Lady Possessed

Last updated

Lady Possessed
Lady Possessed (1952).jpg
Directed by William Spier
Roy Kellino
Screenplay by Pamela Mason
James Mason
Based onthe novel Del Palma by Pamela Mason
Produced byRoy Kellino
James Mason
Starring James Mason
June Havoc
Cinematography Karl Struss
Edited by Arthur Roberts
Music by Nathan Scott
Production
company
Portland Pictures
Distributed by Republic Pictures
Release date
  • January 26, 1952 (1952-01-26)(United States)
Running time
87 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Lady Possessed is a 1952 American film noir mystery film directed by William Spier and Roy Kellino and starring James Mason and June Havoc. [1] Mason and his wife Pamela produced and wrote the film themselves, based on Pamela's novel Del Palma (originally published as A Lady Possessed in Britain, 1943). [2] [3] They chose Pamela's ex-husband Roy Kellino, with whom she remained close, to direct the film. It was a critical and commercial failure, losing the Masons much of the money they had invested in it. [4]

Contents

The film's sets were designed by the art director Frank Arrigo. [2]

Plot

While barely conscious, Jean Wilson (June Havoc), a patient in a London hospital, overhears Jimmy Del Palma (James Mason) berating hospital staff for their treatment of his wife, who then dies shortly afterwards. To recuperate following a miscarriage, Jean coincidentally rents the former country home of Del Palma, a famous pianist, and his wife. She starts to fall in love with the absent musician and dreams of taking his dead wife's place, even of being taken over and possessed by her. With the encouragement of her friend Sybil (Pamela Mason), Jean arranges a seance with a medium in an attempt to contact the dead woman.

Cast

Critical reception

Bosley Crowther in The New York Times called it "a bleak little drama of neuroses," concluding "And since Miss Kellino and Mr. Mason take credit for writing the script, the much celebrated English couple have only themselves to blame. That goes double for Mr. Mason, who also produced the film"; [5] TV Guide wrote "Neither the performances nor the narrow direction are able to help save this confusing script." [6] and Classic Film Freak wrote "Lady Possessed is a film that’s hard to find and will most likely stay that way as there isn’t much to recommend it outside of James Mason’s performance, though even that gets overwhelmed by a disjointed plot." [7]

Related Research Articles

James Mason English actor (1909–1984)

James Neville Mason was an English actor. He achieved considerable success in British cinema before becoming a star in Hollywood. He was the top box-office attraction in the UK in 1944 and 1945; his British films included The Seventh Veil (1945) and The Wicked Lady (1945). He starred in Odd Man Out (1947), the first recipient of the BAFTA Award for Best British Film.

<i>Miss Robin Hood</i> 1952 British film

Miss Robin Hood is a 1952 British comedy film directed by John Guillermin, and starring Margaret Rutherford and Richard Hearne. Other actors involved include Dora Bryan, James Robertson Justice, Peter Jones, Sid James, Reg Varney, Kenneth Connor and Michael Medwin. The film features a variety of unusual camera work such as unexpected extreme close-ups and fast motion sequences.

<i>Odd Man Out</i> 1947 film by Carol Reed

Odd Man Out is a 1947 British film noir directed by Carol Reed, and starring James Mason, Robert Newton, Cyril Cusack, and Kathleen Ryan. Set in a Northern Irish city, it follows a wounded Nationalist leader who attempts to evade police in the aftermath of a robbery. It is based on the 1945 novel of the same name by F. L. Green.

<i>I Was a Communist for the FBI</i> 1951 film by Gordon Douglas

I Was a Communist for the FBI is a 1951 American film noir crime film directed by Gordon Douglas and starring Frank Lovejoy. The film was produced by Bryan Foy who was head of Warners B picture unit until 1942.

Francis Bosley Crowther Jr. was an American journalist, writer, and film critic for The New York Times for 27 years. His work helped shape the careers of many actors, directors and screenwriters, though his reviews, at times, were perceived as unnecessarily mean. Crowther was an advocate of foreign-language films in the 1950s and 1960s, particularly those of Roberto Rossellini, Vittorio De Sica, Ingmar Bergman, and Federico Fellini.

<i>O.K. Connery</i> 1967 Italian comedy film

O.K. Connery, released in America as Operation Kid Brother, is a 1967 Italian Eurospy comedy film shot in Technicolor and Techniscope and directed by Alberto De Martino. The Spy-Fi plot involves the brother of the British spy James Bond, played by Neil Connery who is obliged to take the lead in foiling a world-domination plot. The film's cast included several actors from the Eon-produced James Bond film series, From Russia with Love's Daniela Bianchi, Thunderball's Adolfo Celi, Dr. No's Anthony Dawson, Bernard Lee (M), and Lois Maxwell (Moneypenny), as well as the producer's wife Agata Flori, Gina Lollobrigida's cousin Guido Lollobrigida, and Yasuko Yama.

