Whirlpool (film)

Whirlpool (1949) is a thriller film noir directed by Otto Preminger and written by Ben Hecht (under the blacklist pseudonym Lester Barstow) and Andrew Solt, adapted from Guy Endore's novel Methinks the Lady. The film Stars Gene Tierney, Richard Conte, José Ferrer, and Charles Bickford.

The drama combines psychological thriller (the heroine is controlled by a murderous hypnotist) with melodrama, as the central character's distant marriage is threatened.

Plot

Ann Sutton (Gene Tierney), the wife of a successful psychoanalyst (Richard Conte), is arrested for shoplifting. Ann is saved from scandal by smooth-talking hypnotist David Korvo (José Ferrer).

Korvo is not what he seems to be, and Ann soon finds herself involved in blackmail and murder. She is unsure whether or not she committed a crime. Her distant but loyal husband stands up for her and eventually sets up the hypnotist, who he thinks is behind all the misdeeds.

Cast

• Gene Tierney as Ann Sutton
• Richard Conte as Dr. William Sutton
• José Ferrer as David Korvo
• Charles Bickford as Lt. Colton
• Barbara O'Neil as Theresa Randolph
• Eduard Franz as Martin Avery
• Constance Collier as Tina Cosgrove
• Fortunio Bonanova as Feruccio di Ravallo

Critical reception

The staff at Variety magazine liked the film and wrote, "Whirlpool is a highly entertaining, exciting melodrama that combines the authentic features of hypnosis. Ben Hecht and Andrew Solt have tightly woven a screenplay about the...
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