Share quick Cast a Dark Shadow review with others and describe your own experience or read existing feedback. There's also a memorably menacing title sequence featuring Bogarde's deranged eyes. Director Lewis Gilbert creates a tense, taut pace and his actors more than arise to the occasion. A couple of my favorite films he made are THE SERVANT and CAST A DARK SHADOW and they both have a familiar theme of a sociopathic man who uses and abuses anyone to become rich. Direction, cinematography, screenplay, editing all were professionally done. The story concerns a young wife-murderer, played by Dirk Bogarde.The film also stars Kay Walsh and Margaret Lockwood, who was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best British Actress for the film. "Cast a Dark Shadow" contains the rather standard: young, handsome cad marries a rich, old lady and then bumps her off for her money plot. Cast a Dark Shadow (28-Jan-1957) Director: Lewis Gilbert. You're almost there! Shown on British archive channel Talking Pictures TV recently, On Rotten Tomatoes, Dark Shadows holds an approval rating of 36% based on 252 reviews, with an average rating of 5.34/10. In the movie the roles are split between Mona Washbourne and Margaret Lockwood. We use cookies and similar tools to enhance your shopping experience, to provide our services, understand how customers use our services so we can make improvements, and display ads. Freda because she's my class and Monie because she was old and lonely." | They won't be able to see your review if you only submit your rating. Cohen Media offer optional English (SDH) subtitles on their Region 'A' Blu-ray. Cast a Dark Shadow 1955. After an investigation results in a decision of "accidental death", Bare discovers that his late wife's "fortune" is not what he thought it was. Dirk Bogarde is the psychopathic killer who does away with rich wife Mona Washbourne, making her death look like an accident but when he finds she's made a will leaving all her money to her sister in Jamacia he marries Margaret Lockwood for her money only to find she's not quite so easy to get rid off. Lockwood may be common, but her brain works like clockwork. Although she adores Bogarde, Ms. Lockwood is not generous with her cash. However, it has some interesting aspects that freshen-up that shopworn tale. FAQ They support both films well with sharp suspenseful cues on the uncompressed transfer. Freda (Margaret Lockwood) is his second wife. A solid little murder thriller from Britain. 1955, Mystery and thriller, 1h 24m. This dark noirish mystery is filled with Freudian symbolism enmeshed within a typical murder mystery. Meanwhile, Bogarde cons his first wife's simple-minded maid Harrison into thinking he's a decent man, but Washbourne's lawyer Flemyng isn't fooled. Washbourne fulfills her role as the befuddled first wife very well. Bogarde is wonderful as the conniving lady-killer, showing lots of expression and layers. Margaret Lockwood is so good as the hardened widow Mrs. Jeffries, it's almost scary. A charming, scheming young man, married to dowdy Mona Washborne(even in 1955! | Rating: C+ There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Block or Report. Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Cast A Dark Shadow [DVD] ... 5.0 out of 5 stars Cast a dark shadow. Another point: It seems that he was genuinely fond of the old dear, and can't bear to have anyone enter her bedroom, or change anything in it. A wife-murderer marries a barmaid and tries again. Teddy was thinking about other kinds of accidents that might happen even before they married. As the film continues, we dove deep into the mind of Edward Bear. Directed by Lewis Gilbert | Starring: Dirk Bogarde, Margaret Lockwood, Kay Walsh, Kathleen Harrison Edward "Teddy" Bare is a ruthless schemer who thinks he's hit the big time when he kills his older wife, believing he will inherit a fortune. | Fresh (2) All about Cast a Dark Shadow (1955) English Cinema, Trailer, Video clips, Cast a Dark Shadow Reviews, Expert Reviews, Story, Photo Gallery, Trivia & Goofups and Cast a Dark Shadow Songs. He had to have known the car he'd driven away in was the one he had rigged to crash. I lost track of what went on at the end; first I thought he'd completely flipped and was trying to kill himself, then changed his mind and tried not to. In skirts that are so tight she has to pull them up in order to sit down and with cigarettes hanging out of her beauty-marked mouth, she enlivens the film every time she is on screen. They all give good performances but are not round characters at all. (Halliwell’s) Film clips (3) Cast a Dark Shadow (1955) Opening Credits. Get the freshest reviews, news, and more delivered right to your inbox! When things don't go according to plan, Teddy sets his sights on a new victim: wealthy widow Freda Jeffries (Margaret Lockwood). The site's critical consensus reads: "The visuals are top notch but Tim Burton never finds a consistent rhythm, mixing campy jokes and gothic spookiness with less success than other Johnny Depp collaborations." Don't have an account? Unfortunately, his haste leaves him in a precarious financial state and so he must give marrying and killing for money one more try. Kathleen Harrison as the maid played her character superbly while keeping her in the background, so to speak. Margaret Lockwood gave an award caliber performance. The other women characters are stereotypes as is Bogarde. I was soon hooked - all over again. Don’t worry, it won’t take long. Bogarde is Edward "Teddy" Bare (geddit? Kay Walsh, on the other hand, takes him on differently with kindness and sympathy