Main Cast: Ida Lupino, Robert Ryan, Taylor Holmes, Barbara Whiting, James Williams
Release Year: 1952
Country: US
Run Time: 77 minutes
Plot
Adapted from the stage thriller The Man (itself based upon a half-hour radio drama), Beware My Lovely is a taut suspenser tailor-made for the talents of Ida Lupino and Robert Ryan. Lupino plays a pretty widow who impulsively hires handyman Ryan to look after her house. She soon learns Ryan is a dangerous schizophrenic, but by the time she comes to this realization she is unable to escape her house. The tension mounts apace, leading to an unexpected but quite logical finale. Produced by Lupino's then-husband Collier Young, Beware My Lovely was released by RKO Radio. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
Cinematographer George Diskant employs some interesting camera angles in Beware, My Lovely, such as filming Robert Ryan so that he appears to be towering over the frightened Ida Lupino even when in his gentle phase. That, however, is the only aspect differentiating this psychological thriller from the many anthology series that were already making their mark on television by 1952. There is of course the expected standout performances from both Ryan and Lupino but the resolution remains somewhat ambiguous and unsatisfying. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
O.Z. Whitehead - Mr. Franks; Dee Pollock - Grocery Boy; Ronnie Patterson - Boy; Brad Morrow - Boy
Credit
Albert S. D'Agostino - Art Director, Alfred Herman - Art Director, Mel Dinelli - Associate Producer, Michael Woulfe - Costume Designer, Harry Horner - Director, Paul Weatherwax - Editor, Leith Stevens - Composer (Music Score), Constantin Bakaleinikoff - Musical Direction/Supervision, Mel Burns - Makeup, Mel Berns - Makeup, George E. Diskant - Cinematographer, Collier Young - Producer, Darrell Silvera - Set Designer, Al Orenbach - Set Designer, John L. Cass - Sound/Sound Designer, Clem Portman - Sound/Sound Designer, Mel Dinelli - Screen Story, Mel Dinelli - Screenwriter, Mel Dinelli - Play Author
The film is set in 1918 in an unnamed small town. A widow (Lupino) impulsively hires handyman (Ryan) to look after her house. She soon learns Ryan is a dangerous schizophrenic, but by the time she comes to this realization she is unable to escape her house.
Production
This story was originally done on stage, then on the CBS radio show Suspense as "To Find Help" on January 18, 1945 with Frank Sinatra as Howard and Agnes Moorehead as Mrs. Gillis (Mrs. Gordon in the film). It was dramatized again on Suspense in 1949 with Gene Kelly and Ethel Barrymore on January 6, 1949.
Ida Lupino and Robert Ryan were teamed again for this suspenseful romp into psychosis. The cinematography contains several choice visual bits, giving Ryan the chance to play, convincingly so, a lunatic who kills lonely women. One reviewer stated that one should see the film if only to witness Ryan's performance as the pathetic handyman.
Featured cast
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