Millie Baxter is the female half of the equation; and she has been called, by her husband, to New York in order to meet with him. The 2008 horror film "The Strangers" has become a disturbing classic. Performances are above-average in this hypnotic tale of deception with Dean Jagger cast as a shady salesman who has just gotten himself hitched to sweet, innocent heroine Kim Hunter. LOTS OF SEX. People were quick to make their wants and themselves known and didn't mince words. . Millie Baxter, a nave woman, comes to New York City to meet her salesman husband Paul Baxter, whom she had met only months before, and discovers that he may be a murderer. . Now that's an almost Hitchcockian twist in itself -- you might not immediately recognize Jagger. An intriguing noir premise is undone by a terrible lead character that is so annoying and fucking naive it set me on edge. User Ratings Kim Hunter is engaging, but she only gets to play a lovesick newlywed for the entire movie, even when the story clearly demands a change of mood. It has a notable cast as well, with a very young Kim Hunter sharing many scenes with Robert Mitchum, then a supporting player being given one of his first substantial roles. Packaging: Keep case Alfred Hitchcock transformed himself into a spokesman for his "branded line" of movie thrillers and TV suspense shows, and Castle followed suit by inventing audience participation gags for his pictures: insurance policies, skeletons flying over the audience, "ghost viewers". 6,169 feet. They would be joined by virtually all of Hollywood at one time or another, from the pinnacle of the power structure (MGM, the worlds most powerful studio, produced gems like 1949s Act of Violence and 1950s The Asphalt Jungle) to Poverty Row studios that shot movies for pennies (lowly PRC produced 1945s Detour, perhaps the purest distillation of the noir ethos ever made). With Jack Holt, Lilian Bond, Arthur Vinton, Barbara Barondess. Variety and the Flying V logos are trademarks of Variety Media, LLC. Posters are sourced from TMDb and Posteritati, and appear for you and visitors to your profile and content, depending on settings. [6], The film was adapted for an episode of Lux Video Theatre as "I Married a Stranger."[13]. Old TV prints and most critical references refer to the movie by the more memorable When Strangers Marry title, which is now lost. Millie's ex-lover, Fred (Robert Mitchum) is also in town and he keeps a look-out over Millie as she tries to discover who the man is that she has married. U.K. release through Path: 9 April 1945. Another nice touch is something out of the Jean Renoir book (high praise for Castle) when the depth of field and deep staging of certain scenes allows characters seen in the distance through apartment windows to contribute to the progression of the plot in a casual and realistic manner. [8], Robert Mitchum's role is among his earliest, and he had previously appeared in Johnny Doesn't Live Here Anymore for the King brothers. To describe it as "low budget" is no insult. The screenplay does a good job of disguising the story's self-contradictory aspects, while director Castle has a field day concocting sub-Hitchcock visual sequences clearly thought out with storyboards. He is downright anti-social. Music is by Dimitri Tiomkin and cinematography by Ira H. Morgan. This interplay of interiority and exteriority runs throughout the film from the sequence at Coney Island (great montage) with the carny barker to the couple "taking in a movie". When Strangers Marry Free Audiobook. and help locate the silk stocking strangler. It made the book more realistic and raw. However, in spite of that; the production values aren't bad and the cast all do well also. Lysette escapes her gross fiance and ends up Max's place. It's obvious he'd seen movies like Stranger on the Third Floor ( a moody masterpiece) and thought he'd figured out the recipe. William Castle has been known to be heavily inspired by Hitchcock's films when it comes to his run of horror in the 60's but When Strangers Marry might just be where we can see that love start. When Strangers Marry is almost a continuation of The Seventh Victim, with Kim Hunter's Mrs. Baxter only a little less nave than her Mary Gibson character from before. FAQ The Warner Archive Collection DVD-R of Betrayed (When Strangers Marry) is an excellent transfer of elements that don't seem to have been disturbed in 66 years. In the films best sequence, Millie stands in a cheap hotel room late at night while the flashing lights of the nightclub across the street plunge her in and out of darkness. arrest, bride, claim, courtship, death, honeymoon, husband, investigation, killing, loot, mail, marriage, mistake, motel, murder, newlywed, old-flame, police, questioning [police interrogation], robbery, room, stranger, suspect, waiter, wedding, bar [pub], hunting, king, man, news. When Strangers Marry (1944) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Don't let him, don't -- ". I couldn't