I don't mind saying that I'm too much of a jealous husband to appreciate this movie. Our main character, Clive Riordan (Robert Newton), wasn't jealous of his wife's extra-marital affair, he was just upset that he was played for a fool.
Storm Riordan (Sally Gray) was stepping out on her husband Clive with an American named Bill Kronin (Phil Brown). After typing that last sentence I wonder what upset Clive more: the fact his wife was cheating on him or the fact she was cheating on him with an American? In any case, Clive was well aware of his wife's infidelity and he'd hatched the perfect plan to end it.
He confronted the two at his home when they thought he was away on holiday. Because this is a British film the entire scenario was rather tame and sophisticated considering the circumstances. I suppose the British pride themselves on their manners even in adverse situations. In this case I think it was well-mannered to a fault. There are times when decorum is necessary and there are times when you need to be Marsellus Wallace and go medieval. This was a medieval moment.
Clive played it cool because he had a plan. Oddly (or maybe not), Storm became indignant with her husband as though he was in the wrong. She had that strange, yet common reaction of someone caught doing something embarrassing so they lash out at the one who caught them like the one who caught them should uphold their dignity. Just as odd (or maybe not) is that Clive remained married to his wife and civil to her as well. I would've expected to see War of the Roses if he was going to remain married. Shows how much I know of British culture.
Clive's plan involved holding Bill captive until a time as he saw appropriate to kill him. He wanted to make sure his name was in the clear before doing the deed and disposing of him.
This was another case of trying to be too smart. We'd see this in movies to come after 1949 and in most cases the intelligent, leave-nothing-to-chance killer is caught. Right away I can think of "Dial M for Murder," "The Perfect Murder," "Murder by Numbers," and "Fracture." It's usually a small thing that upsets their plan.
I think if I'd seen "The Hidden Room" aka "Obsession" 20-25 years ago I would've liked it, or I would've liked it a little more at least. Now, with a catalog of similar movies in my head, I found it mediocre. There were a lot of stuffy speeches and British good manners that did more to hamper the movie than help it. It's not a copycat, but I've seen enough overplanned murder movies to not be at all impressed or surprised.
Furthermore, this movie ended too blissfully. Clive was arrested eventually, but not for murder, just attempted murder because Bill survived being poisoned. He cordially went along with the superintendent of Scotland Yard as though he'd been invited out for a drink. Then the unfaithful wife simply went on holiday totally unbothered by her involvement in a scandal, and quite resolved to pick up where she left off with seeing Bill or whoever else wandered into her life. I'm just too fire and brimstone for such an ending.
Storm Riordan (Sally Gray) was stepping out on her husband Clive with an American named Bill Kronin (Phil Brown). After typing that last sentence I wonder what upset Clive more: the fact his wife was cheating on him or the fact she was cheating on him with an American? In any case, Clive was well aware of his wife's infidelity and he'd hatched the perfect plan to end it.
He confronted the two at his home when they thought he was away on holiday. Because this is a British film the entire scenario was rather tame and sophisticated considering the circumstances. I suppose the British pride themselves on their manners even in adverse situations. In this case I think it was well-mannered to a fault. There are times when decorum is necessary and there are times when you need to be Marsellus Wallace and go medieval. This was a medieval moment.
Clive played it cool because he had a plan. Oddly (or maybe not), Storm became indignant with her husband as though he was in the wrong. She had that strange, yet common reaction of someone caught doing something embarrassing so they lash out at the one who caught them like the one who caught them should uphold their dignity. Just as odd (or maybe not) is that Clive remained married to his wife and civil to her as well. I would've expected to see War of the Roses if he was going to remain married. Shows how much I know of British culture.
Clive's plan involved holding Bill captive until a time as he saw appropriate to kill him. He wanted to make sure his name was in the clear before doing the deed and disposing of him.
This was another case of trying to be too smart. We'd see this in movies to come after 1949 and in most cases the intelligent, leave-nothing-to-chance killer is caught. Right away I can think of "Dial M for Murder," "The Perfect Murder," "Murder by Numbers," and "Fracture." It's usually a small thing that upsets their plan.
I think if I'd seen "The Hidden Room" aka "Obsession" 20-25 years ago I would've liked it, or I would've liked it a little more at least. Now, with a catalog of similar movies in my head, I found it mediocre. There were a lot of stuffy speeches and British good manners that did more to hamper the movie than help it. It's not a copycat, but I've seen enough overplanned murder movies to not be at all impressed or surprised.
Furthermore, this movie ended too blissfully. Clive was arrested eventually, but not for murder, just attempted murder because Bill survived being poisoned. He cordially went along with the superintendent of Scotland Yard as though he'd been invited out for a drink. Then the unfaithful wife simply went on holiday totally unbothered by her involvement in a scandal, and quite resolved to pick up where she left off with seeing Bill or whoever else wandered into her life. I'm just too fire and brimstone for such an ending.