Seriously? You’re going to pretend your conscience isn't bothering you? The Locket, directed by John Brahm and based on a screenplay by Sheridan Gibney—adapted from Norma Barzman’s story "What Nancy Wanted"—stars Laraine Day, Brian Aherne, Robert Mitchum, and Gene Raymond. Roy Webb handled the music, with Nicholas Musuraca as cinematographer. The film recounts how a bride-to-be, who experienced trauma in childhood due to a false accusation of theft, grows up and negatively impacts the men she encounters. “You don't know the truth from lies, you are just a love sick quack.” A psychological melodrama with touches of film noir, The Locket proves to be quite an interesting movie. Director Brahm brings his distinctive style—his Germanic eye for mood is obvious in films like The Lodger and Hangover Square—along with a confusing number of flashbacks that create a murky psychological portrait. Because of its structure, the film can feel disorienting if you’re not giving it your full attention. But those who are willing to follow along will be rewarded, even though some odd elements prevent it from becoming an essential picture for fans of the genre. The movie is essentially a study of one young woman's mind, deeply affected in ways that have significant consequences for those around her. The story brings up questions about how people with mental health conditions are treated and their place in society, while some of the characters offer worthwhile dramatic potential. Sheridan Gibney does a good job with the screenplay; the complicated subject matter is handled thoughtfully, playing with the audience’s feelings about whether Nancy (Day) is a femme fatale—and that uncertainty makes the ending much stronger than it probably deserves to be. Credit should go to Brahm for managing to pull everything together after using such a tricky narrative technique; it's not up there with his best work, but it does demonstrate what a talent this German émigré was—the striking visuals of the finale are a good example. Among the cast, Laraine Day is memorable in a challenging role, and Katherine Emery delivers a solid performance as Mrs. Mills. Mitchum hadn't yet developed his acting style (which would arrive the following year with Out of the Past and Crossfire), and he seems slightly out of place here, relying mostly on his presence—his character also has one of the film’s most illogical plot points! Aherne is adequate and pleasant to listen to, but never truly believable as a psychiatrist. Musuraca's black-and-white photography creates appropriately shadowy tones, though this isn’t among his finest work, just like with Brahm and Mitchum. If you can overlook some odd details and really focus on what's happening, The Locket is worth your time. It earns a rating of 7/10.

Source on TMDB