The Secret Fury

The Secret Fury

Theatrical release poster
Directed by Mel Ferrer
Produced by Jack H. Skirball
Bruce Manning
Screenplay by Lionel Houser
Story by Jack Leonard
James O'Hanlon
Starring Claudette Colbert
Robert Ryan
Jane Cowl
Music by Roy Webb
Cinematography Leo Tover
Edited by Harry Marker
Production
company
Loring Theatre Corporation
Distributed by RKO Radio Pictures
Release dates
  • May 27, 1950 (1950-05-27)[1]
Running time
 85 minutes
Country United States
Language English

The Secret Fury is a 1950 American black-and-white psychological thriller film noir directed by Mel Ferrer, featuring Claudette Colbert, Robert Ryan and Jane Cowl.[2]

Plot

A wealthy classical pianist, Ellen, is accused of already being married when she attempts to take her wedding vows; the wedding guests are shocked. They temporarily call off the wedding and the couple tries to investigate why someone would accuse her of already being married.

With the help of a lawyer and the district attorney, the couple tracks down and questions the justice of the peace that signed her wedding papers. Even he recognizes her as the woman he married. Frustrated, the couple next visits the man to whom Ellen is accused of being married. In a back room a gunshot fires and Ellen is accused of killing the man. She breaks down after a lengthy trial, is eventually found not guilty due to insanity, and is sent to a mental institution. Meanwhile her fiance David, still believing her innocence, begins to find clues that may help free her.

Cast

Reception

Critical response

When released, critic Bosley Crowther lambasted the film, especially the screenplay, writing, "Things must be tough in the picture business when such a respectable cast as is in The Secret Fury, now on the Paramount's screen, descends to such cheap and lurid twaddle as this R. K. O. melodrama is, Claudette Colbert, Robert Ryan, Paul Kelly, Philip Ober, Jane Cowl and even José Ferrer in a 'bit'ADD role are the major performers who expend more physical energy than intelligence on this wantonly unintelligible tale ... To lay any blame on the performers for the nonsense that takes place on the screen would be an obvious injustice."[3]

References

  1. ↑ "The Secret Fury: Detail View". American Film Institute. Retrieved May 18, 2014.
  2. ↑ The Secret Fury at the American Film Institute Catalog.
  3. ↑ Crowther, Bosley. The New York Times, film review, June 22, 1950. Accessed: July 23, 2013.
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