edwagreen Bette Davis, as usual, is compelling in this 1951 film. However, after she and Merrill were in the far superior "All About Eve," the year before, nothing could top that and this film certainly doesn't.Even with Davis pulling out all her murderous treachery, this doesn't save the film. The problem is that it is confined to one scenic view and rather becomes difficult as Davis, who has killed her husband, is visited by Merrill, who helped the dead man rob a bank. Merrill assumes the role of Davis's husband as no one supposedly has ever seen the latter.People just go in and out of the house providing no intrigue whatsoever. Davis even tries to make it with Anthony Steel, a much younger man who is the fiancé of her secretary.Emlyn Williams has his moments as the suspecting vet. By the way, just don't drink to anything the picture offers, both Merrill and Davis did and look how they wound up.

vincentlynch-moonoi I don't believe there's an American actress who has turned in a finer set of performances as Bette Davis did from the late 1930s to the late 1940s. But by 1950, her star was in decline. The scripts were not as good. Some of her performances seemed a tad over the top. But she was still a force to behold...and enjoy.It was a dark and stormy night. Well, it wasn't stormy. But it sure was dark! Much of the early part of this film is so dark that I would guess the studio lighting was by flashlight (and only 1, at that). Really, this film has an awfully cheap look to it. The film also suffers from atrocious cinematography or significant deterioration of the film stock...or both (at least in the print shown on TCM).Another problem here is Gary Merrill's facial and body hair. Yes, I'm serious. From scene to scene his 5 o'clock shadow varies from heavy to light. And, if he were still alive, I'd suggest he shave his chest for the cinema! Shades of the Wolf Man! This must rate as one of Bette Davis' worst films. How she ever selected this -- particularly after her recent success in "All About Eve". Think it's just my misguided opinion? Many reviewers feel it's what led to a sharp decline in her career! So who is responsible for this being such a monstrosity? I'd like to blame the director, Irving Rapper, but he directed Davis in "Now, Voyager" (1942; one of her finest films), and "The Corn Is Green" (1945). I don't know much about the writer, Val Guest, so I'll heap a pile of blame on him. But in regard to both jobs, I've seen better in high school plays.And then there are the actors. If you want to see Bette Davis overact, and act poorly, this is your chance. I adored her in the 1940s, but here she had lost her touch. And Gary Merrill...well, I remembered him as being a decent television actor...but perhaps I have a faulty memory, because here he is just terrible. Emlyn Williams...truly annoying here. Anthony Steel as a boy friend of two women...forgettable. Barbara Murray as one of those women...forgettable.I don't know if I've ever given a "1" before, but this is one of those films you watch to see just how bad it is. Enough said.

Spikeopath Another Man's Poison is directed by Irving Rapper and adapted to screenplay by Val Guest from the play "Deadlock" written by Leslie Sands. It stars Bette Davis, Gary Merrill, Emlyn Williams, Anthony Steel and Barbara Murray. Music is by John Greenwood and Paul Sawtell and cinematography by Robert Krasker.A whole bunch of fun if expectation levels are correctly set. Another Man's Poison is essentially a one set piece (confirming its stage origins), with primary focus on just five people and a horse. It's a tale of murder, deception and carnal desires, the latter of which is wrung out via Janet Frobisher's (Davis) affair with a much younger man who happens to be the intended of her secretary.Frobisher is quite frankly a bitch, something which Davis attacks with relish and no little amount of histrionic camp. She's the fulcrum of the story, but all the other key characters here are either stupid, ignorant, devious or all three in one go! Oh yes, this is a regular hot- bed of people you really wouldn't want to be hanging around with for long.It's these characterisations that along with Krasker's photography just about earns the pic its film noir badge. The script isn't up to much - where stories about changes being made by Williams and Davis and Merrill (hubbie and wife) being unhappy – are common place, but it never outstays its welcome by being boring and Bette being batty is always good entertainment. 6.5/10

Craig Hamrick Okay, it's not an Oscar-winner, but this movie is a lot of fun, especially if you're a Bette Davis fan. The setting, a spooky, isolated British mansion, is strongly portrayed; by the end, you really feel like you've spent time some time within the oak-paneled walls. Bette looks just like she did in "All About Eve" -- same hairstyle and similar wardrobe, so it's easy to imagine that this could have been a Margo Channing movie. And of course her costar is Garry Merrill, with whom she also starred in "Eve." This was adapted from a stage play, so I think it's interesting to pay attention to the structure and limited changes of location, which are an indicator of its stage pedigree. This one shows up on TCM once in a while; sit back and enjoy.