Obsession (1949 film)

Plot

Dr Riordan's wife Storm is cheating on him with American Bill Kronin. He determines to get the perfect revenge.

Cast

Play and novel

Alec Coppel originally wrote the story as a play when living in Sydney during World War II. He adapted the work into a novel while travelling to London. Both play and novel were called A Man About a Dog. (Although in the US the novel would be known as Over the Line.)

The play opened in London in April 1946.

The novel was published in 1948. Many critics commented that it felt similar to a play.

Production

Film rights were bought by British producer Noel Madison. He also bought the rights to two other thrillers, Four Hours to Kill by Norman Krasna and The Last Mile by John Wexley.

The director was Edward Dmytryk, who had just left Hollywood following his appearance in front of the House Un-American Activities Committee. He went to England in mid 1948, where he was granted a work permit under the Ministry of Labour – he was permitted the work there under the foreign directors quota agreement between producers and the local unions. He signed a contract to direct the film with Nat Bronstein of Independent Sovereign Films on 1 October 1948.

Filming took place near the house of Alec Coppel, who wrote the script, near Grovesnor House. The Coppel's home was turned into a temporary dressing room.

The plot involved disposing a body by dissolving it in acid. This had similarities to the John George Haigh case. Accordingly, the British Board of Film Censors refused to grant the film a certificate for a time and its release was held up.

Reception

Variety wrote that the film is slow paced at first but becomes suspenseful. The New York Times called it "a first-rate study in suspense and abnormal psychology". Kendal Patterson of the Los Angeles Times described it as an early predecessor of Fatal Attraction.