The Second Woman

source: The Second Woman

The Second Woman

I got "The Second Woman" in a 50-movie Mill Creek DVD set called "Nifty Fifties", for about 20 US dollars (including shipping); even if I find no more than 2 or 3 more movies of (at least) the same quality in the set, I will consider it money well spent! "The Second Woman" borrows elements from Alfred Hitchcock's "Rebecca" and "Suspicion", but it can stand on its own: it has a unique seaside atmosphere, a well-constructed script, interesting use of Tschaikovsky music, and fine performances, especially by the two leads. It might have benefited from being shot in color, both for scenery purposes and because colors (of the roses, of the painting, etc.) play an important role in the plot, but then again, other scenes, like the events of the night prior to when the movie opens, probably play better in black & white. *** out of 4.

This film has quite a few twists that will keep you guessing! Has Jeff Cohalan (Young) really gone out of his head (paranoiac) OR is someone really out to kill him - if so, who and why? Did Jeff break the leg of his horse, poison his own dog, burn down his own house or is it really someone else doing all these things? You'll have to watch this film for yourself to find out - I'm not going to give away the mystery nor all the thrills of the film! The film does has a very mysterious atmosphere at times - other times it's lighter and the atmosphere matches Jeff's moods (from dark to light). The ending is a little bit of a surprise - not exactly as I guessed - similar but not exactly. 8.5/10

It's opening speech tries far too hard to evoke associations with 'Rebecca' (it even features one of the original cast), and it also shoehorns in references to 'Suspicion' and 'Spellbound'. But it actually works perfectly own on it's own terms - with a bit of postwar psychology thrown in and Tchaikovsky on the soundtrack - and ironically harks forward towards later Hitchcocks (notably 'North by Northwest') with it's hero and heroine meeting cute on a train and the hilltop Frank Lloyd Wright-style house that serves as a backdrop to some of the drama. A chicly attired Betsy Drake - ironically Mrs Cary Grant at the time - provides an attractive and robust female lead.