Monday, September 09, 2019

Movie review - "The Accused" (1949) *** (warning: spoilers)

Entirely decent mystery, surprisingly fresh, because Loretta Young is obsessed over by a student who tries to rape her. She accidentally kills him and thinking no one will believe her tries to cover it up and of course it all comes undone.

It's well handled by director William Dieterle and the team for producer Hal Wallis. Wendell Corey is very good as a dogged detective and Bob Cummings is fine as the man who believes her - apparently Hallis wanted them to swap roles but Cummings is a better love interest.

The film lacks another twist or development - it's basically Young's lie unravelling. I felt it needed an antagonist with personal stakes - Cummings does but he falls in love with her. It needed like Douglas Dick's mother or something - who wanted to destroy Young (like say George Sanders and Judith Anderson in Rebecca).

It's also got a weird ending with Cummings making a passioned plea to the jury that Young doesn't get convicted and Corey going "I reckon we'll lose and they'll win" but we never find out.

Still a decent movie. I'm not a massive Young fan and it's a shame she can't be more active in the last act (fighting off a villain would have helped) but she quivers well and at least is a professional.


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