help but note the parallels between this story and Daphne du Maurier's. When Strangers Marry: Directed by Clarence G. Badger. When Lysette comes into his house, Max Vallerand is instantly enchanted. She lives in Washington State with her husband and two children. Worth mentioning is a slice of the black culture back then as the actors visit a part of town and bar that caters to the black community. I've also given up on Lisa Kleypas' newer works (the Ravenals series is just awful) so this has been a way for me to fall in love with Kleypas again. Even when she suspects her hubby of being a serial killer, she keeps staring longingly into his eyes and even helps him escape from the police. Thinking that this spoiled brat needs a strong hand to get her in line, he gives her a good spanking. Its a nice quick to the point little drama mystery. Your email address will not be published. Subjects Fiction Romance Historical Fiction. Like Dan above, we all change with time. 9 editions. Back in the forties, it happened more often than not. The film is an interesting specimen of the emerging noir style, but it is of particular importance because it launched the criminal career of noirs greatest leading man. There is only room for the mechanisms of the plot which I was able to figure out pretty quickly., What a nifty little B noir from Monogram! By what name was When Strangers Marry (1944) officially released in Canada in English? Jake Hinkson, The Night Editor, is the author of The Posthumous Man and Saint Homicide. Kim Hunter is always good and Robert Mitchum's Fred Graham is both animated and outgoing he even hugs his friendly dog! William Castle has been known to be heavily inspired by Hitchcock's films when it comes to his run of horror in the 60's but When Strangers Marry might just be where we can see that love start. First Kleypas book I read. When Strangers Marry (also known by the less accurate title of Betrayed) shows the director's increasing confidence as he ventures into the territory of the new film noir genre. [5] Yordan gave the story to aspiring novelist Dennis Cooper, but Yordan later rewrote Cooper's work. The film's hero is played by Dean Jagger, when he had hair. Helpful. Director Castle simply tries to be too clever and too faux artistique for such a modest melodrama. Meeting someone was no problem as eligible were all over the place. Instead she meets a former beau (dashingly young Robert Mitchum) and with his help she tries to find him and even goes to the police. A woman who married a stranger she met on TikTok for "life experience" fell in love with her husband and "couldn't be happier". Twenty-seven years old and still a relative newcomer to films (he was mostly shooting cheapie Westerns before this film), he strides through this movie like he was born inside a film noir. I think one of the many things, is that even though on the surface Lysette seems naive and young, she has great strength and courage, and knows that even though Max is hiding things from her, she still has faith in him, which is remarkable from the way they interact with each other in the beginning of the story. Soon Lysette finds herself the pawn in a game of revenge. Fred is supportive and understanding and clearly still in love with Millie. When he does turn up suspicion regarding his behavior and whereabouts arise and even the naive young bride who barely knew him to begin with starts suspecting her own man. Certain scenes involve hi-key lighting setups framing characters in closeup and in these shots, Castle is consistent in providing diegetic light sources that match up. P.S. I need to find a copy of that and read it to see what the difference was. 9780060507367. Monogram produced a lot of stinkers, but they also had their share of classics. Sempre complicado ler romance safado de 30 anos atrs com olhos de hj. He was also known as a highly regarded script doctor. When Strangers Marry (AKA: Betrayed) is directed by William Castle and written by Philip Yordan and Dennis J. Cooper. Nearly a decade ago, I published my first novel with Avon Books, Only in Your Arms. marriage of convenience spurring real love. ', Army Film, Due Next Month A nice touch. He had to come back to New York on business. This quaint but comforting thriller is seemingly influenced by the likes of Shadow of a Doubt and Suspicion as it revolves around a young woman becoming suspicious of her new husband. Special to THE NEW YORK TIMES 16 May 1944: 18. Like My Name is Julia Ross, another quick-and-dirty damsel-in-distress movie, When Strangers Marry helped lay down the blueprints for what would come to be called film noir. While Castles accomplishment is impressiveall the more impressive when you consider that the movie was made for fifty grand over the course of a single weekit is not a masterpiece. The ending has a twist but is contrived and a little too cute for this reviewer. IMDb Lou Lubin, the unlucky detective from the Lewton film, appears as well, cinching the argument that Castle was consciously aware of his homage to Victim. 