A Woman's Secret (1949)

Information from IMDb

Plot Summary
Susan is laying in the hospital with a bullet near her heart.
Marian has told the police that she shot Susan in a rage as Susan
was giving up her singing. Marian and Luke found Susan when she was a failure.
A singer with a limited range, she was a diamond in the rough to which Marian
and Luke taught how to walk, dress and talk.
With the singing lessons, Marian had hoped that she would have
the career that Marian would have had if she had not lost her voice.
Even thought Susan is a scatterbrain girl, Luke does not believe that Marian
would or was capable of shooting her.
Luke hopes that Detective Fowler will be able to find out the truth and free Marian.
Written by Tony Fontana

Full Cast
Maureen O'Hara .... Marian Washburn
Melvyn Douglas .... Luke Jordan
Gloria Grahame .... Susan Caldwell aka Estrellita
Bill Williams .... Lee Crenshaw
Victor Jory .... Brook Matthews
Mary Philips .... Mrs. Mary Fowler
Jay C. Flippen .... Police Insp. Jim Fowler
Robert Warwick .... Assistant District Attorney Roberts
Curt Conway .... Doctor
Ann Shoemaker .... Mrs. Matthews, Brook's Mother
Virginia Farmer .... Mollie the Washburn Maid
Ellen Corby .... Nurse who reads paper to Susan
Emory Parnell .... Police Lieutenant at Desk
C. Bakaleinikoff .... Conductor, studio recording session (uncredited)
Guy Beach .... Policeman (uncredited)
Conrad Binyon .... Tommy, Messenger Boy (uncredited)
Oliver Blake .... Mr. Pierson (uncredited)
Raymond Bond .... Dr. Ferris (uncredited)
Eddie Borden .... Ship's Waiter (uncredited)
Tom Coleman .... Policeman (uncredited)
James Conaty .... Ship Dance Extra (uncredited)
Bert Davidson .... Radio Director (uncredited)
Marcel De la Brosse .... The French Baker (uncredited)
George Douglas .... Policeman (uncredited)
Dan Foster .... Stage Manager (uncredited)
Donna Gibson .... Girl (uncredited)
John Goldsworthy .... Harold, Matthews' Butler (uncredited)
Paul Guilfoyle .... Radio Program Moderator (uncredited)
Alvin Hammer .... Fred, Fowler's Assistant (uncredited)
John Laing .... WLR Radio Announcer (uncredited)
Robert Malcolm .... Bit Part (uncredited)
Rory Mallinson .... Police Lt. Benson (uncredited)
Frank Marlowe .... The Reporter (uncredited)
Alphonse Martell .... Algerian Waiter (uncredited)
Ralph Montgomery .... The News Photographer (uncredited)
Forbes Murray .... Mr. Emory (uncredited)
Frederic Nay .... Ship's Master of Ceremonies (uncredited)
Norman Nesbitt .... Announcer (uncredited)
John Parrish .... Prof. Paul Camelli (uncredited)
Lee Phelps .... Police Clerk, District Attorney's Office (uncredited)
Bill Purington .... Intern (uncredited)
Suzanne Ridgeway .... Dance Extra (uncredited)
Jack Rourke .... Announcer (uncredited)
Mickey Simpson .... Policeman-Guard, Hospital Recovery Room (uncredited)
Ralph Stein .... Mr. Harris (uncredited)
Evelyn Underwood .... Girl (uncredited)
Loreli Vitek .... Waitress (uncredited)
Charles Wagenheim .... Algerian Piano Player (uncredited)
Lynn Whitney .... Actress (uncredited)
Bernice Young .... Nurse (uncredited)

Writing Credits
Vicki Baum novel Mortgage on Life
Herman J. Mankiewicz

Original Music
Nacio Herb Brown
Frederick Hollander

Cinematography
George E. Diskant

Trivia
Nicholas Ray and Gloria Grahame met while shooting this film. They were married in Las Vegas shortly after completing the film. They chose Las Vegas because Ray loved to gamble and to allow Grahame to get a quickie divorce (after the required six weeks of residency in Nevada) from actor Stanley Clements. The day the divorced was granted, the two married.

Memorable Quotes

A Woman's Secret is a 1949 film noir.
It was based on the novel Mortgage on Life by Vicki Baum.
It was directed by Nicholas Ray and starred Maureen O'Hara,
Gloria Grahame and Melvyn Douglas.

In this little drama, Maureen, is the star name,
impeccable, acting, at her very best.
Melvyn Douglas, gives a polished performance,
while a Duke favourite, Jay C. Flippen is a sheer joy.

User Review

A Poor Mans 'All About Eve',
Author: Cicerosaurus from Brisbane, Australia

Quote

Maureen O'Hara loses her voice to one of those strange diseases
that abound in movies, and drives a young woman (Gloria Grahame) as an understudy.
That is where the fun begins.
The story is told in flashback, and is reminiscent of All About Eve,
although as if told in reverse. Melvyn Douglas is a forerunner of Addison de Witt
and the viewer can see resemblances in the other characters.
This is probably one of Gloria Grahames' best performances,
with Melvyn Douglas giving a polished display and Jay C Flippen
as the Police Inspector a delight.
The end is a trifle weak, and slightly confusing,
but this sleeper is a great little time filler. Don't expect it ever
to appear in any list of greatest movies of all time however.

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Hi Bill,

Thanks for your interest, but as with a lot of these films,
there is not quite the same, interest as there is with Duke's!!
I saw this movie sometime ago, and it's OK!!
but that's about it, really!!

Unlike Duke's films, I do not have such in-depth knowledge.
The main purpose of these reviews,
is to get this Forum, up and running,
and hopefully attract, reviews, discussion and comments,
from fans of Maureen O' Hara.
There are a handful of reviews, remaining , that I've compiled,
and are ready to post, and I will do so over the next week.
That means all Maureen's movies are in place, and it is really
up to the members, who are interested in her,
to keep the forum alive!!
There's not a lot more I can do really!!!