Great first two thirds with fine performances by the leads, let down badly by an ending that is highly implausible, sits at odds with the tone of the rest of the movie and isn't really delivered well - pity

First, David Korvo (played exquisitely by Joes Ferrer) is one of the most demented, manipulative, scandalously amoral cads to ever grace the screen. The movie is worth watching for him alone. Second, Gene Tierney (playing Anne Sutton) is so painfully lovely and vulnerable, the movie is worth watching for her alone. Do the math.Anne Sutton is the bored wife of a fabulously successful and rock-jawed psychoanalyst (luckily for her, his knowledge proves useful). She is one of those tragic kelptomaniacs with daddy issues (the field of psychology has advanced greatly in 60 years) who falls under the sway of Svengali-esque David Korvo, a truly despicable astrologist, mentalist and woman-beating, trust-fund draining con man. Ferrer has such a subtle, contained performance, conveying his evil intent with a half-hearted gesture or a dropped consonant or a lazy look of his eye — how can you not pull for him? Of course, he uses his considerable bag of tricks to draw poor Anne into his web of deceits and ultimately frames her for a murder (don't worry, it's 1949, there's no blood).Will her controlling and distant husband believe her? Will she let him believe her? And what of Korvo, apparently confined to bed after a surgery, could he actually be innocent? And can someone actually hypnotize themselves? Only grizzled police detective Colton, recently widowed and still grieving, can get to the bottom of it. This is a moody thriller with deep emotional undercurrents that pairs well with a rainy Sunday afternoon and a martini, especially if it's served in one of those old fashioned glasses that look more like champagne saucers.-- www.cowboyandvampire.com --

The famed Otto Preminger produces and directs this melodrama written by Ben Hect and Andrew Solt. A much over looked piece of Film Noir from 20th Century Fox starring the alluring Gene Tierney. Although her husband 'Bill' Sutton(Richard Conte)is a well known psychologist, Ann Sutton(Tierney)is a kleptomaniac, who is trapped into being treated by an unscrupulous hypnotist David Korvo(Jose Ferrer). Korvo is notorious for making his living by taking advantage of unsuspecting women and blackmailing them. Korvo will force Mrs. Sutton's involvement in a failed relationship's payoff and murder. Dirty dealing is going on for sure. And what is a girl to do while under a spell? WHIRLPOOL also features: Charles Bickford, Barbara O'Neal and Constance Collier. With no disrespect to the beautiful Tierney, a great director like Preminger can make a not-so-flamboyant cast look good.

Just watched this last night. I'm a fan of Otto Preminger and was therefore full of hopes, but after a terrific opening 20 minutes, it sort of falls away after all that I think. However, what a fantastic performance from Charles Bickford as the Lieutenant. Brilliant. Worth it to see his performance alone -- Ferrer is wonderful in the opening scene when he defends Gene Tierney and generally adds the right dosage of menace, but the self-hypnosis in the hospital bed is unlikely and the final ten minutes in the house are vaguely ridiculous. The relationship between him and Tierney is very strong however. It is sad to think that Tierney struggled so much health-wise, because to my mind she was the most beautiful of her generation and is utterly plausible in any of the movies that I have come across..