Pawsome Pet Pictures: Rhonda Fleming.

Personal Quote:

What I didn't care for was everything made in those days was black and white, very hard black and white too, there was nothing really pretty about it, even my auburn hair became jet black.

The Spiral Staircase (1945).

The Spiral Staircase (1945). Director: Robert Siodmak. Cast: Ethel Barrymore, Rhonda Fleming, Elsa Lanchester.

The story begins when, mute Helen McCord, goes to see a silent movie. Just as the film is ending, a crash is heard and the projectionist goes to see what had happened. When he gets up stairs he finds the body of a lame girl, the latest victim in a series of murders whose victims are all women with a disability. Dr. Brian Parry, examines the body.

Later while, Parry drives Helen to the house of Mrs. Warren, her invalid employer. Along the way, a young boy stops them in the road and asks the doctor to come help his mother. As the weather becomes stormy, Parry leaves Helen to walk home alone while he drives off with the boy. As Helen reaches the house, she drops her keys while a man watches her from behind some bushes.



After unlocking the door, Helen climbs the stairs to Mrs. Warren's bedroom. From the shadows the man watches her from the stairway. When she reaches Mrs. Warren's room, she warns her that she is not safe and wants her to leave immediately.  She asks her physician, Dr. Parry, to take Helen away for her own safety. When another murder occurs inside the Warren mansion, it becomes obvious that Helen is in danger.

Fun Fact:
Joan Crawford, after her performance in the film, A Woman's Face (1941), wanted the role of the deaf-mute girl played by Dorothy McGuire. Crawford also owned the rights, but MGM studio chief Louis B. Mayer vehemently opposed the idea, telling her "No more cripples or maimed women".

This is a wonderful thriller, atmospheric setting, and plenty of mysterious characters that you don't know who can be trusted. Anyone, who loves classic thrillers will want to see "The Spiral Staircase".

Rhonda Fleming (born August 10, 1923), acted in more than 40 films, mostly in the 1940s and 1950s, and became renowned as one of the most beautiful and glamorous actresses of her day. She was nicknamed the "Queen of Technicolor" because her fair complexion and flaming red hair photographed exceptionally well in Technicolor.

Fleming began working as a film actor while attending Beverly Hills High School, from which she was graduated in 1941. After performing uncredited in a several films, she landed her first substantial role in the thriller, Spellbound (1945), produced by David O. Selznick and directed by Alfred Hitchcock. She followed this with supporting roles in another thriller, The Spiral Staircase (1946), directed by Robert Siodmak, the Randolph Scott western, Abilene Town (1946), and the film noir classic, Out of the Past (1947) with Robert Mitchum. Her first leading role came in Adventure Island (1947).

The actress then co-starred with Bing Crosby in, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (1949), a musical loosely based on the story by Mark Twain. Fleming exhibited her singing ability, dueting with Crosby on “Once and For Always” and soloing with “When Is Sometime.”

In 1953, Fleming portrayed Cleopatra in, Serpent of the Nile. That same year she performed in films, Inferno with Robert Ryan and the musical Those Redheads From Seattle. The following year she performed with Fernando Lamas in, Jivaro.

Some of Fleming’s other films: While the City Sleeps (1956), Slightly Scarlet, Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957), The Big Circus (1959)and Waiting for the Wind (1990).

During the 1950s and into the 1960s, Fleming performed on many television guest-starring roles: The Red Skelton Show, The Best of Broadway, The Investigators, Shower of Stars, The Dick Powell Show, Death Valley Days, Wagon Train, Burke's Law, The Virginian, McMillan and Wife, Police Woman, Kung Fu, Ellery Queen, and The Love Boat.

OUT OF THE PAST (1947)

Out of the Past(1947). Noir. Director: Jacques Tourneur. This movie is loosely based on the novel written by Daniel Mainwaring Build My Gallows High. Cast: Robert Mitchum, Jane Greer, Kirk Douglas and Rhonda Fleming.

In a small town in California, gas station owner Jeff Bailey, who is now living a quiet life, is tracked down by Joe Stefanos, a former business partner.Joe Stefanos, tells him that his boss Whit Sterling, wants to meet him in, Lake Tahoe. Before he goes, Jeff shares with his new girl friend, Ann, the story about his past:

Three years ago, while working as a private detective in New York, Jeff, whose real name is Markham and his partner, Jack Fisher, are hired by gambler Whit to find his girl friend, Kathie. Whit tells him, that Kathie shot him and then disappeared with $40,000 of his money. Whit, promises Jeff that Kathie will not be harmed, if he brings her back to him.



 Jeff finds her vacationing in Acapulco. Kathie insists that she did not steal Whit's money, but was only trying to get away from Whit.

Jeff and Kathie, soon become lovers and are about to leave Acapulco, when Whit and Joe, show up at the hotel. Jeff, tells Whit, that he was unable to find Kathie and wants to quit, but Whit insists that he continue the search for her.

That night, Jeff and Kathie, board a ship to begin a new life in, San Francisco. The couple are found at a remote cabin and the two detectives begin to fight. Kathie, shoots and kills Fisher and Jeff, buries his body. Jeff, is shocked and heartbroken, when he learns that Kathie really did steal Whit's $40,000.

After, Jeff finishes his story about his past, Ann says she still loves him and promises to wait for him when he returns.

At Whit's Tahoe vacation home, Jeff discovers that the double-crossing Kathie has returned to Whit and has told him about their affair. Will Jeff ever be able to get "Out of the Past" and back to his girlfriend and his new life?

Fun Fact:

Humphrey Bogart read the script and, seeing the similarities between this and The Maltese Falcon (1941), wanted to play Jeff. However, Warner Bros. didn't buy the material and RKO produced this movie.

I really enjoyed, for lack of a better word, humorous at times dialog and the twists and turns of this wonderful film noir. I thought Robert Mitchum's mixed up character very intriguing. Jane Greer, is very good as the "bad girl".

Virginia Huston (April 24, 1925 - February 28, 1981), performed in many 1940's and 1950's films noir and adventure films. Signing with RKO in 1945, her first film was with George Raft in, Nocturne.

Huston, was the ninth actress to play Jane, in Tarzan's Peril (1951).

Her other films include: Out of the Past(1947), The Racket (1951), Sudden Fear (1952).

Huston suffered a broken back in an automobile accident, which disrupted her career at its peak. when she returned, she performed minor roles and "B" films.