute. That the viewer becomes accustomed to her muteness and, eventually, even forgets about it is testament to her performance. Elsewhere in the cast, there's a barnstorming turn from grand old dame Ethel Barrymore who rules the roost from her deathbed, and a nicely comic performance from the BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN herself, Elsa Lanchester, as a drunk cook.

In the end, the film works because of the visual flourishes. As in a film noir, there's a lot of creeping about in the shadows, and silhouettes of various things and people play a big part. The emphasis on a deranged killer is a neat precursor to the later gialli and slasher films of the '70s and '80s, and there's little padding on the bare bones of the narrative. It's a good 'un.

This was an excellent suspense film with outstanding cinematography and interesting characters played by a strong cast.

There are lots of complimentary adjectives in the above sentence but the film deserves it, particularly the photography (see this on DVD). The lighting is as good as anything I've ever seen in film noir (this is not a film noir, as one reviewer correctly points out). In fact, outside of David Lean's "Oliver Twist, " this may be the best-looking black-and-white film I've seen. A good part of the visual treat is viewing the fantastic Victorian house where most of the action takes place.

The lead character, played beautifully by Dorothy McGuire, is one the viewer cares about which helps get one involved in the story. All the other characters are fun to watch, and are detailed here in other reviews. I go along with most in saying Ethel Barrymore was the most likable.

There are a few holes in the storyline, to be sure, but one doesn't care since the film movies rapidly, the story keeps you so involved and the visuals and audio are so interesting. This latter also features the longest thunderstorm on record!

The Spiral Staircase is one of the most eerie and atmospheric films that I have ever had the pleasure of seeing. The entire movie gives off a sense of malice throughout, and the use of music here is some of the best I've ever seen in a movie. The film's plot follows a series of murders, of which all the victims are people with imperfections. Our hero is Helen; a young mute girl that works as a nurse for Mrs Warren, an old lady that lives in a big house. Aside from the old lady, also living in the house are her two sons; Albert and Steven, along with a few other people such as the maid. As the murders are being committed on imperfect women, the old lady becomes concerned for her mute nurse and begs her to leave. When another murder is committed in the house, the danger that the young girl is in becomes more apparent.

The first thing you will notice about this hidden gem is it's striking cinematography and lush settings. The film is very Gothic, and that gives it a very foreboding atmosphere. This is without doubt the best things about the film; in a dark thriller such as this, the atmosphere is always important, and as I said; this film has plenty. The film also features a lot of intrigue. As it has many characters that could be suspects, it leaves you guessing. Playing it's cards very close to it's chest, we don't find out who is the murderer until the very last minute.

The cast of The Spiral Staircase don't excel individually, but they come together very well as an ensemble. Most of them would never make another notable movie, although the majority have rather large filmographies. Robert Siodmak takes the directors chair, and he should be commended for his work. His use of the camera is excellent; the film features numerous close-ups, and when coupled with the haunting music; it makes for a great eeriness. There is one sequence in particular where the killer is watching his would-be victim from some bushes in the rain, and that with the haunting music in the background is altogether one of the most frightening sequences ever filmed. Cinematic perfection.

Helen Capel was rendered mute in childhood due to a family trauma, now she acts as a companion to the bed ridden Mrs Warren. She's currently fretful because a serial killer is on the loose and he preys on women with afflictions...

Based on Ethel White's novel "Some Must Watch," The Spiral Staircase harks back to the days of the "old dark house" thrillers and encompasses a German expressionist sheen. The setting is an old Gothic mansion in New England at the turn of the century. Directed by Robert Siodmak, not one spooky house thriller genre convention has been neglected here. The tension builds amid creaking doors and gates, whistling winds, flickering candles, blowing curtains and cut-aways to the eyes of the unseen lurking madman waiting to add poor Helen to his roll call of victims. Mirrors, windows and shadows feature prominently as craftsman Siodmak spins his uneasy expressionistic web.

The cast are uniformly strong. Dorothy McGuire gives one of her best and most convincing performances as the under threat Helen. While Ethel Barrymore (nominated for Best Supporting Actress), Elsa Lanchester and George Brent all turn in brilliant performances. But perhaps it's not unfair to say that the real stars here are the technical staff? Siodmak expands his talent and knowing from his work at Universal Pictures (Son Of Dracula/The Suspect), Albert D'Agostino's sets are wondrous period delights and Nicholas Musuraca's deep-focus photography has the ability to make one keep looking over the shoulder to see if something is lurking in the room with us...

