The Tattered Dress
The Tattered Dress is a 1957 American CinemaScope film noir crime film released by Universal Pictures and directed by Jack Arnold. It stars Jeff Chandler, Jeanne Crain, Jack Carson, Gail Russell and Elaine Stewart.[2]
| The Tattered Dress | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Jack Arnold |
| Written by | George Zuckerman |
| Produced by | Albert Zugsmith |
| Starring | Jeff Chandler Jeanne Crain Jack Carson Gail Russell Elaine Stewart |
| Cinematography | Carl E. Guthrie |
| Edited by | Edward Curtiss |
| Music by | Frank Skinner |
| Distributed by | Universal-International Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 93 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $1.43 million (US rentals)[1] |
Plot
In a California resort community, the wealthy Michael Reston is charged with the murder of a man he claimed attacked his wife, Charleen.
Reston hires a high-priced lawyer, James Gordon Blane, a man known to do anything it takes to win a case. Blane makes few friends in the community because the victim was a popular figure while the Restons are not popular with anyone. But his skillful cross-examination of a sheriff, Nick Hoak, results in Blane's client being found not guilty.
Hoak decides to get even. He fabricates evidence that Blane bribed a woman on the jury by pressuring her to perjure herself. Now it is Blane who goes on trial, with only his estranged wife, Diane, and his friend, Billy, coming to his aid. While defending himself, Blane begins to feel remorse over having won acquittals for so many guilty clients.
Blane ultimately is found not guilty due to the obvious possibility that the sheriff framed him in retaliation for his successful defense of Reston. The juror, Carol Morrow, who only lied about the bribery because she was romantically involved with the sheriff, becomes distraught when he rejects her out of fear his manipulation will be discovered. Enraged by the acquittal, the sheriff watches Blane going down the Court-House steps. Standing in the shadows he draws his gun intent on murdering Blane in cold blood. He is stopped when Morrow gets some revenge of her own by shooting him. As she is arrested for her actions, the Blanes reconcile and leave town for good.
Cast
- Jeff Chandler as James Blane
- Jeanne Crain as Diane Blane
- Jack Carson as Sheriff Hoak
- Gail Russell as Carol Morrow
- Elaine Stewart as Charleen Reston
- George Tobias as Billy Giles
- Edward Andrews as Lester Rawlings
- Phillip Reed as Michael Reston
- Edward Platt as Ralph Adams - Reporter (as Edward C. Platt)
- Paul Birch as Prosecutor Frank Mitchell
- Alexander Lockwood as Paul Vernon
- Edwin Jerome as Judge David L. Johnson
- William Schallert as Court Clerk
- June McCall as Girl at Slot Machine
- Frank J. Scannell as Cal Morrison - Blackjack Dealer (as Frank Scannell)
- Floyd Simmons as Larry Bell
- Ziva Rodann as Woman on Train (as Ziva Shapir)
- Marina Orschel as Girl by Pool
- Ingrid Goude as Girl by Pool
Production
Chandler's casting was announced in June 1956.[3] Zugsmith later recalled Chandler "was becoming a bit difficult and he was their (Universal's) second biggest star at the time. I guess one of the reasons was he was their biggest, and then Rock Hudson came along!"[4]
Filming started on August 13, 1956.[5] Shooting took place in Palm Springs.[6]
Reception
The Los Angeles Times said that Chandler "does the best acting job of his career" in the film.[7]
See also
References
- ^ "Top Grosses of 1957", Variety, 8 January 1958: 30.
- ^ The Tattered Dress at the American Film Institute Catalog.
- ^ Oscar Godbout (July 17, 1956). "Warwick To Make 2 Films In Africa: Company Plans Productions of 'Adamson of Africa' and 'Golden City,' a Musical M-G-M Misses One of Four". The New York Times.
- ^ Flynn, Charles; McCarthy, Todd (1975). "Albert Zugmsith". In Flynn, Charles; McCarthy, Todd (eds.). Kings of the Bs : working within the Hollywood system : an anthology of film history and criticism. E. P. Dutton. p. 417.
- ^ Thomas M. Pryor (July 25, 1956). "Warners Readies Incentives Policy: Stockholders to Vote on Film Company Plan to Grant Options to Executives M-G-M in Full Swing Of Local Origin". The New York Times.
- ^ Dorothy Manners (August 19, 1956). "It's Matter Of Degrees -- 113 Of Them". The Washington Post and Times-Herald.
- ^ Philip K. Scheuer (March 3, 1957). "'Tattered Dress' Chandler's Best". Los Angeles Times.
External links
- The Tattered Dress at the American Film Institute Catalog
- The Tattered Dress at IMDb
- The Tattered Dress at AllMovie
- The Tattered Dress at the TCM Movie Database
- The Tattered Dress opening titles on YouTube
- Review of film at Variety