The Accused (1949 film)
| The Accused | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | William Dieterle |
| Screenplay by | Ketti Frings |
| Produced by | Hal B. Wallis |
| Starring | Loretta Young Robert Cummings |
| Cinematography | Milton R. Krasner |
| Edited by | Warren Low |
| Music by | Victor Young |
Production company | Hal Wallis Productions |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 101 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The Accused is a 1949 drama film noir directed by William Dieterle and written by Ketti Frings, based on Be Still, My Love, a 1947 novel written by June Truesdell.[1] The drama features Loretta Young, and Robert Cummings.[2]
Plot
Wilma Tuttle (Young) is a college professor who arouses the sexual interest of her student Bill Perry (Douglas Dick). When Perry tries to rape Tuttle, she beats him to death with a tire iron. She covers up her crime by making it seem as though Perry was killed while diving into the sea from a precipitous cliff. As she follows the police investigation of Perry's death, Wilma realizes that she'll never be able to escape her conscience, especially when she falls in love with Warren Ford (Cummings), the dead boy's guardian.
Cast
- Loretta Young as Dr. Wilma Tuttle
- Robert Cummings as Warren Ford
- Wendell Corey as Lt. Ted Dorgan
- Sam Jaffe as Dr. Romley
- Douglas Dick as Bill Perry
- Suzanne Dalbert as Susan Duval
- Sara Allgood as Mrs. Conner
- Mickey Knox as Jack Hunter
- George Spaulding as Dean Rhodes
- Francis Pierlot as Dr. Vinson
- Ann Doran as Miss Rice, Nurse
- Carole Mathews as Waitress
- Billy Mauch as Harry Brice
- Henry Travers as Blakely - Romley's Assistant (uncredited)
Reception
Critical response
The New York Times gave the film a positive review: "Murder is a common and salable screen commodity...The Accused, ...is a super-duper psychological job, well spiced with terminology which sounds impressive, if not always crystal clear in meaning, and the performers go about their business with an earnestness which commands attention. Under William Dieterle's assured direction, the story flows smoothly and methodically builds up suspense to a punchy climax which leaves it to the audience to determine whether the defendant should be punished or go free."[3]
Variety magazine also praised it: "The Accused exploits fear and emotional violence into a high grade melodrama...Director William Dieterle, with a solid story foundation and an ace cast upon which to build, marches the melodrama along with a touch that keeps punching continually at audience emotions...Loretta Young's portrayal of the distraught professor plays strongly for sympathy. It's an intelligent delineation, gifting the role with life. She gets under the skin in bringing out the mental processes of an intelligent woman who knows she has done wrong but believes that her trail is so covered that murder will never out."[4]
References
- ^ Silver, Alain (2010). Film Noir: The Encyclopedia. p. 23. ISBN 978-0715638804.
- ^ The Accused at IMDb.
- ^ The New York Times. Film review, "Psychological Murder Drama at Paramount", January 13, 1949. Last accessed: January 7, 2008.
- ^ Variety. Film review, January 13, 1949. Last accessed: January 7, 2008.
External links
- The Accused at IMDb
- The Accused at AllMovie
- The Accused at the TCM Movie Database