The Lost Moment

Plot

A publisher, Lewis Venable, travels from New York to Venice, seeking to buy the 19th Century love letters of the late poet Jeffrey Ashton (whose portrait looks suspiciously like Percy Bysshe Shelley) to a woman named Juliana Bordereau. He learns from a living poet, Charles Russell, that, amazingly, Juliana is still alive at 105.

Lewis assumes a false identity, not immediately announcing his intent. He is given lodging by Juliana and meets great-niece Tina, a pianist.

In time, he discovers that Juliana is in dire need of money, even offering to sell him a valuable painting. He also learns that Tina has a schizophrenic personality, at times deluding herself into believing that she is Juliana, and that Ashton's letters were written to her.

Charles tries to blackmail Lewis, revealing his true identity and purpose. Lewis comes to believe that Ashton was murdered and buried in the garden. Chaos ensues as he begins to leave, the house catching fire. He manages to save Juliana from the blaze, but the precious letters are lost, as is the old woman's will to live.

Cast

Production

The film was produced at Universal Pictures by Walter Wanger, from a screenplay by Leonardo Bercovici based on the novella The Aspern Papers by Henry James. The music score was by Daniele Amfitheatrof and the cinematography was by Hal Mohr. The film stars Robert Cummings and Susan Hayward with Agnes Moorehead, Joan Lorring, Eduardo Ciannelli and Minerva Urecal.

The eerie atmosphere in the Venetian home was achieved through "tenebrous lighting, solemn rhythms and emphasis in music and sounds". Agnes Moorehead's makeover as the 105-year-old woman was the subject of magazine articles for months after release. Occasional glimpses of Agnes Moorehead also add to the grotesque.

Reception

The film recorded a loss of $886,494. The film was not well received by critics upon release, "written off as being rather gloomily literary." Bosley Crowther of The New York Times considered the film to be "little more than the average horror", believing that Robert Cummings and Susan Hayward had little chemistry, saying "Miss Hayward performs as the daft niece with a rigidity that is almost ludicrous, and Mr. Cummings has the unctious manner of a nice young undertaker as the publisher. Eduardo Ciannelli is professional, at least, as a priest." The film has since been seen in a more favorable light. Time Out said that the film is a "remarkably effective adaptation of Henry James' The Aspern Papers, closer to the shivery ambience of The Innocents than to the oh-so-discreet charm of Daisy Miller or The Europeans." David Thompson said that the film was "beautifully shot".