The Lost Moment *** (1947, Robert Cummings, Susan Hayward, Agnes Moorehead) – Classic Movie Review 3892

The 1947 film noir-style romantic drama The Lost Moment is an attractively atmospheric oddity, based on Henry James’s 1888 novella The Aspern Papers. It greatly alters the characters and adds schizophrenia, a murder and a fire. 

Director Martin Gabel’s appealing 1947 film noir-style romantic drama The Lost Moment is a slightly sluggishly paced but intensely claustrophobic and attractively atmospheric oddity, with a screenplay by Leonardo Bercovici based on Henry James’s 1888 novella The Aspern Papers. The screenplay greatly alters the characters and adds schizophrenia, a murder and a fire. It is fascinating as a melodramatic psychological thriller film with elements of horror.

Robert Cummings looks a shade uneasy as Lewis Venable, a US publisher in Venice after being told of a horde of lost love letters of an early-19th-century poet, Jeffrey Ashton, who disappeared mysteriously.

The poet’s mistress Juliana Bordereau (Agnes Moorehead), is now a recluse of 105 living in somewhat reduced circumstances. (Moorehead’s remarkable makeover by Bud Westmore into the 105-year-old woman was much discussed in the press at the time, a real talking point.) Posing as a writer wanting to finish his novel, Lewis Venable (Cummings) rents a room in her gloomy palazzo.

However, if Cummings looks a shade uneasy, an unrecognisable Moorehead greatly enjoys being a centenarian as Juliana, the auntie of Tina Bordereau (Susan Hayward), who may have the clue to the letters’ whereabouts. But the severe Tina distrusts Venable.

Powerful acting work from the two redoubtable ladies, plus Gabel’s moody direction and Hal Mohr’s haunting black and white cinematography, helps to keep The Lost Moment very interesting, even quite compelling.

Also in the cast are Joan Lorring as Amelia, Eduardo Ciannelli as Father Rinaldo, Frank Puglia as Pietro, John Archer as Charles, Minerva Urecal as Maria, William Edmunds as Vittorio, Martin Garralaga, Eugene Borden and Julien Rivero.

It is the sole directorial work of character actor Martin Gabel (1912–1986), who was married to Arlene Francis (1907–2001). Gabel and Hayward quarreled, and, after warning him to stop over interrupting her reading her lines, she was said to have picked up a lamp and thrown it at him.

The score is by Daniele Amfitheatrof.

The film recorded a loss of $886,494 for Walter Wanger Productions and Universal Pictures.

Joan Lorring was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress For her role as Bessy Watty in The Corn Is Green (1945).

Joan Lorring died on 30 May 2014, aged 88. Her last film role came in 1974 with The Midnight Man.

© Derek Winnert 2016 Classic Movie Review 3892
Check out more reviews on: derekwinnert.com

Oscar nominee Joan Lorring.