Pitfall (1948)

starring Dick Powell, Lizabeth Scott, Jane Wyman, Raymond Burr

directed by Andre de Toth

John Forbes (Dick Powell) works for the Olympic Mutual Insurance Company. He meets Mona Stevens (Lizabeth Scott) while he is working a case. She received gifts that were bought with stolen money. Forbes is there to take back the gifts. He winds up spending the rest of the day with her. She takes him out on a motor boat that Smiley bought her. They go for drinks and dinner after a spin on the boat.

Forbes subsequently finds out that McDonald (Raymond Chandler), the PI who located Stevens, is infatuated with her. McDonald beats up Forbes after he spends more time with Mona. It is about this time that she finds out that Forbes is married and has a family. She breaks things off with Forbes after he recovers from the beating but then McDonald starts showing up everywhere she goes. She turns to John for help. Forbes returns the favor that McDonald did him and beats him up. He also warns him about about going anywhere near Mona.

McDonald goes to see Smiley, Mona's boyfriend, in prison. He tells Smiley about Mona and John. Smiley doesn't understand and gets agitated. Moan comes to see him in prison. She has decided that she should try to renew her relationship with him now that he is about to get out of prison. Smiley asks her about Forbes. She is evasive. He notices that she isn't wearing the ring he bought her. She explains that she had to return it. He isn't very happy when he hears that.

Stevens tells Forbes what she's found out. Sue (Jane Wyman), Forbes wife, senses that something is wrong but he doesn't tell her what it is until it is too late. Smiley gets out of prison. McDonald gives him a gun and tells him where he can find Forbes. He goes to the Forbes family home, drunk and armed. John tries scaring him off but when that doesn't work Forbes shoots and kills Smiley after he breaks in to his house.

McDonald goes to see Mona. He tells her about what happened at the Forbes home. She doesn't know what to do. He tells her that she's going to come with him. She watches him pack her clothes. When he isn't looking she pulls out a gun and shoots him.

Forbes gets away with killing Smiley but his marriage is on the rocks. Sue doesn't want to leave him. She suggests that they try to make it work. Mona gets arrested. McDonald is still alive but for how long is uncertain.

Thoughts

I was very impressed by the characters in this movie. I didn't like them all but I found them all to be interesting. I was very taken by the ending which was a little more open ended than I feared it would be.