The Prowler (1951 film)

The Prowler
Original poster
Directed by	Joseph Losey
Produced by	Sam Spiegel
Starring	Van Heflin Evelyn Keyes
Release date(s)	1951

The Prowler is a 1951 black-and-white thriller film directed by Joseph Losey. It stars Van Heflin and Evelyn Keyes. Considered film noir, it was produced by Sam Spiegel (as S.P. Eagle).

Plot

Webb Garwood, a disgruntled cop, is called to investigate a voyeur by Susan Gilvray. Her husband works nights as an overnight radio personality. The cop falls in love with the young and attractive married woman.

Obsessed, he woos her despite her initial reluctance. Garwood finds out about an insurance policy on the husband's life. He dreams up a scheme in which a phantom "prowler" would be a good scapegoat if Susan's husband should happen to die mysteriously. After becoming a prowler himself, Garwood commits the murder and makes it look like self-defense.

Susan, who is pregnant, runs away with Garwood to a ghost town named Calico to have the baby without anyone back home knowing. Susan goes into premature labor and Garwood finds a doctor. Garwood intends to kill the doctor to preserve their secret -- Susan was pregnant several months before the marriage to Garwood -- but the doctor escapes with the newborn.

Garwood confesses to the murder of Susan's husband and she tells him to get out. He drives away, leaving his wife in Calico alone. On the way out of town, Garwood runs (literally) into his former partner on the police force. While attempting to escape, Garwood sees several police cars coming so he heads for the hills. He refuses to stop and a sheriff's deputy shoots him dead.

Cast

• Van Heflin as Webb Garwood
• Evelyn Keyes as Susan Gilvray
• John Maxwell as Bud Crocker
• Katherine Warren as Mrs. Crocker
• Emerson Treacy as William Gilvray

Dalton Trumbo plays the voice of the John Gilvray, the night-time radio DJ.

External links

• The Prowler at the Internet Movie Database