clanciai An interesting story with a convulsive finale: Frank Johnson, who walking his dog unvoluntarily becomes the witness of a murder, doesn't want anything to do with the police, so he is the real one on the run. As he absconds, the police set on his wife instead, who cannot help them, as she actually knows nothing about her husband: a curious marriage, one might say. He is even reluctant to admitting she is his wife, and when asked if he is married, he answers only vaguely, like "sort of". Thus Ann Sheridan becomes the lead and completely domintes the film, as she also is hounded by the police for being married to an escaped eyewitness, but she shakes them all off, except one reporter, who never lets her alone. His shadowing her ends up in a situation that must be described as the worst possiblke you could ever find yourself in alive and with no way out. The film is worth seeing only for this very dramatic finale, which you will never forget. It's actually a B-film, but the finale lifts it up many categories.

zardoz-13 A guy is out walking his dog one evening when he witnesses a homicide in "Journey into Fear" director Norman Foster's atmospheric, above-average, crime thriller "Woman on the Run," starring Ann Sheridan, Dennis O'Keefe, and Robert Keith. Ostensibly, Foster and "A Star Is Born" scenarist Alan Campbell have adapted Shirley Tate's 1948 short story published in a contemporary magazine. Instead of sticking with Tate's title "Man on the Run," the filmmakers changed it to "Woman on the Run." Predictably, Sheridan spends most of the film's 77 minutes on the run herself as Eleanor Johnson who is pursuing her husband around San Francisco with an inquisitive newspaper reporter (Dennis O'Keefe of "Raw Deal") in tow. Journalist Dan Legget assures Eleanor that he is only looking for a scoop. Meantime, we don't see much of Eleanor's husband Frank (Ross Elliot of "Kelly's Heroes") who does a good job of making himself elusive. Meantime, Inspector Ferris (Robert Keith of "The Line-Up") and his colleagues maintain surveillance on Eleanor who is reluctant to share information with them about her husband. Suffice to say that everything turns out for the good by fade-out, but "Woman on the Run" boasts a supreme sized surprise that discriminating spectators will figure out before the characters in the story notice it. Indeed, I am reluctant to expose this surprise because it makes the movie worth-watching. Nevertheless, Foster and "Captain Blood" lenser Hal Mohr take us on a tour of the City by the Bay that only San Francisco residents may truly appreciate. "One Touch of Venus" editor Otto Ludwig deserves kudos--as does Mohr--for careening depiction of a roller-coaster ride that Eleanor embarks on at an amusement park in the climactic scene that brings all the principals together and ties things up rather neatly. Sheridan is perfectly cast as the faithful wife. Dennis O'Keefe shows a different side of himself as he accompanies Sheridan on their quest to find her spouse. "Woman on the Run" qualifies as a concise, well-made, crime thriller.

Rainey Dawn This film is husband on the run - he's the one running from the police. Frank, the husband, is wanted in police witness custody for witnessing a murder but freaks out when the police says the killer might go after him and apparently he doesn't want to be held for witnessing. Frank and his wife Eleanor's marriage is dissolving - Eleanor has grown distant from Frank and that plays a major role in this film. When the police tell Eleanor what happened Eleanor starts dodging the police while making a business 'friendship' with a newspaper reporter named Dan Legget for money in exchange for an exclusive story on the case and a chance to actually talk to Frank if possible. Dan believes Eleanor will lead him to Frank and so does the police that are trailing both them.This story ends in a thrill ride for Eleanor and the viewer - if you watch the film you will see what I mean. It's a pretty darn good movie for fans of crime fiction and film noir.8.5/10

JLRMovieReviews Ross Elliott witnesses a murder but cuts out on the police. In order to find their only witness and lead, they enlist the help of his wife, played by Ann Sheridan. But it seems that husband and wife were not very happy and were not really speaking to each other, so she isn't really that much help or in a mood to help. But the law, played by Robert Keith, is still sticking to her anyway, no matter what. Dennis O'Keefe is a newspaperman who wants a story, a story, so he is by her side all the way. By way of a letter left for her by her husband, she is on a quest to find him and in the process learns things she didn't know about him, herself and their marriage. Is is worth sticking it out? Does he love her? Does she love him? All this factors in this quick and absorbing film noir. Quick, or astute, viewers will get the "gotcha moment" long before unobservant viewers. The highlight is the roller coaster ride Ann takes as she realizes who the killer is. A well made little film, "Woman on the Run" entertains and really delivers the goods. You can find it from time to time on TCM, but this deserves to be seen more often and to have the same reputation of other more famous film noirs.