Manhandled
| Manhandled | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Lewis R. Foster |
| Produced by |
William H. Pine William C. Thomas |
| Screenplay by |
Whitman Chambers Lewis R. Foster |
| Based on |
the novel The Man Who Stole A Dream by L. S. Goldsmith |
| Starring |
Dorothy Lamour Sterling Hayden |
| Music by | Darrell Calker |
| Cinematography | Ernest Laszlo |
| Editing by | Howard A. Smith |
| Studio | Pine-Thomas Productions |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
| Release dates |
|
| Running time | 97 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Manhandled is a 1949 film noir directed by Lewis R. Foster, and starring Dorothy Lamour, Dan Duryea, and Sterling Hayden, and based on the 1945 novel The Man Who Stole a Dream by L. S. Goldsmith.[1]
Plot
Struggling writer Alton Bennet explains to psychiatrist Dr. Redman how he has nightmares about murdering his wealthy wife, Ruth, who owns very valuable jewels.
A private eye, Karl Benson, steals the office keys of Redman's private secretary, Merl Kramer, who is then framed after Ruth is found murdered. Karl has planted some of the dead woman's jewels in Merl's apartment.
Insurance investigator Joe Cooper is on the case, along with the police. Karl is confronted by Dr. Redman, who confesses that it was he who murdered Ruth, his own patient. Karl happened upon the murder scene, knocked out Redman and stole the jewels.
Redman proposes a split, but Karl kills him. He then knocks Merl unconscious and intends to throw her from a roof, but her cries alert police and Joe, who come to her rescue.
Cast
- Dorothy Lamour as Merl Kramer
- Sterling Hayden as Joe Cooper
- Dan Duryea as Karl Benson
- Irene Hervey as Ruth, Mrs. Alton Bennet
- Phillip Reed as Guy Bayard
- Harold Vermilyea as Dr. Redmond
- Alan Napier as Alton Bennet
- Art Smith as Detective Lt. Bill Dawson
- Irving Bacon as Sgt. Fayle
Reception
Critical response
Film critic Dennis Schwartz panned the film, writing, "Lewis R. Foster directs without passion this unassuming but preposterous B-film crime thriller that is based on the short story The Man Who Stole A Dream by L.S. Goldsmith. In a film that should have been more suspenseful because of the thick plot, the director mishandles the dramatic moments by introducing silly and unneeded comic moments. All that accomplished was to take away any credibility for it being taken seriously as a film noir while hardly providing any laughs. Foster also fails to make the series of coincidences, that are essential for this tale about a wrongfully accused person, to be convincing ... The film's best scene is Napier's chilling dream sequence of the murder in the opening act."[2]
References
- ↑ Manhandled at the Internet Movie Database.
- ↑ Schwartz, Dennid. Ozus' World Movie Reviews, film review, January 11, 2005. Accessed: July 12, 2013.
External links
- Manhandled at the Internet Movie Database
- Manhandled at allmovie
- Manhandled at the TCM Movie Database
- Manhandled film trailer at YouTube