Suspense was the most expensive film put out by B-list Monogram Pictures. That's because it featured a multitude of figure skating scenes starring Belita, a marvelous skater who was involved in the motion picture industry primarily from the mid 40s to the mid 50s. Indeed it's the figure skating you should see the film for and not the story, which doesn't make much sense.
The protagonist is Joe Morgan (Barry Sullivan), a tough guy just in from New York and looking for work in Los Angeles. He happens upon an ice show starring Roberta Elva (Belita), produced by her husband Frank Leonard (Albert Dekker). In a very unconvincing scene, Morgan barges his way into Leonard's office and demands a job. For some reason, Leonard is unperturbed by his rude demeanor and hires him as a peanut vendor on the spot.
Roberta's act is not selling enough tickets and it's Morgan's suggestion that she jump through a hoop of knives that earns him a rather quick promotion to a managerial position. This all is quite unbelievable as Leonard can sense that Morgan is putting the moves on his wife. While Leonard is away on business, Morgan takes Roberta out and makes it clear he's interested in her. She rebuffs him at first but then shows interest.
When Roberta and Leonard take a vacation up to their winter cottage in the snow-filled Sierras, Leonard barges in again by arriving at the cottage on the pretext that he has important papers from Leonard's assistant Harry Wheeler (Eugene Palette) for Leonard to sign. Leonard, utilizing a rifle from his cottage, attempts to kill Morgan while he watches Roberta skate up in the mountains. The shot causes an avalanche and Leonard is presumed dead (although Leonard had a clear shot at Morgan, somehow he missed!).
Meanwhile, Morgan's old girlfriend Ronnie (Bonita Granville) shows up and takes a room opposite him at his hotel. She eventually obtains information about some of Morgan's earlier nefarious dealings in New York and attempts to blackmail him with it (with soon to be revealed disastrous results for Morgan). He soon marries Roberta and takes over Leonard's position as producer of the ice show.
Perhaps the most absurd plot line in the film is when it's revealed that Leonard survived the avalanche. With no identity, how does he survive for two months stalking Morgan? When he finally confronts Morgan in his old office, somehow (and we never see this on screen), Morgan over powers and then kills him, disposing of the body in a large desk, which ends up in the incinerator of the building's basement.
If you can believe all this, then you'll probably accept the unlikely climax in which Ronnie, the obsessed and disgruntled ex-girlfriend, shoots Morgan to death following Roberta's successful ice show jumping through the knives (notably, Morgan, still with a thing for Roberta, stops Roberta from jumping through the hoop the first time, after sabotaging the position of one of the knives, which could have easily resulted in a fatal injury for the ice queen).
Sullivan as Morgan (who is such an unlikable character) can do little with the part. Belita is the star of the show with her extraordinary figure skating. Eugene Palette as Harry serves up his final role prior to his death (a known racist, his demise couldn't have come sooner!). Suspense is an unusual noir with its skating backdrop-for that reason you should take a look.
The protagonist is Joe Morgan (Barry Sullivan), a tough guy just in from New York and looking for work in Los Angeles. He happens upon an ice show starring Roberta Elva (Belita), produced by her husband Frank Leonard (Albert Dekker). In a very unconvincing scene, Morgan barges his way into Leonard's office and demands a job. For some reason, Leonard is unperturbed by his rude demeanor and hires him as a peanut vendor on the spot.
Roberta's act is not selling enough tickets and it's Morgan's suggestion that she jump through a hoop of knives that earns him a rather quick promotion to a managerial position. This all is quite unbelievable as Leonard can sense that Morgan is putting the moves on his wife. While Leonard is away on business, Morgan takes Roberta out and makes it clear he's interested in her. She rebuffs him at first but then shows interest.
When Roberta and Leonard take a vacation up to their winter cottage in the snow-filled Sierras, Leonard barges in again by arriving at the cottage on the pretext that he has important papers from Leonard's assistant Harry Wheeler (Eugene Palette) for Leonard to sign. Leonard, utilizing a rifle from his cottage, attempts to kill Morgan while he watches Roberta skate up in the mountains. The shot causes an avalanche and Leonard is presumed dead (although Leonard had a clear shot at Morgan, somehow he missed!).
Meanwhile, Morgan's old girlfriend Ronnie (Bonita Granville) shows up and takes a room opposite him at his hotel. She eventually obtains information about some of Morgan's earlier nefarious dealings in New York and attempts to blackmail him with it (with soon to be revealed disastrous results for Morgan). He soon marries Roberta and takes over Leonard's position as producer of the ice show.
Perhaps the most absurd plot line in the film is when it's revealed that Leonard survived the avalanche. With no identity, how does he survive for two months stalking Morgan? When he finally confronts Morgan in his old office, somehow (and we never see this on screen), Morgan over powers and then kills him, disposing of the body in a large desk, which ends up in the incinerator of the building's basement.
If you can believe all this, then you'll probably accept the unlikely climax in which Ronnie, the obsessed and disgruntled ex-girlfriend, shoots Morgan to death following Roberta's successful ice show jumping through the knives (notably, Morgan, still with a thing for Roberta, stops Roberta from jumping through the hoop the first time, after sabotaging the position of one of the knives, which could have easily resulted in a fatal injury for the ice queen).
Sullivan as Morgan (who is such an unlikable character) can do little with the part. Belita is the star of the show with her extraordinary figure skating. Eugene Palette as Harry serves up his final role prior to his death (a known racist, his demise couldn't have come sooner!). Suspense is an unusual noir with its skating backdrop-for that reason you should take a look.