<i>Rob Roy: The Highland Rogue</i> 1954 film by Harold French

Rob Roy: The Highland Rogue is a 1953 adventure film, made by RKO-Walt Disney British Productions which is about Rob Roy MacGregor. It was the last Disney film released through RKO Radio Pictures.

<i>A Star Is Born</i> (1954 film) 1954 film by George Cukor

A Star Is Born is a 1954 American musical drama film directed by George Cukor, written by Moss Hart, and starring Judy Garland and James Mason. Hart's screenplay is an adaptation of the original 1937 film, based on the original screenplay by Robert Carson, Dorothy Parker and Alan Campbell, and from the same story by William A. Wellman and Carson, with uncredited input from six additional writers—David O. Selznick, Ben Hecht, Ring Lardner Jr., John Lee Mahin, Budd Schulberg and Adela Rogers St. Johns.

<i>One Way Street</i> 1950 film by Hugo Fregonese

One Way Street is a 1950 American film noir crime film directed by Hugo Fregonese and starring James Mason, Märta Torén and Dan Duryea. The crime film takes place mainly in Mexico.

<i>Tiara Tahiti</i> 1962 British film

Tiara Tahiti is a 1962 comedy-drama film directed by Ted Kotcheff and starring James Mason and John Mills. Kotcheff's directorial debut, it is based on the novel by Geoffrey Cotterell, who also adapted it for the screen with Ivan Foxwell. It was filmed in London and Tahiti. Rosenda Monteros, a Mexican actress, plays a Tahitian beauty. Roy Kinnear had a minor role.

<i>Dance, Girl, Dance</i> 1940 film by Dorothy Arzner

Dance, Girl, Dance is a 1940 American comedy-drama film directed by Dorothy Arzner and starring Maureen O'Hara, Louis Hayward, Lucille Ball, and Ralph Bellamy. The film follows two dancers who strive to preserve their own integrity while fighting for their place in the spotlight and for the affections of a wealthy young suitor.

William Spier American film director (1906–1973)

William Hannan Spier was an American writer, producer, and director for television and radio. He is best known for his radio work, notably Suspense and The Adventures of Sam Spade.

<i>The Macomber Affair</i> 1947 film by Zoltan Korda

The Macomber Affair is a 1947 film directed by Zoltan Korda and distributed by United Artists. Set in British East Africa, its plot concerns a fatal love triangle involving a frustrated wife, a weak husband, and the professional hunter who comes between them. It stars Gregory Peck, Joan Bennett, and Robert Preston.

<i>The Upturned Glass</i> 1947 British film

The Upturned Glass is a 1947 British film noir psychological thriller directed by Lawrence Huntington and starring James Mason, Rosamund John and Pamela Kellino. The screenplay concerns a leading brain surgeon who murders a woman he believes to be responsible for the death of the woman he loved.

Pamela Mason English actress and author (1916–1996)

Pamela Mason, also known as Pamela Kellino, was an English actress, author, and screenwriter, known for being the creative partner and first wife of English actor James Mason.

<i>I Met a Murderer</i> 1939 film by Roy Kellino

I Met a Murderer is a 1939 British thriller film directed by Roy Kellino and starring James Mason, Pamela Mason, Sylvia Coleridge and William Devlin. A man murders his oppressive wife and flees from the police. He meets a young woman who suspects his identity as the murderer, but conceals this because she wants to use the story for a book. The film was shot on the Isle of Wight in 1939.

Roy Kellino was an English film director, producer and cinematographer.

<i>Charade</i> (1953 film) 1953 film by Roy Kellino

Charade is a 1953 black and white American anthology film directed by Roy Kellino. It consists of a trio of short stories introduced by and starring James Mason and his wife Pamela.

Everything I Have Is Yours is a 1952 American Technicolor musical film.

<i>Wall of Noise</i> 1963 American drama film directed by Richard Wilson

Wall of Noise is a 1963 American drama film directed by Richard Wilson, written by Joseph Landon, and starring Suzanne Pleshette, Ty Hardin, Dorothy Provine, Ralph Meeker, Simon Oakland and Jimmy Murphy. It was released by Warner Bros. on September 4, 1963.

References

  1. "Lady Possessed (1952) - Roy Kellino,William Spier - Cast and Crew - AllMovie".
  2. 1 2 "Lady Possessed (1951)".
  3. "Lady Possessed (1952) - Notes - TCM.com".
  4. Sweeney p.20
  5. Crowther, Bosley (February 15, 1952). "' Lady Possessed,' With James Mason and June Havoc, New Feature at Trans-Lux 52d Street" via NYTimes.com.
  6. "Lady Possessed".
  7. Welles, Orson De (October 13, 2016). "Lady Possessed (1952) with James Mason".

Bibliography