ksf-2 Worth watching JUST to see the awesome Sydney Greenstreet and the even more awesome Agnes Moorehead. Eleanor Parker was also beautiful and talented, and you may or may not recognize her as the Baroness from Sound of Music! and Gig Young, as Hartright, the narrator. told in flashback. It's pretty good. a little of everything. ghostly characters, murder, mystery, intrigue, period piece. Watch it for the big names. One of the last films Greenstreet did... he made a couple more then retired. Directed by Peter Godfrey.. he directed a couple years more, then did mostly television. Story by Wilkie Collins. He wrote TONS of things in the 1800s, and many of them were made into films or television series.

JohnHowardReid Eleanor Parker (Laura Fairlie/Anne Catherick), Alexis Smith (Marian Halcombe), Sydney Greenstreet (Count Fosco), Gig Young (Walter Hartright), Agnes Moorehead (Countess Fosco), John Abbott (Frederick Fairlie), John Emery (Sir Percival Glyde), Curt Bois (Louis), Emma Dunn (Mrs Vesey), Matthew Boulton (Dr Nevin), Anita Sharp-Bolster (Mrs Todd), Clifford Brooke (Jepson), Barry Bernard (Dimmock).Director: PETER GODFREY. Screenplay: Stephen Morehouse Avery. Based on the 1860 novel by Wilkie Collins. Photography: Carl Guthrie. Film editor: Clarence Kolster. Music composed by Max Steiner, orchestrated by Murray Cutter, directed by Leo F. Forbstein. Art director: Stanley Fleischer. Set decorator: George Southall. Wardrobe: Bernard Newman. Miss Smith's gowns: Milo Anderson. Make- up: Perc Westmore. Special effects directed by William McGann, photographed by Robert Burks. Dialogue director: Herschel Daugherty. Sound recording: Charles Lang. RCA Sound System. Producer: Henry Blanke.Copyright 15 May 1948 by Warner Bros Pictures, Inc. New York opening at the Strand: 7 May 1948. U.S. release: 15 May 1948. U.K. release: 30 August 1948. Australian release: 20 October 1949. 9,968 feet. 110 minutes. (The Warner Archive DVD rates 10/10).COMMENT: This seems to be the first sound version of the Collins novel, though there were at least four silent versions — 1912, 1914, 1917 and lastly one directed by Herbert Wilcox in 1929 with Blanche Sweet in the title role.Literature, particularly Victorian literature (unless it was classic children's stuff like Tom Sawyer or Little Women), marked a movie immediately for lower-rate midweek bookings at neighborhood cinemas, no matter how lustrous its stars, how impressive its production.This superb adaptation of the Wilkie Collins thriller proved to be no exception. Faithful it is not only in plot and characters but in mood and atmosphere. Director William McGann and photographer Robert Burks are to be congratulated on their wonderful special effects. The film is superbly directed by Peter Godfrey and has one of Max Steiner's best music scores. Almost all the acting demands the highest commendation, with Greenstreet and Miss Parker (in a dual role) really outstanding.The only speck in an otherwise perfect entertainment mixture is Gig Young. Admittedly, he tries hard, but the role is beyond him.

