Phantom Lady
Director: Robert Siodmak
Year Released: 1944
Rating: 2.5
Mostly effective film noir almost completely ruined by the inexplicable move of revealing the strangler halfway through the movie and then giving him countless opportunities to off the heroine (who is trying to save her unjustly imprisoned employer's life). I think the intent was to "maximize" suspense by having the antagonist trail her - constantly endangering her life - but the movie is so cautiously devised that her safety is never in question. I'm willing to give it the benefit of the doubt, however, mostly because of its technical proficiency and grim atmosphere - for maximum enjoyment, cease thinking.
