In what could have been referred to as "A Parisian in Manhattan", Leslie Caron changes coasts and shows up at the unhappy mansion of the elderly Louis Calhern. Claiming to be engaged to his grandson, she presents him with a letter from the unseen grandson asking for money. Mysterious stranger Joseph Cotten befriends her, getting an introduction to Calhern's well dressed "companion", a seemingly sinister Barbara Stanwyck who was once a great stage star, but refuses to be identified as the "housekeeper". Along with nefarious servants Margaret Wycherley and Richard Hale, Stanwyck seems to be up to no good which raises the suspicion of intent to harm Calhern from the visiting Caron. With Cotten and Stanwyck becoming more acquainted, the list of ne'er do wells increases in this dark, moody thriller that takes its time getting started with plot.
Handsome looking but gloomy in mood, this is not up to comparison with others of the same genre. Even a song by Stanwyck in husky voice and Jim Backus as a tavern owner, this New York set story captures the atmosphere of the Big Apple not at its nicest. The cast is uniformly excellent, but ultimately, it is very depressing and humorless. Caron is a believable waif, but lacks the screen magnetism that she had in the colorful painted Parisian sets, dancing with Gene Kelly. I have to label this one a disappointment considering its cast, macabrely directed by Fletcher Markle, a veteran of radio shows who lacked in big screen flare.
Handsome looking but gloomy in mood, this is not up to comparison with others of the same genre. Even a song by Stanwyck in husky voice and Jim Backus as a tavern owner, this New York set story captures the atmosphere of the Big Apple not at its nicest. The cast is uniformly excellent, but ultimately, it is very depressing and humorless. Caron is a believable waif, but lacks the screen magnetism that she had in the colorful painted Parisian sets, dancing with Gene Kelly. I have to label this one a disappointment considering its cast, macabrely directed by Fletcher Markle, a veteran of radio shows who lacked in big screen flare.