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My Name Is Julia Ross

October 29, 2023

My Name Is Julia Ross is a 1945 American gothic film noir directed by Joseph H. Lewis, and starring Nina Foch, Dame May Whitty, and George Macready. Its plot follows a young woman in England who is hired as a live-in secretary for an ailing widow, where she awakens one day and is gaslit by those around her, claiming she is someone else. The screenplay is based on the 1941 novel The Woman in Red by Anthony Gilbert. The film received a loose remake called Dead of Winter (1987), starring Mary Steenburgen.

My Name Is Julia Ross
Theatrical release poster
Directed byJoseph H. Lewis
Screenplay byMuriel Roy Bolton
Based onThe Woman in Red
1941 novel
by Anthony Gilbert
Produced byWallace MacDonald
StarringNina Foch
Dame May Whitty
George Macready
Roland Varno
CinematographyBurnett Guffey
Edited byHenry Batista
Music byMischa Bakaleinikoff
Production
company
Columbia Pictures
Distributed byColumbia Pictures
Release date
  • November 9, 1945 (1945-11-09)
Running time
64 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Plot edit

In London, Julia Ross goes to a new employment agency, desperate for work. When Mrs. Sparkes learns that she has no near relations, she recommends Julia for a job as a live-in personal secretary to a wealthy widow, Mrs. Hughes. Mrs. Hughes approves and insists that she move that very night into her house. Two days later, Julia awakes as a prisoner at an isolated seaside estate in Cornwall.

All her possessions have disappeared and the young woman is told she is really Marion, the wife of Ralph Hughes, Mrs. Hughes's son. The staff have been told that she has suffered a nervous breakdown; as a result, they ignore her seemingly wild claims, and her attempts to escape are all foiled.

Julia writes a letter to Dennis Bruce, her only close friend and admirer, and cleverly leaves it where it can be found. The Hugheses substitute a blank sheet of paper and allow her to post it, unaware that Julia has anticipated them and written a second letter. That night, Julia discovers a secret passage to her room and overhears Ralph admit to his mother that he murdered his wife in a fit of rage and disposed of her body in the sea. Even so, when a "doctor" comes in response to a fake poisoning attempt, she blurts out her plan to him, only to discover that he (along with Mrs. Sparkes) is in on the scheme. He is dispatched to London to intercept the letter. When the real doctor shows up, Julia thinks he's also a fake and refuses to see him. The doctor recommends she be taken to a hospital immediately, but Mrs. Hughes persuades him to come back in the morning.

Julia's captors have to make it appear that she has committed suicide before the doctor can take her away.

Julia throws her gown out the window, making it look like she threw herself to her death, then hides in the secret passage. When the doctor drives up, Mrs. Hughes delays him so that her son can get to the body first. Ralph picks up a rock to ensure that Julia is really dead, but is stopped by Dennis and a policeman, who had been alerted by the letter. (The fake doctor had been apprehended in London when he tried to intercept the letter.) When Ralph tries to flee, he is shot down. Later, Julia and Dennis drive away and talk about getting married.

Cast edit

Release edit

My Name Is Julia Ross premiered in New York City on November 9, 1945.[1] Its released expanded in the United States on November 27, 1945.[1]

Critical response edit

Film critic Bosley Crowther wrote a mixed review: "The director and scenarist of the Ambassador's new mystery, My Name Is Julia Ross, deserve a B-plus for effort at least. It is quite evident that they strived earnestly to whip up excitement and suspense, but somehow that electrifying quality which distinguishes good melodrama is lacking in this transcription of the Anthony Gilbert novel, The Woman in Red ... While Joseph Lewis, the director, succeeds in creating an effectively ominous atmosphere, he has not been as adept in handling the players, and that, we suspect, is why My Name Is Julia Ross misses the mark.[2]

The staff at Variety magazine praised the production, writing "Mystery melodrama with a psychological twist runs only 64 minutes but it's fast and packed with tense action throughout. Acting and production (though apparently modestly budgeted) are excellent."[3]

