Two ways to look at this film, the performers and the script. Warner Brothers made the film in 1945, and waited 2 years to release it. There are reasons for that including Bogart being cast as an mentally ill artist is not the normal role for him. While he does get a tough guy type of murder he does late in the movie, in this one he plays an artist who is not a smart as his usual self.
Barbara Stanwyck is Sally, Geoffrey's (Bogies) second wife. He poisons his first wife with spiked warm milk and she never appears in the film. Ann Carter plays her young daughter Beatrice, who is rather precious and a bit of too grown up acting for a 9 year old (her age) when this was filmed. She is sort of detached, yet attached to her father (Bogie) and seems to show no emotion when her mom dies, which is kind of creepy. Her scenes with Bogart are strange as it is rare for him to do scenes with a juvenile.
Bogart has painted a portrait of the first wife, as an angel of death, who he killed after meeting Sally. His inspiration is apparently his plan to murder her. So logically he is working on a painting of Sally. He meets Cecily (Alexis Smith) and starts an affair with her. Amazingly Sally suspects the affair but since he is starting the process of poisoning her, she is a bit helpless to do anything about it.
Barry Bernard plays Horace, a chemist who is providing the poison being used for the murder. Then as he puts 2 and 2 together, he starts blackmailing the artist who is not starving and his wife Sally is loaded so he has money, hers.
From here, there is suspense, as we are left wondering if Sally is going to stop her own impending murder. Beatrice (the daughter) becomes the most valuable source of information for Sally as she get to see her portrait and learns he is next.
It's not top Bogart but the ladies in this have some claws. At the end, when the law catches up, they are offered a glass of warm milk. That is why this one is a bit warm but worth a look anyhow.
Barbara Stanwyck is Sally, Geoffrey's (Bogies) second wife. He poisons his first wife with spiked warm milk and she never appears in the film. Ann Carter plays her young daughter Beatrice, who is rather precious and a bit of too grown up acting for a 9 year old (her age) when this was filmed. She is sort of detached, yet attached to her father (Bogie) and seems to show no emotion when her mom dies, which is kind of creepy. Her scenes with Bogart are strange as it is rare for him to do scenes with a juvenile.
Bogart has painted a portrait of the first wife, as an angel of death, who he killed after meeting Sally. His inspiration is apparently his plan to murder her. So logically he is working on a painting of Sally. He meets Cecily (Alexis Smith) and starts an affair with her. Amazingly Sally suspects the affair but since he is starting the process of poisoning her, she is a bit helpless to do anything about it.
Barry Bernard plays Horace, a chemist who is providing the poison being used for the murder. Then as he puts 2 and 2 together, he starts blackmailing the artist who is not starving and his wife Sally is loaded so he has money, hers.
From here, there is suspense, as we are left wondering if Sally is going to stop her own impending murder. Beatrice (the daughter) becomes the most valuable source of information for Sally as she get to see her portrait and learns he is next.
It's not top Bogart but the ladies in this have some claws. At the end, when the law catches up, they are offered a glass of warm milk. That is why this one is a bit warm but worth a look anyhow.