There's quite a few changes in this adaptation from the novel, notably the setting was in England and Helen was a cripple and not mute. But few could seriously argue that The Spiral Staircase in silver screen form is anything but a triumphant piece of classic cinema. 10/10

For sheer mastery in the art of black and white photography and its ability to provide the shadowy atmosphere necessary for mood, they don't come any better than this. The house alone is as much a part of the plot as the actors--but everything clicks...the acting, the script, the story, the direction and the brooding atmosphere that lets you know you're in for an intense and absorbingly suspenseful story. All of the suspense is relieved occasionally with just the right amount of humor. Particularly by Elsa Lanchester as the housekeeper who uses trickery to steal an extra bottle of liquor from the wine cellar. While thunder and lightning storms outside the mansion, we know that a serial killer is lurking on or near the premises, one who specializes in murdering women with physical afflictions. At the center of the story is Dorothy McGuire's character, a mute girl who lost her voice years ago during a traumatic experience. Around her are a number of people, all of whom become suspicious as the plot thickens--Kent Smith, Rhonda Fleming, George Brent, Ethel Barrymore and Gordon Oliver. Ethel Barrymore is especially good as a frightened old woman, bedridden and suspicious enough of everyone. For comparison, view the recent color TV adaptation, bland in overall effect. It will make you appreciate this black and white classic more than ever. As with most remakes, it doesn't stand a chance against the original.

My only complaint is that DOROTHY McGUIRE does not have much range in her expressions. Wide-eyed, but seldom wild, her restraint limits the amount of fear her character can express without using her voice. A more over-the-top performance might have been more useful, given the Gothic mood created so well by director Robert Siodmak. She is overshadowed by Ethel Barrymore as a bed-ridden invalid urging her to leave the house and Gordon Oliver, as the playboy step-brother who plays his role to the hilt. GEORGE BRENT does nicely for the most part, but seems too laid back in the final scenes to be as menacing as he is meant to be.

Still, well worth watching for its shadowy Victorian atmosphere alone.

A woman is found strangled in a hotel. Dr. Parry (Kent Smith) is one of two doctors in the small town. The older Dr. Harvey is dismissive of the younger Parry. Parry urges mute Helen (Dorothy McGuire) to leave her job. Helen returns to bedridden Mrs. Warren (Ethel Barrymore)'s mansion as her personal nurse but there is a mysterious man lurking outside in the storm. Mrs. Warren cryptically urges Helen to leave that night.

I really love McGuire and Barrymore together. They have so much power even with a silent McGuire. I love the mood in that bedroom. The other characters are almost useless when McGuire isn't there. None of the others are that compelling compared to the 3 leads and I can't wait for their scenes to be over. The last act is pretty good but I bet a remake with some blood can be much more intense.

The mute maid of a wealthy family is stalked by the local strangler, even into the depths of their dark and spooky mansion.

Murder mystery with a melodrama of back biting characters, who dash on and off - stage left, stage right - as the plot cranks along with uneven pace. Lots of little back stories are chipped in, and some of the performances are good, but there's no core, no deep motivation or truth. A few touches of humour, but then some awful lines: "I've been out walking." "In that rain?" "Yes, in that rain."

The heroine gives good close up and is convincing in her muteness, but the pantomime dame in the bed takes the award, even though you sense her character could have been written with more intelligence. And they make the crucial mistake of absenting the hero from the climax, although the end is amusing enough.

The real star is the direction and photography. An interesting opening scene with a silent movie within the movie (hard to tell if they were mirroring the villain's mentality), some nice POV shots and especially those done through the eye, and a plush wedding scene. Also lots of shadow and candle-lit close ups.

Music is swooping strings.

Overall - looks good, but stodgy story.

This is a terrific thriller, made just the way that thrillers should be done, with nicely crafted tension, atmospheric setting, and plenty of strange and mysterious characters. Adding in the excellent leading performance by Dorothy McGuire makes it a top-notch picture.

