Tension
Directed by John Berry
Viewed at the San Francisco
International Film Festival
Pharmacist Warren Quimby carefully helps a customer with her prescription. He works very hard to get a stake in this post WWII environment- buy a tract home, raise a family.
Unfortunately his wife (Claire) is as tough as he is meek and has other ideas. A self involved gold-digger from day one, and her desires must be met. Materialistically and physically it's not long before the memories of the returning soldier Quimby fade and another "sucker" is found. The insecure Quimby freaks out when he learns that his wife is seeing another man and after serving as the 90 lb weakling/punching bag, he begins to plot murder. He begins by creating a false identity but while in disguise he meets a charming and perky Cyd Charisse. She's warm, friendly, supportive, perky and the chemistry is good between them, in very sharp contrast to Quimby's wife. It's an interesting clash between "old fashioned" domesticity and woman's newfound "post-war" independence.
Though Quimby had wanted to kill the interloper his newfound love helps him realize how much better off he is without his wife. But when Claire's new beau is found dead, it's Quimby's alter ego that is sought for the murder, and eventually it's Quimby who is accused! The two detectives are fairly hard-boiled and though Claire tries to seduce the top detective, it's only a matter of time before the real killer is caught.
Filmography
John Berry (b. New York, 1917)
Reviewed by Eric Michel, FilmCities
|