mcannady1 First, just a few words about the original version of the film. The beautiful, sensitive music by Max Steiner, the all-star cast, and fantastic photography of London locales combined make the film well-worth watching. To all this we have the romance of the story which is quite enlivened by underlying evil of some of the key characters.However, some of the important events are quite different in the novel. If we view the superb adaptation of the 1982 version with Alan Badel and Diana Quick, we will ultimately see the true story in pretty much its entirety. The ending that puzzles us in the 40s version is resolved once we see the newer version or read the novel.We still have a happy ending per see, but it is the one intended by the author and reasonably derived from the story in the film.I think the reason they changed the punch-line and Walter married the wrong girl, is because Laura's half=sister Marian has worked tirelessly to help her sister. Yes, we would love her to get together with Walter. However, it is best to re-unite Walter with Laura, as they had realized their love for each other early in the story. She only marries Sir Percival because her father had wanted her to do so. Soon she discovers that he is cruel and conniving. At the time their house guests, Count and Countess Fosco appear to be friends.Complicating matters further, we see The Count making overtures to Marian Halcomb, and even writing in her diary about his feelings when she is sick with fever.Coincidentally, I have been re-reading the novel by Wilkie Collins and find it very unique. Not only is the book rather lengthy, the story is told by different character's perceptions. It is like a recipe for a cake or a favorite dinner dish. WHen we put together all of the characters and their story of what had taken place, we zoom in on the real events. Ultimately we see revealed the conspiracy that dupes innocent pawn, Ann Catherick, and the innocent heiress, Laura Fairlie. Both girls are treated badly for the purpose of financial gain.Ann had hoped to meet Laura and speak to her of Sir Percival's evil secret. Laura had left home, thinking her half-sister Merian, would be at the Count's home. So both girls believe they will meet with each other.The most evil character, Count Fosco, appears to be kind and chivalrous, while assisting his friend, Sir Percival Glyde, in receiving his wife's 30 thousand pounds at her death. Under his mask of kindness, The Count tricks Ann CAtherick into thinking she will meet with Laura Fairlie on an important matter. She had recently escaped from a mental asylum, having been unfairly committed by Sir Percival Glyde, who fears she knows his secret. At the time his plans begin to fail, as he does not know Ann has a serious heart condition. Concurrently, he switches her identity with Laura Fairlie; returning Laura to the asylum under Ann's name.Having switched both girls, The Count is ready to help his friend, Sir Percival Glyde, to receive the money prematurely. Sir Percival, rude and unkind to his wife Laura, is ready to receive his friend's help, no matter how it works out. The diabolical nobleman dies in a fire in the church which might have revealed in its registers that he should not have the title or the money he presently has.After "Lady Glyde" has died, Walter Hartwright the drawing master who loves her, returns and begins to work out details of the conspiracy. He finds Laura at the cemetery and realized that Ann has been buried mistakenly as Lady Glyde, He and Marian, Laura's half-sister, assist in discovering the true scheme, unaided by Laura's uncle who believes Count Fosco and his wife who assert that she is dead. He is selfish and indolent, staying calm at all costs. Walter realizes that Laura needs to be recognized in her true identity, as Mr. Fairlie will not let her in the house with Marian. Thus, she will not have her status or her money. Walter and Marian work tirelessly to discover the scheme, interview witnesses, and seek legal aid. At the same time, they discover that Laura has memory blocks about her time in the asylum So, with all that said, both versions are well-worth watching, and so is the novel to be read.For anyone who has not seen Alan Badel's fabulous 1982 performance as The Count, it is quite a treat. Also, as was stated in other reviews, the wonderful Sydney Greenstreet as Count Fosco, and Agnes Morehead is also superb as Countess Fosco. A last few words is giving merit to the wonderful Eleanor Parker in the dual role in the film. She is great as the lovely Laura Fairlie and as The Woman in White.My score for the 1982 version is a 10. For the 1947 version, I score a 7, as two very important aspects of the story are changed toward the ending.

MartinHafer There were a couple clues that I was not in for a pleasant ride when I turned on this film. First, Warner Brothers filmed the movie in 1946 but held it two years--a sure sign that they knew they had a loser of a movie. Second, it's based on a 90 year-old story--and its age sure showed."The Woman in White" is a mystery story involving, of course, a woman dressed in white. She appears out of no where in the night as a painting teacher (Gig Young) is traveling to work at an estate. Exactly why she has appeared and how she poses a threat to some conspirators is something you'll learn---if you can keep yourself watching! The bottom line is that two major problems ruin the film--and all of them have to do with Eleanor Parker. First, the film using the stupid plot device of identical cousins! While shows like "The Patty Duke Show" and a few films over the years rely on this sort of thing, there is no such thing as identical cousins and it's an over-used plot device. Second, Parker's performances are pretty bad--way over-acted and downright silly. I have no idea why do many reviewers liked this film, as I found it annoying and difficult to watch.