HIGH WALL

US, 1947, 99 minutes, Black and White.
Robert Taylor, Herbert Marshall, Audrey Totter, Dorothy Patrick, H.B. Warner, Warner Anderson.
Directed by Curtis Bernhardt.

High Wall is an entertaining psychological thriller, the interest in psychology after the war and the psychological of war on the war heroes. It is also influenced by the film noir of the period. However, the focus here is on an amnesiac husband accused of the murder of his wife.

Robert Taylor is convincing in the central role. Audrey Totter is the psychiatrist. Herbert Marshall is the suave villain. There is a strong supporting cast including H.B. Warner as an apartment janitor, Elizabeth Risdon as Taylor's mother. The film was directed by Curtis Bernhardt, who had come from Germany and had directed a number of emotional melodramas - for example, Deception with Bette Davis and Glenn Ford.

1.Interesting and entertaining thriller? Of the '40s? The use of psychology for law at that period? The contrast with later decades?

2.MGM production, black and white photography, the night sequences, the apartment, the office, the institution? The dark roads and the rain? Musical score?

3.The title, Steve Kenet's psychological barriers? The institution?

4.The setting of the scene: Whitcombe and his arrival at the office, his secretary and her giving Steve the address, the absent wife? His being innocent? His giving information to the police? The encounter with the janitor? The blackmail, his killing him in the stairwell? His going to the police again, confronting Steve, taunting him to hit him so as he would appear insane? His apartment and Steve arranging the furniture? His wanting police protection, the police leaving, the confrontation with Steve and Ann? The truth drug and his telling the truth? The irony of his not leaving the country after the news of his being appointed to the board? The sinister villain, presumption, cruelty, manipulation of people?

5.Steve and his war background, the marriage with Helen, the birth of the son? Active service, injuries, operations? Unsettled at home, going to Burma? The crash, the need for the operation? Amnesia and headaches? The story of his arrival, going to the office, going to Whitcombe's apartment, the confrontation with Helen and murdering her? Taking the body, trying to crash the car? His relationship with his son? The police, psychiatric attention? The possibility of a plea of temporary insanity? His refusal to have the operation? His cynical attitudes? Wanting his mother to visit - her death? His being persuaded to have the operation? The transformation? The therapy, the truth drug? Doubts that he killed his wife? The dealings with Ann, wanting parole? The visit to the apartment after his escape? Trying to re-create the crime? Leaving the apartment disturbed? Whitcombe's visit, his falling into the trap, the violent outburst? His friendship with the wardsmen and their discussions? His putting Ann in the cell? His escape, taking the car, misleading the car by taking the roadside proprietor's clothes and car? Meeting Ann, using the drunk as a decoy to get into the apartment? The confrontation with Whitcombe, the truth, the police hearing it? Reconciliation with his son? His fears, the portrait of a man with psychiatric difficulties, fearing the truth, apprehension about his son?

6.Ann, her skills, dealing with Steve? The personal attraction? Caring for his son? The interviews, her doubts? The re-creation of the crime? Truth drug? Her being abducted, not telling the authorities? Her being put in the cell, later meeting him, the truth and the reconciliation? The police and their attitudes towards her professional conduct?

7.The doctors, sympathetic, temporary insanity and the law? Operations? The district attorney and his straightforward attitudes about right and wrong and guilt? Lawyers? The lawyer and his wanting to sell the story to the magazines?

8.A routine murder mystery enhanced by the psychological background and investigations?