Possessed (1947)

Director:

Curtis Bernhardt

Writers:

Silvia Richards (screenplay) and
Ranald MacDougall (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

26 July 1947 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Film-Noir | Thriller

Plot:

A dazed woman walks the streets of Los Angeles looking for a man named David. After collapsing in a diner...

Plot Keywords:

Obsession | Murder | Flashback | Psychiatric Ward | Hospital

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

US TV Schedule:

Tue. Nov. 24

8:30 AM

TCM

Cast

Joan Crawford	...	Louise Howell
Van Heflin	...	David Sutton
Raymond Massey	...	Dean Graham
Geraldine Brooks	...	Carol Graham
Stanley Ridges	...	Dr. Willard
John Ridgely	...	Chief investigator of drowning
Moroni Olsen	...	Dr. Ames - Mrs. Smith's psychiatrist
Erskine Sanford	...	Dr. Sherman - Graham's physician at inquest
Peter Miles	...	Wynn Graham (as Gerald Perreau)
Jakob Gimpel	...	Walter Sveldon - pianist (as Jacob Gimpel)
Isabel Withers	...	Nurse Rosen
Lisa Golm	...	Elsie - Graham's maid in DC
Douglas Kennedy	...	District Attorney at inquest
Monte Blue	...	Norris - lake house caretaker
Don McGuire	...	Dr. Craig - Dr. Willard's asst.

Also Known As:

The Secret (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

108 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

UK:A (original rating) (1947) | UK:PG (video rating) (1994) | West Germany:18 | Finland:K-16 | USA:Approved (PCA #11828, Adult Audience)

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

Bette Davis was originally offered the role of Louise, but turned it down to go on maternity leave.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the opening sequence, while Louise is wandering the streets of Los Angeles, her shoes change from pumps to sling-backs and back again.

Quotes:

Carol Graham: Sometimes it's not your liver I'm worried about, it's your mind!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Outrageous! (1977)

Soundtrack:

Kaiserwalzer (Emperor Waltz), Op. 437

Joan Suffers Again

Just what does Van Heflin's David have the makes Joan Crawford's Louise go literally mad for him?

Doesn't appear to be that much in the looks department. Perhaps just that special touch that signals, "either you've got it or you haven't."

Whatever the case, Louise pleads, cajoles, rants and raves for David the entire film. What does our David do?--merely tell Louise the truth: that he's simply not in love with her.

Granted, David's rather flippant, self-absorbed and bored, but that's his prerogative. Instead of accepting this and moving on with her life, Louise insists on minding David's old business and clinging to bygone days.

All this "to-do," when a simple scan of a Dale Carnegie text might have solved the problem.

Louise does have her supporters: young stepdaughter Carol and aging hubbie Dean do what they can to bolster Louise's confidence. Since Geraldine Brooks and Raymond Massey portray these respective roles, there's sure to be strong convictions expressed.

Made just two years after her Oscar-winning turn in "Mildred Pierce," Crawford is in her mature mettle here. Although the same title was used for a Crawford film 16 years earlier, the similarity is in name only.

"Possessed" allows Joan to suffer royally and she does, pulling out all the schizophrenic stops to slam this one home. Since no one reels better than Crawford, it's an engaging performance in an engrossing film.