Pitfall (1948)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

André De Toth

Writers:

Jay Dratler (novel)
Karl Kamb (writer)
(more)

Release Date:

24 August 1948 (USA)

Genre:

Film-Noir

Tagline:

A man can be as strong as steel...but somewhere there's a woman who'll break him!

Plot:

John Forbes is a family man who's tired of the 9 to 5 humdrum of his job an insurance company executive...

Plot Keywords:

Insurance | Ménage À Trois | Based On Novel

Cast

Dick Powell	...	John Forbes
Lizabeth Scott	...	Mona Stevens
Jane Wyatt	...	Sue Forbes
Raymond Burr	...	MacDonald
John Litel	...	District Attorney
Byron Barr	...	Bill Smiley
Jimmy Hunt	...	Tommy Forbes
Ann Doran	...	Maggie
Selmer Jackson	...	Ed Brawley
Margaret Wells	...	Terry
Dick Wessel	...	Desk Sergeant

Directed by
André De Toth

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
William Bowers		uncredited
André De Toth		uncredited
Jay Dratler		novel "The Pitfall"
Karl Kamb		writer

Produced by
Samuel Bischoff	....	producer

Cinematography by
Harry J. Wild		(as Harry Wild)

Film Editing by
Walter Thompson

Art Direction by
Arthur Lonergan

Set Decoration by
Robert Priestley

Makeup Department
Robert Cowan	....	makeup artist
Kiva Hoffman	....	makeup artist
Hedy Mjorud	....	hair stylist (as Hedvig Mjorud)

Production Management
Ben Hersh	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Joseph Depew	....	assistant director (as Joe Depew)

Sound Department
Frank Webster	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Charles Straumer	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Frank Tanner	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Frank Williams	....	grip (uncredited)

Music Department
Louis Forbes	....	musical director

Other crew
Cora Palmatier	....	script supervisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Regal Films

Distributors

• United Artists (1948) (USA) (theatrical)
• Classic Pictures (1952) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Republic Pictures Home Video (1995) (USA) (VHS)

Runtime:

86 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15

Company:

Regal Films

Powell protects Scott from Burr while Barr waits to get out of jail

An insurance executive for a large company (Dick Powell) jokingly tells his wife (Jane Wyatt) as she's driving him to his office, that their lives have become a big routine. He's not really in a position to do anything about it, but when he takes over an embezzlement case from a private detective played by Raymond Burr, everything changes. Burr and Powell don't like each other, and their mutual animosity grows throughout the film when Powell gets involved with Lizabeth Scott who plays the fiancé of the jailed Byron Barr, who spent the embezzled money on gifts for her. Burr, an ex-cop, thinks he can have her, though she can't stand him, and he slips a wicked sucker punch on Powell one night while Powell is closing his garage door, warning him to stay away. Burr's part is the glue that holds much of the film together. He's insinuating, devious, but also kind of a coward. As good as Burr is, Powell seems even better. He was a born talent.