Home media edit

Turner Classic Movies released My Name Is Julia Ross on DVD in conjunction with Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and The Film Foundation as part of the five-film set, "Columbia Film Noir Classics III", alongside the films The Mob, Drive a Crooked Road, Tight Spot, and The Burglar.[4]

On February 19, 2019, Arrow Films issued the film on Blu-ray in both region A and B editions as part of their Arrow Academy series.[5]

Adaptation edit

The film was loosely remade as Dead of Winter (1987), directed by Arthur Penn.[6] This film was remade in 1964 by Egyptian actress Fatin Hamama as The Last Night.[citation needed]

References edit

  1. ^ a b "My Name Is Julia Ross". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. American Film Institute. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
  2. ^ Crowther, Bosly. The New York Times, film review, November 9, 1945. Accessed: July 25, 2013.
  3. ^ Variety. Staff film review, 1945. Accessed: July 25, 2013.
  4. ^ "Columbia Pictures Film Noir III". Turner Classic Movies Shop. Archived from the original on January 11, 2021.
  5. ^ "My Name Is Julia Ross Blu-ray". Arrow Films. Archived from the original on January 11, 2021.
  6. ^ Dead of Winter at IMDb.

Further reading edit

  • Black, Louis (2018). "My Name Is Julia Ross (dir. Joseph H. Lewis, 1945)". CinemaTexas Notes. Vol. 13. University of Texas Press. pp. 269–271. doi:10.7560/315439-041. ISBN 9781477315453. - Print from November 29, 1978, a reprint from Volume 10, Issue 4

