Loretta Young

Robert Cummings

Wendell Corey

Sam Jaffe

Douglas Dick

Suzanne Dalbert

Sara Allgood

Mickey Knox

George Spaulding

Francis Pierlot

Ann Doran

Carole Mathews

Billy Mauch

Eric Alden

John Bishop

Gladys Blake

Douglas Carter

Noble 'Kid' Chissell

Edward Clark

Frank Darien

Jim Davies

James Dime

Al Ferguson

Bess Flowers

Joe Gray

Harry Harvey

Richard Holland

John Indrisano

Nolan Leary

Joe McTurk

Ralph Montgomery

Bert Moorhouse

Roland Morris

Anton Northpole

William J. O'Brien

Albin Robeling

Frances Sandford

Sally Shepherd

Evelynne Smith

Lyn Thomas

Henry Travers

Josephine Whittell

Charles Williams

Hal B. Wallis

William Dieterle

June Truesdell

Ketti Frings

Milton Krasner

Victor Young

Gordon Jennings

Hans Dreier

Grace Gregory

Wally Westmore

Walter Oberst

Sam Comer

A. Earl Hedrick

Edith Head

Don McKay

Richard McWhorter

Warren Low

Farciot Edouart

Drama

Thriller

The Accused

Paramount Pictures

Hal Wallis Productions

United States of America

The Crime of Fear.

The Accused is directed by William Dieterle and adapted to screenplay by Ketti Frings from the novel “Be Still, My Love” written by June Truesdell. It stars Loretta Young, Robert Cummings, Wendell Corey, Sam Jaffe and Douglas Dick. Music is by Victor Young and cinematography by Milton R. Krasner.

Wilma Tuttle (Young) is a college professor who is prompted into an act of self defence when one of her students attacks her sexually. The damage done, Wilma covers up her crime and finds her conscience gnawing away at her, especially as she is actively involved in the police investigation…

Good sturdy story is well played out by a good sturdy cast, The Accused makes up for what it lacks in noir visuals with noir infected psychological smarts. Helps that Wilma Tuttle is a strong characterisation in Young’s excellent hands, the whole film hinging on the fact that Wilma’s crime is perfectly understandable to us viewers, she has our sympathy, more so since she has the chance of love with Cumming’s amiable and cunning lawyer. 

We follow the police investigation through its various strands of science, with Wilma privy to what is going on as well. This puts a devilish kink to proceedings as Lieutenant Ted Dorgan (Corey) is pretty sure he knows what really happened (an inquest had previously ruled the death as an accident caused whilst diving).

Further spice comes with the knowledge that Dorgan also has the hots for Wilma, thus this puts Wilma in a whirlpool of fear and fret, conscience battering and the amorous attentions of two male suitors, both of whom are intricately bound to the investigation. Plus she’s trying to keep it together at work whilst she’s teaching her students psychology!

It all builds to a good conclusion, which is nicely open ended, to round production out as an entertaining noirish meller. 7/10


English

The Accused (1949) ORIGINAL TRAILER