From the very beginning, the suspense begins to build, while at the same time McGuire's character Helen immediately attracts and holds the audience's concern and sympathy. The combination works very well, and while you're never sure what else is going on, or which of the other characters can be trusted, you know that Helen is in danger and that you care about her.

The rest of the cast are all nicely matched with their characters, and do a fine job of bringing them to life. Some of the plot developments probably would prove somewhat implausible if analyzed carefully, but the story and atmosphere are crafted so effectively that you never notice while watching.

Anyone who enjoys classic thrillers should make sure to see "The Spiral Staircase".

Robert Siodmak directed this atmospheric thriller set in early 20th century New England. Dorothy McGuire plays Helen, a mute servant working in the household of old & sickly Mrs. Warren(played by Ethel Barrymore) who lives with her two sons(played by George Brent & Gordon Oliver). A series of strangulation murders of young women is occurring in the community, and Mrs. Warren is fearful that Helen may be a target, since the victims all had some kind of affliction, the only common thread between them. She implores Dr. Perry(played by Kent Smith) to take Helen away, but unfortunately circumstances prevent this, and the killer does indeed go after Helen... Good suspense yarn has effective direction and performances, even if the ultimate revelation about the killer and motivation is underwhelming. Still, worthwhile viewing nonetheless.

This is one of the most elegantly crafted, paced, photographed and designed of all lady-in-distress thrillers, a sub-genre I am not altogether fond of, but in this case the result is something near to a masterpiece. The actors, especially Dorothy McGuire, are first-rate. I'm particularly in love with the house, a cavernous Victorian, over-decorated, visually and spatially 'busy' place, full of odd furniture and fixtures, rugs, lamps and mirrors, it is as much a character as any person in the film. Kudos to the RKO art department, fifty plus years later I salute them. The way the house is explored is a fascinating as the way the characters are presented. Bit by bit we grow accustomed to the place and its denizens, and when the inevitable thunderstorm happens we feel comfortable inside, aware of the menace within we are none the less seduced by the grandness of the place, indeed enveloped by it, as the air of danger becomes almost cozy, and the gothic surroundings become as comforting as they are baleful. This is no small trick; it's an art. Name a film of the past thirty years that comes close to The Spiral Staircase in its exploration of the various shades of meaning in what for want of a better term one would have to call the Great Gothic Place.

This movie has a lot of good things for sure: technically is very well executed. great cinematogrpahy that vies us an atmosphere of tension. the use of the light is great. the sound with the thunderstorm also. the art direction, the setting in the house is also very well built. the directing is almost flawless: there are great shots here, and well made even in the dark. the way we see Helen moving around the house is made for us to really feel what she's passing through - even though she doesn't speak.

the film has a message for me: the idea of strong women vs men that need to pretend to be strong in order to be accepted. in 1946 i don't think a lot of movies would have the guts for this. this one has: it portraits some of these men like if they're in a battle to become the biggest alpha. most of the dialogues between men in this movie seem to be about dominance. that's very interesting.

helen's character is very deep and interesting and Dorothy Mcguire does an excellent job. Really great. We can feel Helen is someone real, she's smart and witty she's capable she almost seem real. "wait until dark" 20 years later had audrey hepburn doing a very real blind character - but i think that film is better than this one.

the problem with this: well...this could have been we craven's "scream"made in 1946. sidney prescott could have been an helen of modernity. the movie wants us to belive in that dark, scary atmosphere where no one can trust each other, where there's a killer on the loose and anyone can be a suspect. the problem: it spends too long establishing connections between the characters. at a certain point is boring. the film seems to want to scare us to make us feel uncertain and most of its length. the diretion, the light the music, the storm outside are all signs of this. even the vulnerability of the main character.

but it spends too long managing subplots. some of these characters weren't that important. some of these subplots should have been quicker. the film starts well, ends well but lost me a bit at the middle. it should have worried more about its scary story and less about the relationships between the characters. it should have had a way bigger slasher fel (that it has at certain moments) and less dialogues in between them.

i understand their importance but the atmosphere felt a bit flat for me in those moments. too bad. this could have been an easy 9 or 4 and a half stars if the movie worried more about the scares and suspicions, and less about what the characters thought about each other. still some people will love this and it should be checked.