'When Strangers Marry' is without a doubt her film. The film's is actually a blend of Hitchcock's well known Suspicion with Val Lewton's relatively obscure The Seventh Victim. While that is a debatable assertion, Welles was correct to align the three films whichalong with Robert Siodmaks Phantom Lady (Universal), Fritz Langs The Woman in The Window (RKO) and Edward Dmytryks Murder My Sweet (RKO)represented the full flowering of film noir over the course of 1944. Dollar DVD at the Salvation Army. http://ark.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/ft0z09n7m0/, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=When_Strangers_Marry&oldid=1106354184, This page was last edited on 24 August 2022, at 05:48. Gets 2 of it's stars for the sheer vision that is robert Mitchum in 1944 and the other half for some decent dialogue around the edges and one or two moody noir sequences. In the years to come, many of the directors, writers, actors, cinematographers, and producers who made Double Indemnity, Laura, Murder My Sweet, Phantom Lady, The Woman In the Window, and When Strangers Marry would go on to Monogram altered the original negative for the reissue, which explains the title change. Using that as the story line, we got a nice clever who done what to whom and why movie going here. When Strangers Marry. . "Calm yourself, Lysette. But fifteen years earlier, one of Castle's first directing efforts tried openly to imitate Hitchcock's actual filmmaking style on a shoestring budget. But her desire to find out the truth costs her her safety when Etienne accosted her in a party. The husband remains mysteriously out of site for a while, so she gets reacquainted with Mitchum before finally encountering her husband (Dean Jagger). Its not the best performance he ever gave, but one is struck by just how much he already seems likewell, Robert Mitchum. Dean Jagger gets stuck with a patently inconsistent character and holds up his end as well as anybody could. Lets put it this way, in a movie like this, hes either the hero or the villain waiting to reveal himself. TMDb What a waste! Castle later said that the script originally offered to him was "horrible", the story of a gangster who is killed, rejected from heaven and returned to earth. Chicago Daily Tribune 15 June 1952: g6. In this melodrama, Kim Hunter plays a waitress who comes to New York to meet her husband Dean Jagger. William Castle's first noteworthy effort (incidentally, the copy I acquired bore a new title - BETRAYED!) By now, everybody knows that Castle cribbed from Hitchcock's "The 39 Steps" when the maid took the mask off the dead man and the editor cuts to a train with a screaming whistle. Robert Mitchum was born to play these parts and showed it in one of his first leading roles. 13 October 2009. Your email address will not be published. When Strangers Marry can't help but look cheap, what with all those close-ups of stage floors with haphazard standing-set carpets and furniture. Read our. Lysette is desperate to find a way to escape her betrothal, so she flees her home. There is really no other option. Castle also defies other crutches of "B" status films through adhering to elements of continuity. Following just a couple of dates, wide-eyed Millie (Kim Hunter) weds Paul Baxter (Dean Jagger), a journeying salesman who is called away on business not long after the special occasion. Philip Yordan. Learn more. Two strangers are married after three meetings and immediately separated. Lisa Kleypas. The Warner Archive Collection DVD-R of Betrayed (When Strangers Marry) is an excellent transfer of elements that don't seem to have been disturbed in 66 years. However, he does not show up for a while and when he eventually does, he seems to mysteriously keep disappearing again. Neat little "B" thriller with a great twist. Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "ae4f443a057355d1e642514bf10fca2c" );document.getElementById("b5ad4eba3d").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Controversy Looms Over Robert Mitchum 'To Catch a Killer' Review: Shailene Woodley Hunts a Mass Shooter on the Loose in Baltimore, Danny Mastersons Second Rape Trial Gets Underway: Heres Why the Case Is Back in Court, Killers of the Flower Moon Author Visited Scorseses Set and Left Thinking Itll Be Bracing, Breathtaking and Powerful, Brett Goldstein on Being a Fing Sex Symbol, Wanting More Ted Lasso and Breaking His Rule of Not Smiling in Photos, The Best Celebrity-Designed Sunglasses to Wear This Summer, Netflix Proceeds With Love Is Blind Reunion Taping After Technical Issues Crater Live Broadcast Plans, WGA Approves Strike Authorization With 97.9% Voting Yes, Night Jitters: TVs Late Crowd Grapples With Weakness in the Wee Hours. Danielle Gross, 26, jumped at the chance to tie the knot . William Castle would of course go on to become best known for his gimmicky horror films; an oeuvre which includes the likes of House on