The star of this movie (Rosalind Russell) and its producer (who was also Russell's husband), created "Independent Artists Ltd" and for their first production, selected a story about a murder that was committed because of the conflict that existed between a top actress and her producer!! Fortunately, this wasn't autobiographical and provided the basis for an entertaining melodrama that features a colourful collection of characters, a wonderfully witty script and an on-going sense of tension that's created because of the circumstances of the murder and its unexpected repercussions. Guilt, jealousy and bitterness are just a few of the emotions that fuel the passions of the story's main characters and ensure that what takes place behind the scenes at a Broadway theatre, is every bit as the dramatic as anything that takes place on stage.
For the last ten years, top Broadway star Valerie Stanton (Rosalind Russell) and her producer, Gordon Dunning (Leon Ames) have worked together on a series of light comedies that have all been highly successful. Problems arise, however, when their latest hit comes to the end of its run and Valerie decides that she wants to develop her career by taking on more serious roles. In Gordon's office, the two ex-lovers get into a heated argument because he doesn't want to end their relationship (personally or professionally). In his desperation, he also threatens to reveal some unflattering information about her past which would undoubtedly threaten her current relationship with Michael Morrell (Leo Genn) who's a well-respected architect. As their argument starts to become more physical, Valerie picks up a statuette from Gordon's desk and hits him over the head with it and then, recognising that she's killed him, leaves the theatre shortly after.
Marian Webster (Claire Trevor), who had regularly been one of Valerie's co-stars during her association with Gordon, discovers the producer's dead body and is heartbroken because she'd been his lover until Valerie came along and had remained in love with him ever since. Her distress is so great that she immediately falls into a deep state of shock and has to be hospitalised. When the police investigation begins, Captain Danbury (Sydney Greenstreet) is assigned to the case and Marian Webster becomes the prime suspect because her fingerprints are the only ones found on the statuette. Unfortunately, because of her condition, Marian isn't well enough to be questioned by the police and so Danbury pursues his investigation by calling the whole theatre group together to discuss what they knew about what had transpired in Gordon's office. Nothing new seems to emerge from this process and so Marian Webster remains under suspicion and it seems that Valerie's going to get away with murder.
During the weeks that follow, Valerie becomes increasingly tormented by the guilt she feels about what's happened to Marian (despite the fact that the two women hate each other) and is also fearful about whether the police will discover that she's Gordon's killer. This makes her rehearsals for Ibsen's "Hedda Gabler" extremely challenging and also makes it uncertain whether she'll ever be able to achieve her ultimate ambition and prove herself as a serious actress.
Rosalind Russell and Claire Trevor are both superb in their roles with Russell doing a great job of making her character's anguish recognisable whilst still conducting herself with her usual confidence. Leon Ames is brilliantly cast as the shrewd producer who has some cynical attitudes to the whole notion of love and Leo Genn is incredibly smug as the architect who patronises Valerie from the very first time he meets her. The outstanding performance, however, comes from Sydney Greenstreet who illuminates every scene he's in with his offbeat humour and his ability to convey non-verbally that he consistently knows more than he outwardly acknowledges.
For the last ten years, top Broadway star Valerie Stanton (Rosalind Russell) and her producer, Gordon Dunning (Leon Ames) have worked together on a series of light comedies that have all been highly successful. Problems arise, however, when their latest hit comes to the end of its run and Valerie decides that she wants to develop her career by taking on more serious roles. In Gordon's office, the two ex-lovers get into a heated argument because he doesn't want to end their relationship (personally or professionally). In his desperation, he also threatens to reveal some unflattering information about her past which would undoubtedly threaten her current relationship with Michael Morrell (Leo Genn) who's a well-respected architect. As their argument starts to become more physical, Valerie picks up a statuette from Gordon's desk and hits him over the head with it and then, recognising that she's killed him, leaves the theatre shortly after.
Marian Webster (Claire Trevor), who had regularly been one of Valerie's co-stars during her association with Gordon, discovers the producer's dead body and is heartbroken because she'd been his lover until Valerie came along and had remained in love with him ever since. Her distress is so great that she immediately falls into a deep state of shock and has to be hospitalised. When the police investigation begins, Captain Danbury (Sydney Greenstreet) is assigned to the case and Marian Webster becomes the prime suspect because her fingerprints are the only ones found on the statuette. Unfortunately, because of her condition, Marian isn't well enough to be questioned by the police and so Danbury pursues his investigation by calling the whole theatre group together to discuss what they knew about what had transpired in Gordon's office. Nothing new seems to emerge from this process and so Marian Webster remains under suspicion and it seems that Valerie's going to get away with murder.
During the weeks that follow, Valerie becomes increasingly tormented by the guilt she feels about what's happened to Marian (despite the fact that the two women hate each other) and is also fearful about whether the police will discover that she's Gordon's killer. This makes her rehearsals for Ibsen's "Hedda Gabler" extremely challenging and also makes it uncertain whether she'll ever be able to achieve her ultimate ambition and prove herself as a serious actress.
Rosalind Russell and Claire Trevor are both superb in their roles with Russell doing a great job of making her character's anguish recognisable whilst still conducting herself with her usual confidence. Leon Ames is brilliantly cast as the shrewd producer who has some cynical attitudes to the whole notion of love and Leo Genn is incredibly smug as the architect who patronises Valerie from the very first time he meets her. The outstanding performance, however, comes from Sydney Greenstreet who illuminates every scene he's in with his offbeat humour and his ability to convey non-verbally that he consistently knows more than he outwardly acknowledges.