External links edit

October 29, 2023
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My Name Is Julia Ross is a 1945 American gothic film noir directed by Joseph H Lewis and starring Nina Foch Dame May Whitty and George Macready Its plot follows a young woman in England who is hired as a live in secretary for an ailing widow where she awakens one day and is gaslit by those around her claiming she is someone else The screenplay is based on the 1941 novel The Woman in Red by Anthony Gilbert The film received a loose remake called Dead of Winter 1987 starring Mary Steenburgen My Name Is Julia RossTheatrical release posterDirected byJoseph H LewisScreenplay byMuriel Roy BoltonBased onThe Woman in Red1941 novelby Anthony GilbertProduced byWallace MacDonaldStarringNina FochDame May WhittyGeorge MacreadyRoland VarnoCinematographyBurnett GuffeyEdited byHenry BatistaMusic byMischa BakaleinikoffProductioncompanyColumbia PicturesDistributed byColumbia PicturesRelease dateNovember 9 1945 1945 11 09 Running time64 minutesCountryUnited StatesLanguageEnglish Contents 1 Plot 2 Cast 3 Release 3 1 Critical response 3 2 Home media 4 Adaptation 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External linksPlot editIn London Julia Ross goes to a new employment agency desperate for work When Mrs Sparkes learns that she has no near relations she recommends Julia for a job as a live in personal secretary to a wealthy widow Mrs Hughes Mrs Hughes approves and insists that she move that very night into her house Two days later Julia awakes as a prisoner at an isolated seaside estate in Cornwall All her possessions have disappeared and the young woman is told she is really Marion the wife of Ralph Hughes Mrs Hughes s son The staff have been told that she has suffered a nervous breakdown as a result they ignore her seemingly wild claims and her attempts to escape are all foiled Julia writes a letter to Dennis Bruce her only close friend and admirer and cleverly leaves it where it can be found The Hugheses substitute a blank sheet of paper and allow her to post it unaware that Julia has anticipated them and written a second letter That night Julia discovers a secret passage to her room and overhears Ralph admit to his mother that he murdered his wife in a fit of rage and disposed of her body in the sea Even so when a doctor comes in response to a fake poisoning attempt she blurts out her plan to him only to discover that he along with Mrs Sparkes is in on the scheme He is dispatched to London to intercept the letter When the real doctor shows up Julia thinks he s also a fake and refuses to see him The doctor recommends she be taken to a hospital immediately but Mrs Hughes persuades him to come back in the morning Julia s captors have to make it appear that she has committed suicide before the doctor can take her away Julia throws her gown out the window making it look like she threw herself to her death then hides in the secret passage When the doctor drives up Mrs Hughes delays him so that her son can get to the body first Ralph picks up a rock to ensure that Julia is really dead but is stopped by Dennis and a policeman who had been alerted by the letter The fake doctor had been apprehended in London when he tried to intercept the letter When Ralph tries to flee he is shot down Later Julia and Dennis drive away and talk about getting married Cast editNina Foch as Julia Ross Dame May Whitty as Mrs Hughes George Macready as Ralph Hughes Roland Varno as Dennis Bruce Anita Sharp Bolster as Sparkes Doris Lloyd as Mrs Mackie Joy Harington as Bertha Queenie Leonard as Alice Olaf Hytten as The Reverend Lewis Leonard Mudie as Peters Harry Hays Morgan Jr as Robinson Ottola Nesmith as Mrs Robinson Reginald Sheffield as McQuarrie Evan Thomas as Dr Keller Leyland Hodgson as Policeman Milton Owen as Policeman Charles McNaughton as Gatekeeper Marilyn Johnson as NurseRelease editMy Name Is Julia Ross premiered in New York City on November 9 1945 1 Its released expanded in the United States on November 27 1945 1 Critical response edit Film critic Bosley Crowther wrote a mixed review The director and scenarist of the Ambassador s new mystery My Name Is Julia Ross deserve a B plus for effort at least It is quite evident that they strived earnestly to whip up excitement and suspense but somehow that electrifying quality which distinguishes good melodrama is lacking in this transcription of the Anthony Gilbert novel The Woman in Red While Joseph Lewis the director succeeds in creating an effectively ominous atmosphere he has not been as adept in handling the players and that we suspect is why My Name Is Julia Ross misses the mark 2 The staff at Variety magazine praised the production writing Mystery melodrama with a psychological twist runs only 64 minutes but it s fast and packed with tense action throughout Acting and production though apparently modestly budgeted are excellent 3 Home media edit Turner Classic Movies released My Name Is Julia Ross on DVD in conjunction with Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and The Film Foundation as part of the five film set Columbia Film Noir Classics III alongside the films The Mob Drive a Crooked Road Tight Spot and The Burglar 4 On February 19 2019 Arrow Films issued the film on Blu ray in both region A and B editions as part of their Arrow Academy series 5 Adaptation editThe film was loosely remade as Dead of Winter 1987 directed by Arthur Penn 6 This film was remade in 1964 by Egyptian actress Fatin Hamama as The Last Night citation needed References edit a b My Name Is Julia Ross AFI Catalog of Feature Films American Film Institute Retrieved January 11 2021 Crowther Bosly The New York Times film review November 9 1945 Accessed July 25 2013 Variety Staff film review 1945 Accessed July 25 2013 Columbia Pictures Film Noir III Turner Classic Movies Shop Archived from the original on January 11 2021 My Name Is Julia Ross Blu ray Arrow Films Archived from the original on January 11 2021 Dead of Winter at IMDb Further reading editBlack Louis 2018 My Name Is Julia Ross dir Joseph H Lewis 1945 CinemaTexas Notes Vol 13 University of Texas Press pp 269 271 doi 10 7560 315439 041 ISBN 9781477315453 Print from November 29 1978 a reprint from Volume 10 Issue 4External links editMy Name Is Julia Ross at IMDb My Name Is Julia Ross at the American Film Institute Catalog My Name Is Julia Ross at AllMovie My Name Is Julia Ross at the TCM Movie Database My Name Is Julia Ross scene on YouTube Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title My Name Is Julia Ross amp oldid 1177241271, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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