The wonderfully suspenseful psychological drama Spiral Staircase is the prototype of the old dark house, lady in distress thriller, full of dark corners, flickering candles and featuring a mysterious, menacing killer whose true identity remains hidden until the end. Helen Capel (Dorothy McGuire), mute because of a childhood .. Read more
| Starring | Dorothy McGuire, George Brent, Ethel Barrymore, Gordon Oliver |
|---|---|
| Director | Robert Siodmak |
| Genres | Thriller |
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The wonderfully suspenseful psychological drama Spiral Staircase is the prototype of the old dark house, lady in distress thriller, full of dark corners, flickering candles and featuring a mysterious, menacing killer whose true identity remains hidden until the end. Helen Capel (Dorothy McGuire), mute because of a childhood trauma, cares for the owner of the house, the wealthy Mrs. Warren (Ethel Barrymore), a demanding, widowed invalid. Helen has quietly fallen in love with one of Mrs. Warren's sons, Dr. Parry (Kent Smith), who she believes to be a gentle and understanding man. Helen's peaceful life is changed forever when three local women, all with physical handicaps, are found murdered. The movie builds to a suspenseful conclusion as Helen finds herself in the midst of a life-and-death battle in the house, as the true identity of the murderer is revealed. Dorothy McGuire is exquisite as the innocent, sweet Helen and gives a totally convincing performance in the difficult role. She uses her expressive face to perfectly convey Helen's emotions, fear and ultimate bravery. Ethel Barrymore won an Academy Award nomination for her performance as Mrs. Warren and plays the difficult Grande Dame with great relish. Director Robert Siodmak, noted for his stylish direction of atmospheric suspense films, uses all his plot devices with great skill and craftsmanship, increasing the suspense and sense of foreboding as Helen is observed through the eyes of her stalker, who the audience sees only as a pair of menacing eyes.~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide
| Starring | Dorothy McGuire, George Brent, Ethel Barrymore, Gordon Oliver |
|---|---|
| Director | Robert Siodmak |
| Studio | FREMANTLE HOME ENTERTAINMENT |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 23 mins |
| Certificate |  |
| Genres | Thriller |
| Language | DVD: English |
| Released | Production year: 1946 To Rent: DVD: 15 Oct 2007 |
Archetypal old dark house thriller, superbly detailed and set during a most convincing thunderstorm. Even though the identity of the villain is pretty obvious, this is a superior Hollywood product.
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The best thing about ...
The best thing about this film is overall visual effect obtained from the excellent photography and sets. The story, however, is a fairly silly tale of a ... read more »
[Highly rated reviewer]
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Was this supposed to be scary?!
This is a reasonably good film - not as suspenseful as I was led to believe and not in the least as creepy as is meant...made more though by being black and ... read more »
- 3
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Don't go down the Stairs
Old-fashioned suspense. Good atmosphere and intriguing tale of a damsel in distress. Creepy house and weird occupants lead to an exciting climax. Shows that the... read more »
- 0
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Not bad
I remember seeing the Spiral Staircase when I was very young (-10) and it scared the wits out of me.
Then I seen this and realised it was the 70s ... read more »
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