| One of the first Hollywood whodunits to build an atmosphere of torment and menace around its two protagonists, Humberstone's enthralling psychological thriller opens with two police interrogations that quickly establish character, motives, and the events leading up to the murder via flashback. Mature and Grable give complex performances as a pair thrown together by circumstance and drawn into a love affair, but the film really belongs to Cregar, whose brutish portrayal of an unscrupulous policeman was a career high. This stunningly photographed, ominous early noir will leave you "Screaming." |