George Brent, Gordon Oliver, Rhys Williams, Rhonda Fleming, and Elsa Lanchester round out a good cast in one of the best atmospheric thrillers ever put on film. She lost in the finals to Anne Baxter for The Razor's Edge.
But Ethel had won the same Oscar back in 1944 for None But The Lonely Heart. Ethel Barrymore got an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress as the crotchety old woman who was in McGuire's keeping. Worse even when she fixes on the wrong individual as her menace. She conveys so much in her portrayal, the meekness of her character and the gradual overwhelming fear that takes over her as she senses danger. Two years before a deaf mute act won Jane Wyman an Academy Award, a lot of people, me included, felt Dorothy McGuire should have at least gotten a nomination for her role. The centerpiece of course being The Spiral Staircase. Director Robert Siodmark made terrific use of the Victorian era set of the Warren house where 90% of the film is done. But The Spiral Staircase is one of the most atmospheric films ever done. There's not much mystery to this film, it's not hard to guess the identity of the perpetrator, given the limited number in the cast. Kent Smith and bedridden dowager Ethel Barrymore concerned for the life of Dorothy McGuire, a beautiful, but mute servant girl in her house. It's 1916 and a rash of women being killed who are 'imperfect' in the eyes of the killer whomever it is have both Dr. Title (Brazil): "Silêncio nas Trevas" ("Silence in the Darkness") The plot keeps the tension until the very end in this great movie. The performances are excellent and it is impossible to individually highlight any actor or actress. The beginning is an awesome tribute to the earlier days of the cinema. It is impressive the use of shadows and lights in many unforgettable scenes, like for example Blanche in the basement or Helen in the spiral staircase. "The Spiral Staircase" is a suspenseful stylish movie, with a magnificent black and white cinematography that follows the German Expressionism and wonderful set decoration in Victorian style. When a murder occurs in the mansion, Helen does not know who is trustful to help her to call Dr. Warren advises Helen to leave the house immediately since she is in danger. When a crippled woman is killed in the town, Mrs. When the reckless Steve Warren (Gordon Oliver) arrives from Europe, he stays in the mansion with his mother and his stepbrother Professor Albert Warren (George Brent) and has a brief affair with Albert's assistant Blanche (Rhonda Fleming). Parry (Kent Smith) falls in love for Helen and has the intention to take her to specialists in Boston for treatment for recovering her voice and marry her. Warren (Ethel Barrymore) who is terminal in bed. In the Warren manor, the mute servant Helen (Dorothy McGuire) nurses Mrs. In the beginning of the Twentieth Century, a serial-killer is terrorizing a small town, killing women with imperfections. This latter also features the longest thunderstorm on record!
There are a few holes in the storyline, to be sure, but one doesn't care since the film movies rapidly, the story keeps you so involved and the visuals and audio are so interesting. I go along with most in saying Ethel Barrymore was the most likable. All the other characters are fun to watch, and are detailed here in other reviews. The lead character, played beautifully by Dorothy McGuire, is one the viewer cares about which helps get one involved in the story. A good part of the visual treat is viewing the fantastic Victorian house where most of the action takes place. In fact, outside of David Lean's "Oliver Twist, " this may be the best-looking black-and-white film I've seen. The lighting is as good as anything I've ever seen in film noir (this is not a film noir, as one reviewer correctly points out). There are lots of complimentary adjectives in the above sentence but the film deserves it, particularly the photography (see this on DVD). This was an excellent suspense film with outstanding cinematography and interesting characters played by a strong cast.
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