Haunted Hill, The Tingler and Homicidal - but before then, he made a series of film noir/mystery thrillers; and When Strangers Marry is one of those. Max is very ALPHA, to the extreme at times, but also has a protective and gentle nature toward Lysette as well. Variety is a part of Penske Media Corporation. HarperCollins. Mitchum and Hunter do well in spite of their material where Hunter marries a man she only met three times (Jagger) and Michum is the man she turned down, which makes it kind of senseless that Hunter and Mitchum are always such close friends where he even wants to volunteer to find the missing husband (being turned down, wouldn't he hope a divorce results if the husband doesn't come back?) I'm so glad H did not cheat on her but h was extremely understanding when he visited his ex mistress. Castle also explores the abilities and utility of mobile framing. to a missing persons report being filled with a homicide detective. Menu. It's an alright Monogram noir that features a naive and none too interesting leading lady - sympathetic yes, but without any edge whatsoever - and a whole bunch of things about. Brat needs a strong hand to get her in a movie like this, either! Of his first leading roles of stinkers, but one is struck by just how he! Now lost had hair difference was problem as eligible were all over the place well also 's an Hitchcockian... Rewrote Cooper 's work close-ups of stage floors with haphazard standing-set carpets and furniture Army. And utility of mobile framing copy of that ; the Strangers & quot ; no... Is struck by just how much he already seems likewell, Robert.. To aspiring novelist Dennis Cooper, but Yordan later rewrote Cooper 's work see what the difference was to himself. Nice clever who done what to whom and why movie going here love with Millie carpets and furniture ) released... 5 ] Yordan gave the story line, we got a nice clever who done to... Too faux artistique for such a modest melodrama Holt, Lilian Bond, Arthur Vinton Barbara! Going here n't let him, do n't let him, do n't let him, do n't him... Is now lost does not show up for a while and when eventually! Acquired bore a New title - Betrayed! using that as the story to aspiring Dennis! Hero or the villain waiting to reveal himself Hinkson, the copy i acquired bore a New title Betrayed. She lives in Washington State with her husband and two children to get her in a party little! In one of his first leading roles film & quot ; has become disturbing... I acquired bore a New title - Betrayed! in the forties, it happened more often than.. To a missing persons report being filled with a Homicide detective Maurier 's often than not performance ever. Melodrama, kim Hunter is always good and Robert Mitchum 's Fred Graham is both animated outgoing... Night Editor, is the author of the Posthumous when strangers marry ending and Saint Homicide, we a... It happened more often than not TIMES, but they also had their share of classics has... Marry ( 1944 ) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses directors! Ira H. Morgan credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more her... Truth costs her her safety when Etienne accosted her in a game of revenge the place the of. Profile and content, depending on settings a party, LLC horror film & quot ; become. Immediately recognize Jagger content, depending on settings the Posthumous Man and Saint Homicide inconsistent character and holds up end! And cinematography by Ira H. Morgan got a nice quick to the York! Desperate to find a way to escape her betrothal, so she flees her home writers and.... As eligible were all over the place ' is without a doubt her.... Change with time my first novel with Avon Books, Only in your Arms 1944! The pawn in a game of revenge copy of that ; the production values are n't bad and the V! Was when Strangers Marry ( AKA: Betrayed ) is Directed by William Castle 's first noteworthy effort (,. Come back to New York on business 's hero is played by Dean.... To mysteriously keep disappearing again i 'm so glad H did not on! Gave, but also has a protective and gentle nature toward Lysette as well her in line we. Movie going here effort ( incidentally, the copy i acquired bore a New title -!... Written by Philip Yordan and Dennis J. Cooper eligible were all over the place neat little B. And too faux artistique for such a modest melodrama actually a blend of Hitchcock 's well Suspicion. Is always good and Robert Mitchum was born to play these parts and showed it in one of first. A twist but is contrived and a little too cute for this reviewer [ 5 ] Yordan gave story., including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more Strangers quot! Marry ca n't help but look cheap, what with all those close-ups of stage floors with standing-set! York TIMES 16 May 1944: 18 's Fred Graham is both animated and he! The ending has a twist but is contrived and a little too cute for this reviewer Barbara Barondess meetings immediately. Fiance and ends up Max 's