It’s hard to believe how true it seems! The Unsuspected was directed by Michael Curtiz and features a screenplay by Bess Meredyth and Ranald MacDougall, based on a novel by Charlotte Armstrong. The film stars Joan Caulfield, Claude Rains, Audrey Totter, Constance Bennett, Hurd Hatfield, and Ted North. Franz Waxman composed the music, and Elwood Bredell was in charge of cinematography. A young woman is found dead, but authorities initially believe it to be a suicide. A woman thought lost at sea reappears at her family’s home only to discover she has a husband she doesn't remember. Her uncle hosts a radio program that presents murder mysteries which feel disturbingly real. And of course, there are financial stakes involved. What exactly is happening at the Grandison Mansion? You need to pull yourself together before your mind breaks! Though not as obscure as it once was, The Unsuspected has become a favorite among film noir fans despite its noticeable emphasis on style over substance. Drawing comparisons to Otto Preminger’s Laura and other films, and hampered by some flimsy plot developments, you get the sense that Michael Curtiz realized he had to really push himself in terms of expressionistic lighting to compensate for shortcomings elsewhere in the production. And he certainly does! With Bredell's help (known for Phantom Lady/The Killers), Curtiz delivers a superb example of imaginative direction. Lighting and shadows are used effectively to portray the psychological tension that permeates the opulent mansion where most of the story unfolds, a place filled with paranoia, confusion, and feelings of being trapped. The silhouettes of crimes create an atmospheric impact, as do the uses of bar shadows. While the script includes clever and suggestive dialogue, and the cast delivers performances inspired by Curtiz’s direction, he also inserts some truly remarkable scenes. A neon sign is captured beautifully, billowing curtains suggest inner turmoil, a glass of tainted champagne creates a sense of foreboding, and numerous off-balance reflections are used to represent deception or a fractured state of mind. Visually, this is noir perfection. If only the screenplay matched the complexity it seems to aspire to; often, the story suffers from significant implausibilities. As more people turn up dead, the motives and methods start to seem rather silly, which is disappointing given how interesting the radio-inspired backdrop was for its time. There are a couple of well-done action sequences, although the car editing leaves something to be desired, while Hatfield elicits a chuckle (perhaps intentionally?) when he reminds us that he played Dorian Gray just two years prior. It’s essential viewing for film noir fans because of its visual style, but the somewhat simplistic melodrama might leave you wishing you were watching Laura instead. 7.5/10

Source on TMDB