Crime of Passion *** (1957, Barbara Stanwyck, Sterling Hayden, Raymond Burr, Fay Wray, Royal Dano, Robert Griffin, Dennis Cross) – Classic Movie Review 7615

Director Gerd Oswald’s 1957 film noir crime drama Crime of Passion stars Barbara Stanwyck as cop’s wife Kathy Ferguson Doyle, a sassy San Francisco newspaper advice columnist, who gives up her job and pulls out all the stops to get her unambitious homicide detective husband, Los Angeles police lieutenant Bill Doyle (Sterling Hayden), promoted, stopping at nothing, even murder.

The admirable Stanwyck is as watchable as ever, and, even though it is a humble programmer from near the end of her film career, this stalwart film noir grips and entertains.

The good cast includes Raymond Burr and screaming Fay Wray, as an odd married couple, and Royal Dano, Robert Griffin and Dennis Cross, too, as members of the force. It proved the last film noir roles for Stanwyck and Burr, both of whom headed off for TV success.

Also in the cast are Virginia Grey, Jay Adler, Stuart Whitman, Malcolm Atterbury, Robert Quarry, Gail Bonney and Joe Conley.

Jo Eisinger, the adapter of Gilda, writes the original story and screenplay, with Love Story and The Deadly Triangle as working titles.

Crime of Passion is directed by Gerd Oswald, runs 86 minutes, is made by Robert Goldstein Productions, is released by United Artists, is written by Jo Eisinger, is shot in black and white by Joseph LaShelle, is produced by Herman Cohen, is scored by Paul Dunlap and is designed by A Leslie Thomas.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 7615

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