but only to prove the hardest and cleverest woman of them all - their final volcano eruption of a quarrel makes the film glow of glory like an overwhelming theatre performance. The real gem of the film, however, is Lockwood. This lurid and scheming sly character of a reckless and shameless opportunist fits Dirk Bogarde's prying kind of acting perfectly, and I have never seen him better, but the prize goes to Margaret Lockwood - it's impossible to start with to recognize her as Margaret Lockwood. He has married wealthy but older Monica (Mona Washbourne) and thinks he will inherit all her money as he is her spouse. Please click the link below to receive your verification email. Anyone would think it was Bluebeard's chamber! Buy Cast A Dark Shadow [DVD] from Amazon's Movies Store. Fans of Hitchcock and his ilk of suspense films will probably enjoy it more than the average viewer. | Rotten (1). When he misunderstands her intentions regarding her will, he decides to do her in. Coming Soon. A crackerjack cast of British pros enlivens this drawing room murder story based on a play. This is a thoroughly engaging movie with a twisted plot line. To spite his monstrous act, Edward still feels great love towards his first wife. Edward "Teddy" Bare (Dirk Bogarde) is a ruthless schemer who thinks he's hit the big time when he kills his older wife (Mona Washbourne), believing he will inherit a fortune. We're talking one murder here and possibly a couple more to come down the pike. He soon realizes that she had no intent to do so but rather to leave everything to him, and he must now go and find another middle-aged woman ripe for his charms. It seemed to fit the film very well. Though the ending is fairly predictable, there is one twist that some viewers may not see coming. Keywords: Thriller. Nevertheless, "Coffin" seems to have had its roots in this work. )believes his wife is about to disinherit him and murders her whilst trying to be proactive. It may be a load of old tosh but it's also very enjoyable. Until reading these comments, I hadn't realized that this originally was a play in which the lead woman had a dual role - that of victim and nemesis. With ‘ Cast a Dark Shadow,’ however, Gilbert made an estimable contribution to the film noir canon, assisted by cinematographer Jack Asher who also appears in control of the full noir register (Asher would later be lauded for his cinematographic contribution to many of the films of the late ‘50’s/ early ‘60’s British horror cycle). The Cohen Media Blu-ray offers only new, restored, trailers for both films. The one obvious flaw was the predictability of the story. the contempt he feels for her runs strong throughout the remaining scenes of the film. )who knocks off his older, wealthy wife to collect her estate. Edward "Teddy" Bare (Dirk Bogarde) kills his wealthy older wife, Monica, after she asks her lawyer, to change her will. Adapted from a stage play ('Murder Mistaken'), this film shows the wonderful Margaret Lockwood playing a realistic character, rather than as a highwaywoman or gipsy in a melodrama. Dirk Bogarde couldn't have been better. The black-and-white film was based on the play Murder Mistaken by Janet Green. "I know who I appeal to. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Verified reviews are considered more trustworthy by fellow moviegoers. Edward "Teddy" Bare is a ruthless schemer who thinks he's hit the big time when he kills his older wife, believing he will inherit a fortune. Reviews (1) Unambitious but enjoyable melodrama, well acted, though with directorial opportunities missed. Monie (Mona Washbourne) was his first wife, considerably older than he and quite rich. Cast a Dark Shadow is a very British film, both in the ensemble nature of its acting and in the elegance and style of the murderer himself–this, as the New York Times reviewer noted, was the “fine art of murder” as only the British could do it. Read honest and unbiased product reviews from our users. It holds your interest throughout with an absorbing tale of cupidity and stupidity. (possible spoiler!). This movie was very surprised because of its 7.1 rating and got about 1549 user reviews. Spoiler alert! It's a heavy Victorian monstrosity that hasn't been done up since about 1880. The acting stellar. Cast a dark shadow is perhaps the most underrated film ever made. The other is that Monie had a sister. Cast a Dark Shadow was on my TCM Top Twelve for January, and it’s a choice that turned out to be the right one. Reviewed in the United States on November 4, 2017. But Teddy didn't count on two things: That he might be too clever by half is one. Please enter your email address and we will email you a new password. Metacritic Reviews. DIRK BOGARDE was always at his best playing the anti-hero with a dark side, lifting his eyebrow to suggest still another wicked scheme going on in his mind. Dirk Bogarde plays a scheming young man who uses his charm to wed an older wealthy woman. Lockwood found television very lucrative and with "Cast a Dark Shadow" was offered one of her finest film character parts. Cast a Dark Shadow 1h 24m mystery and thriller; Directed By: Lewis Gilbert In Theaters: Streaming: Angel Productions; Cast a Dark Shadow Reviews. The two characters become entangled with one another. Cast a Dark Shadow is an unpretentious murder story which has a particularly good plot twist that lifts it a little out of the ordinary. Read reviews, check member ratings of Cast a Dark Shadow movie. That's Edward 'Teddy' Bare (Dirk Bogarde) speaking. He is a man who seems to be trapped emotionally. 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