I know. I know: Val Lewton saved RKO. He took awful titles forced on him and made subtle movies from them. He was influential. Etc., etc.
Nevertheless, and though I do understand that scenes were cut, "The Seventh Victim" doesn't follow any logical plot. We begin with a Sonnet from John Donne and hear schoolgirls declining the Latin word verb "love." It's filled with literary touches like these.
The thing is: It doesn't work.
That said, the cast is superb. Kim Hunter doesn't need praise from me. Just think "Stella"! She was also good in a marvelous film noir that used to be shown fairly often and seems to have disappeared. It even has a great title: "When Strangers Marry." Tom Conway is good, as are the other men. Jacqueline Brooks, as Hunter's sister, is made up and coiffed in such a bizarre manner we can't take our eyes off her.
Mary Newton, the evil woman who has taken over Brooks's beauty salon, is similarly fascinating to look at. She has a rather tough manner. (A pronounced lesbian subtext runs throughout the movie. I'm sure it was not unintentional.) Both these women remind me of Gloria Holden, so mesmerizing as "Dracula's Daughter." Also, in a small role, is Feodor Chaliapin Jr, son of one of the greatest singers of the Twentieth Century.
In a way, the most intriguing character, for me, is Irving August. For some reason, though the character is pivotal to the plot, the actor playing him is uncredited. His name is Lou Lubin and for all the world he looks as if he stepped right out of a photograph by the great Weegee! So watching this is not a waste of time. But don't expect a coherent plot. For me, the best of Lewton's productions was "The Ghost Ship." This one is in the top half of his others, but not too high up.
Nevertheless, and though I do understand that scenes were cut, "The Seventh Victim" doesn't follow any logical plot. We begin with a Sonnet from John Donne and hear schoolgirls declining the Latin word verb "love." It's filled with literary touches like these.
The thing is: It doesn't work.
That said, the cast is superb. Kim Hunter doesn't need praise from me. Just think "Stella"! She was also good in a marvelous film noir that used to be shown fairly often and seems to have disappeared. It even has a great title: "When Strangers Marry." Tom Conway is good, as are the other men. Jacqueline Brooks, as Hunter's sister, is made up and coiffed in such a bizarre manner we can't take our eyes off her.
Mary Newton, the evil woman who has taken over Brooks's beauty salon, is similarly fascinating to look at. She has a rather tough manner. (A pronounced lesbian subtext runs throughout the movie. I'm sure it was not unintentional.) Both these women remind me of Gloria Holden, so mesmerizing as "Dracula's Daughter." Also, in a small role, is Feodor Chaliapin Jr, son of one of the greatest singers of the Twentieth Century.
In a way, the most intriguing character, for me, is Irving August. For some reason, though the character is pivotal to the plot, the actor playing him is uncredited. His name is Lou Lubin and for all the world he looks as if he stepped right out of a photograph by the great Weegee! So watching this is not a waste of time. But don't expect a coherent plot. For me, the best of Lewton's productions was "The Ghost Ship." This one is in the top half of his others, but not too high up.