Ira Levin, an accomplished mystery writer, wrote the book in which this picture was based. The adaptation, by Lawrence Roman, works as a movie. Gerd Oswald, whose second movie this was, shows he wasn't up to the task of directing it. Perhaps with another director, a more satisfying film could have emerged.

If you haven't seen the movie, please stop reading here.

The film presents us a situation that was a classic dilemma for the times in which it was filmed: an unexpected pregnancy. It was a social issue that had more impact in those days than presently. This is a story of a young, naive coed that finds out to her horror, she is in the family way. The handsome boy that is responsible for it, goes into a state of panic, as he doesn't want any part of this situation.

The young woman is killed in front of our eyes, so there is no suspense in the fact, since we know who did it. The crime is exacerbated because the sister of the dead girl smells a rat in the way her sister, supposedly committed suicide. She starts digging into the past. The complicating factor is that Ellen, the kind sister has fallen for a hunk that hides from her the key for solving the crime.

The casting of the film was unusual in that Robert Wagner is cast as the evil Bud Corliss. Mr. Wagner with his good looks presents a facade of being what he is not. This duplicity makes us hate him. Virginia Leith, on the other hand, as the good sister, Ellen, is totally miscast. Perhaps another actress and a better direction would have made her more appealing. Joanne Woodward, as the doomed girl, makes a believable Dory. Jeffrey Hunter, as the man who discovers the mystery, makes a good impression.

If you're looking for an adaptation of the Ira Levin book--this isn't it. Also the book would be impossible to film. That aside this is OK murder mystery-thriller. I was lucky enough to see it letter-boxed on TCM--it looks great! However a film dealing with a psycho and murders he commits does NOT need a theme song! Acting is OK--not good, not bad, just OK. The cast is attractive, the film is beautiful to look at and it's an interesting diversion for 1 1/2 hours. So, an OK thriller--nothing really inventive or different about it. At all costs, AVOID the terrible 1991 remake! That one is a TOTAL waste of time!

Bud Corliss (Robert Wagner) comforts his girlfriend Dorothy "Dory" Kingship (Joanne Woodward) who is utterly distraught after discovering her pregnancy. He's the gold digger and concerned only about her father's mining fortune. Her disinheritance is guaranteed and he is pushed to marry her. He plans to stage her suicide to get rid of both of his responsibilities. Dory has a sister in Ellen (Virginia Leith) and nobody in the family has ever met Bud.

It's an interesting noir story of the 50's. The Kingship family is the new wealth of the country while Bud represents the growing greed. He is the maniac pushed over the cliff. Robert Wagner has the leading man looks and he reminds me of Charlie Sheen if he turned fully to the dark side of Gordon Gekko. If there is a weakness in the movie, it's Ellen. She needs to be a younger sister rather than an older sister. She needs to be more innocent than Dory. That would elevate the danger and her innocence would allow better for his deception. Also, I don't see any great acting from Leith. The movie gets handed to her after the turn and she doesn't have the big screen power. She has a good look but she never took over. Overall, I love the story and the early execution is great. Wagner does really good work here.