D.O.A. (1950).

D.O.A. (1950), a film noir directed by Rudolph Maté. Cast: Edmond O'Brien, Pamela Britton and Luther Adler.

The film begins with Frank Bigelow, walking through the police station to report his own murder and it seems the police already know who he is.

A flashback begins with accountant Bigelow, who decides to take a vacation in San Francisco, which upsets Paula, his secretary and girlfriend, when he does not invite her to go along.

He ends up at a jazz club where, a stranger swaps his drink for another, unnoticed. The next morning, Bigelow, not feeling well, visits a doctor, where tests show he has swallowed a "luminous toxin". He goes for a second opinion, the doctor agrees with the first findings and believes that the poisoning must have been deliberate.

With just a few days to live, Bigelow wants to find out why someone would want to kill him. Paula, provides the first clue: Eugene Philips had tried to contact him, but has since died. Bigelow travels to Philips' company in Los Angeles, first meeting the secretary and Mr Halliday, who tells him Eugene committed suicide. From there he goes to see the widow, Mrs Philips and Eugene's brother, Stanley.

The key to the mystery is a bill of sale, which Bigelow had notarized for Eugene Philips six months earlier. He then connects Eugene's mistress Marla Rakubian, to gangster Majak. They capture Bigelow, but he manages to escape. Will Bigelow, find his killers in time?



The story takes on many interesting twist and turns and there are many suspects to chose from.

Pamela Britton (March 19, 1923 – June 17, 1974) , Her first role in a major production was as Frank Sinatra's girlfriend in the film, Anchors Aweigh. Next she went on to perform in the film, Letter for Evie(1946), Key to the City(1959), with Clark Gable, D.O.A. (1950), Watch the Birdie (1951). Next, she performed in the title role of the TV version of, Blondie, for the one season it ran. The role which she is best Known for in 1963 and lasted until 1966, was a the nosy landlady, Mrs. Loralee Brown in, My Favorite Martian.