Tension (1949)

Tension (1949)

starring Richard Basehart, Audrey Totter, Cyd Charisse, Barry Sullivan

directed by John Berry

91 minutes

Drugstore manager Warren Quimby's (Richard Basehart) marriage to Claire (Audrey Totter) is on the rocks. She regularly goes out with other men. She leaves him and moves in with Barney Deager, one of those men, which pushes him into desperate territory. 

Warren gets another apartment and establishes himself there under the identity of Paul Sothern. He claims to be a traveling salesman and only stays in the second apartment on weekends. His plan is to kill Barney Deager and have everyone think that it is Paul Sothern that did it.

Mary Chanler (Cyd Charisse), one of Paul's neighbors, catches his eye and they start dating. Paul almost goes through with his plan to kill Barney Deager but changes his mind at the last minute. Claire returns to Warren the next day. He learns, about an hour later that Barney was murdered.

Warren abandons his identity as Paul Sothern, but the police and Mary come looking for him. Lieutenant Collier Bonnabel, one of the police officers investigating the murder of Barney Deager, gets very friendly with Claire. Things get complicated for Warren, Claire, and Mary.

Thoughts

I saw this movie as part of the 2025 edition of the Noir City DC film festival.

This was a fun movie to watch. I wouldn't call it great. I enjoyed it mostly for Audrey Totter's role as the femme fatale. Despite the title it didn't feel like a thriller to me. Sure, I wanted to see how it would turn out but there wasn't too much doubt in my mind as to how (generally speaking) the movie would end.

It's not a must see but if you like the way Audrey Totter plays a femme fatale then this might be one worth checking out.

Notes

Richard Basehart has been in at least one other movie I have seen: The Island of Dr. Moreau (1977). He appeared in episodes of Tales of the Unexpected, The Twilight Zone (1959), and The Alfred Hitchcock Hour.

Audrey Totter has been in a couple movies I have seen including, most recently, Lady in the Lake (1946). She appeared in a couple episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955).

I believe this is the first movie in which Cyd Charisse had a prominent role that I have seen.