The Second Woman (1950)
The Second Woman (1950)
„The Second Woman“ is a 1950 Black & White film-noir mystery suspense psychological thriller film directed by James V. Kern from a screenplay by Mort Briskin and Robert Smith.
Jeffrey „Jeff“ Cohalan, a successful architect, is tormented because his fiancée, Vivian Sheppard, was killed in a mysterious car accident on the night before their wedding. Blaming himself for her death, Cohalan spends his time alone, lamenting in the state-of-the-art cliff-top home he designed for his bride-to-be.
Cohalan notices that ever since the accident, he seems to be followed by bad luck. Without explanation, his horse turns up horribly injured, and he must put it down. His dog is poisoned and dies. These events lead Cohalan to wonder if he has been cursed. Then his modernistic house burns to the ground in a definite case of arson. Cohalan moves in with Ellen Foster and her Aunt, Amelia Foster.
Cohalan is attracted to Ellen from the moment they meet. The feeling is mutual. She is quite the detective, and as she learns about Jeff’s past, she begins to suspect that he may be much more in danger than he himself realizes.
It turns out that his partner in architecture, Ben Sheppard, is trying to destroy him. Sheppard, who is Vivian’s father, holds Jeff responsible for her death. In fact, the driver of the car was Keith Farris, a married man with whom Vivian was having an affair. Sheppard’s own wife, Vivian’s mother, run away from him, and he has a psychotic break when confronted with the truth about his daughter’s car crash. Thinking Ellen is Vivian, and angry about his wife running off, Sheppard shoots at Ellen. Jeff is hit protecting her, but both survive.
When Ferris wisecracks that their boss is „nuttier than a squirrel“, Cohalan decks him with a haymaker and orders him to either leave town or be turned in to the authorities. Cohalan and Ellen then resume their romance, free from fear.
Cast:
- Robert Young – Jeffrey Cohalan
- Betsy Drake – Ellen Foster
- John Sutton – Keith Ferris
- Florence Bates – Amelia Foster
- Morris Carnovsky – Dr. Hartley
- Henry O’Neill – Ben Sheppard
- Jean Rogers – Dodo Ferris
- Raymond Largay – Major Badger
- Shirley Ballard – Vivian Sheppard
- Vici Raaf – Secretary
- Jason Robards Sr. – Stacy Rogers
- Steven Geray – Balthazar Jones
- Jimmie Dodd – Mr. Nelson
- Smoki Whitfield – Porter
- Cliff Clark – Police Sergeant
- Thomas Martin – Bartender
- Jack Chefe – Country Club Cook
- Walter Bacon – Country Club Guest
- Paul Bradley – Country Club Guest
- James Conaty – Country Club Guest
- Franklyn Farnum – Country Club Guest
- Sol Murgi – Country Club Guest
- Cosmo Sardo – Country Club Guest
- Harold Miller – Fiesta Guest
- Bert Stevens – Fiesta Guest
- Steve Carruthers – Fiesta Guest / Country Club Guest
- Bess Flowers – Fiesta Guest / Country Club Guest
- Vince Barnett – Giovanni Strobini
- John Gallaudet – Mac
- Sam Harris – Train Passenger
- Sherry Hall – Van Dyke