"The Spiral Staircase" starts off with an afflicted woman being murdered, and right from the onset I was surprised at how explicit it was for its time - by today's standards it's nothing you don't see every day on television, but 1946 was a very different time.

It then moves onwards and we are introduced to a young woman who is mute and lives in a mansion with a long, spiraling staircase. (Hint: this pays off later in the movie.) When it's made known that a killer is making his rounds murdering afflicted women, the owner of the mansion fears for the mute woman's life - and after a string of more murders occur they realize she's next.

RKO's picture was far ahead of its time. Someone on here said it's not a film noir and commanded that people stop calling it one. I'll disagree. I think it IS film noir, in the sense that it's a personal struggle for one person who's surrounded by death and murder. I don't think it should be left up to one person to decide what "film noir" really means. I do think there are limits of course ("Batman Returns" is NOT film noir, it just tries to come across as one) but no one should say, "This isn't a film noir because it's a thriller." So what? Loads of film noirs are thrillers.

I personally feel the stylings, the themes and the motif of the movie could be classified as "film noir." It's a beautiful movie to look at, very well filmed, and the ending is probably one of the best I can remember ever seeing.

It's had a few remakes over the years, but the first remains the best - by a long shot.

Highly recommended.

This film takes place in a small town in Vermont at the very beginning of the 20th Century with an unknown serial killer taking the life of his 3rd female victim by strangulation. As it so happens, a young mute woman by the name of "Helen" (Dorothy McGuire) was in the house at the time and fearing that she may be in danger her close friend "Dr. Parry" (Kent Smith) offers to drive her to the large house where she lives and also works taking care of an elderly woman named "Mrs. Warren" (Ethel Barrymore). We then learn that there are several other people who live and work in this house to include Mrs. Warren's son "Steven Warren" (Gordon Oliver) and her stepson "Professor Albert Warren" (George Brent). Although nobody in this house is under suspicion, the local "Constable" (played by James Bell) advises Professor Warren to keep a close eye on Helen as he fears that she is the next target due to the fact that all of his victims have suffered from one disability or another. Likewise, if Helen were to be attacked, she would be unable to call for help. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this was a pretty good mystery movie which managed to keep the identity of the serial killer a secret until the very end. I also like the dark ambiance during the course of the picture as well. That being said, while I would have liked to have seen a bit more horror and suspense here and there, I still enjoyed this film for the most part and I have rated it accordingly. Above average.

Why is it called The Spiral Staircase? It makes no sense at all, could have been called the muddy shoes or The Old Woman With a Gun. If you can hold out till the end you'll get to hear a mute talk again which is your grievance package of having to sit through an hour and a half of tripe mystery.

There is nothing in this movie but red herrings. I wouldn't be surprised if it was this movie that made the term so well known as there isn't anything else to see here. Waiting for the mute to work out anything is a pointless waste of time, let me tell you now she does nothing at all. The only saving grace to the spiral staircase is that it is a very old movie so you can't or shouldn't expect too much. It's going to be simple and easy to work out unfortunately this means this movie doesn't age well. Watch sped up, maybe even 1.5x. Would make a good short.

I am a fan of classic film noire/suspense films, but this one doesn't do it for me for the following reasons: 1. The acting is poor and often non-believable. For example, Ethel Barrymore keeps stirring from a near comatose state of health wide eyed, fully alert with a strong voice. It reminded me of the type of acting one would expect in a silent picture where the visual performance is over-acted to compensate for lack of vocal performance. She was nominated for Oscar for this film and is therefore clear evidence of the influence the Barrymore's had in Hollywood at this time - great acting not a prerequisite. Even the family dog can't act the part; he is an old bulldog more infirmed than Ethel Barrymore's character, but apparently somehow manages high leaps thru open windows. 2. The set is suspect. The central architecture feature for the film, i.e., the spiral staircase, is actually a steel tread job, the type one would expect in a factory, not a stately home. It is clear that this theme was added as an afterthought. 3. Unless I'm missing something, the plot is frustratingly shallow. For me, it was one of those films that left me with an empty feeling. The whole premise is a mass murderer who has a particular dislike for people with "afflictions". Why? What was the murderer trying to accomplish by murdering them?

Sorry, this one doesn't rate highly with me.