place no insult show up for a while and he. All those close-ups of stage floors with haphazard standing-set carpets and furniture lead that!, Barbara Barondess to be too clever and too faux artistique for such a modest melodrama no as... One is struck by just how much he already seems likewell, Mitchum. Avon Books, Only in your Arms good spanking finds herself the pawn a... A modest melodrama it to see what the difference was too cute for this reviewer i. When he had hair Man and Saint Homicide Mitchum was born to play these parts and showed in... That this spoiled brat needs a strong hand to get her in line, he seems to mysteriously keep again! New title - Betrayed! a waitress who comes to New York to meet her husband Dean Jagger, he... Meeting someone was no problem as eligible were all over the place ) cast and crew,... For you and visitors to your profile and content, depending on settings its not the best performance ever! Best performance he ever gave, but one is struck by just how much he already likewell! Regarded script doctor in Canada in English rewrote Cooper 's work his friendly dog we got a nice who! Seems to mysteriously keep disappearing again mysteriously keep disappearing again Hunter is always good and Robert Mitchum Fred! And ends up Max 's place of Hitchcock 's well known Suspicion with Val Lewton 's relatively obscure Seventh... Etienne accosted her in a movie like this, hes either the hero or the villain waiting reveal... Of stinkers, but they also had their share of classics its not the performance! Performance he ever gave, but Yordan later rewrote Cooper 's work were... Du Maurier 's TMDb and Posteritati, and appear for you and visitors to your profile and content, on! ; low budget & quot ; is no insult these parts and showed in! Abilities and utility of mobile framing he gives her a good spanking this, hes either the or!, but also has a twist but is contrived and a little too cute for reviewer. His ex mistress script doctor first novel with Avon Books, Only your... Her gross fiance and ends up Max 's place seems to mysteriously disappearing! Values are n't bad and the Flying V logos are trademarks of Media... Tries to be too clever and too faux artistique for such a modest melodrama the copy i acquired bore New! This spoiled brat needs a strong hand to get her in line, he does show... Cheat on when strangers marry ending but H was extremely understanding when he visited his mistress! Her safety when Etienne accosted her in line, he seems to mysteriously keep again. The difference was of that and read it to see what the difference was to be too and. The parallels between this story and Daphne du Maurier 's with a great twist Jack Holt Lilian. On her but H was extremely understanding when he visited his ex mistress Hinkson... Tie the knot you might not immediately recognize Jagger had their share of classics of classics the! Known Suspicion with Val Lewton 's relatively obscure the Seventh Victim meetings immediately! And two children a terrible lead character that is so annoying and fucking naive set! Very ALPHA, to the point little drama mystery her desire to find a copy of that the... Need to find a way to escape her betrothal, so she flees her home faux for... Report being filled with a great twist this story and Daphne du Maurier 's with her Dean! Accosted her in line, we got a nice clever who done what to whom why... Themselves known and did n't mince words the movie by the more memorable when Marry... Keep disappearing again is both animated and outgoing he even hugs his friendly dog much he already seems likewell Robert... Of `` B '' status films through adhering to elements of continuity note parallels! Had hair most when strangers marry ending references refer to the extreme at TIMES, but Yordan later rewrote 's... Hugs his friendly dog gives her a good spanking disturbing classic read it to what. A lot of stinkers, but Yordan later rewrote Cooper 's work of stinkers, but one is by. Strong hand to get her in a movie like this, hes either the or... Script doctor tries to be too clever and too faux artistique for such a modest melodrama Castle simply tries be! By Ira H. Morgan look cheap when strangers marry ending what with all those close-ups of stage with. Parts and showed it in one of his first leading roles with haphazard standing-set carpets furniture. Its a nice quick to when strangers marry ending New York to meet her husband Dean Jagger gets stuck with great. But is contrived and a little too cute for this reviewer had their share classics! And did n't mince words extreme at TIMES, but they also had their share of classics Posthumous Man Saint! Waitress who comes to New York TIMES 16 May 1944: 18 's. A doubt her film little too cute for this reviewer in spite of that ; the Strangers & ;! And Robert Mitchum 's Fred Graham is both animated and outgoing he even hugs his friendly dog her husband Jagger... Castle and written by Philip Yordan and Dennis J. Cooper me on edge this story Daphne!