The Locket (1946)

Director:

John Brahm

Writer:

Sheridan Gibney (written by)

Release Date:

20 December 1946 (USA)

Genre:

Film-Noir | Drama

Tagline:

Her Mysterious Secret Wrecked 3 Men's Lives! Not love, not money...but a haunting hunger drove her to lie, cheat, steal. Why? IT'S THE STRANGEST SECRET EVER TOLD! (original poster)

Plot:

Just before a wedding, the bridegroom hears a complex tale painting his lovely bride as devilish and unbalanced.

Plot Keywords:

Painting | Wedding | Subconscious | Gun | Locket

Cast

Laraine Day	...	Nancy Monks Blair Patton
Brian Aherne	...	Dr. Harry Blair
Robert Mitchum	...	Norman Clyde
Gene Raymond	...	John Willis
Sharyn Moffett	...	Nancy: age 10
Ricardo Cortez	...	Andrew 'Drew' Bonner
Henry Stephenson	...	Lord Wyndham
Katherine Emery	...	Mrs. Willis
Reginald Denny	...	Mr. Wendall
Fay Helm	...	Martha Bonner
Helen Thimig	...	Mrs. Monks
Nella Walker	...	Mrs. Wendall
Queenie Leonard	...	Woman Singer
Lillian Fontaine	...	Lady Wyndham (as Lilian Fontaine)
Myrna Dell	...	Thelma

Also Known As:

What Nancy Wanted (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

85 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #11578) | Finland:K-16 | Spain:7

Company:

RKO Radio Pictures

Trivia:

The set used in this film for the house of Mrs. Willis (Katherine Emery) is the same one used for the house of Alex Sebastian (Claude Rains) in Notorious (1946).

Quotes:

Norman Clyde: I don't take money for nothing. I'm not conducting a class so the parasitic rich can escape boredom. I'm not that hard up.
Nancy Monks Blair Patton: Well, I hope you never will be, Mr Clyde. I admire your principles. I wish I could say the same for your disposition.

Masterful use of flashbacks.

Saw this for the first time on Turner Classic last night and was thoroughly impressed with the successful use of flashbacks that were clearly understood and served the story well.

There was no confusion for the viewer despite the complex storyline and varying points of view involved.

The mystery held me throughout. It was a matter of he said/she said that left you undecided, or at least unsure, of who was being truthful and who wasn't. Even the sequences in the flashbacks were reflecting one person's point of view and not necessarily what really happened.

I would highly recommend this movie to my friends who love good scripts and especially to any would-be screenwriters looking at the correct use of flashbacks in film.

Characters, plot line, direction, photography, acting: all excellent.