Mel Ferrer’s
The Secret Fury is a fascinatingly bittersweet noir in which we watch the slow motion mental breakdown of a woman who has no recollection of marrying a man whom others assert is her husband. After the wedding ceremony of Ellen Ewing (Claudette Colbert) to architect David McLean (Robert Ryan as a perfectly supportive fiancée) is traumatically interrupted by a phone call claiming Ellen is already married, the almost-wed couple set out on a journey to prove the accusation false; unfortunately, they find a number of witnesses who not only corroborate the claim but seem to have fond memories of “Mr. and Mrs. Randall.” While the film is set among shiny people in glossy environments, what stands out is the cruelty of Ellen’s mental manipulation not only by strangers but by her loved ones who can’t help expressing their skepticism toward Ellen’s protestations: it’s a brutal case of gaslighting made even worse by an unexpected murder and a visit to an insane asylum. (Colbert’s courtroom nervous breakdown rivals only Ida Lupino’s in 1940’s
They Drive by Night in the noir cycle.) Cinematographer Leo Tover provides a number of beautifully expressionistic scenes, particularly in the apartment of Leah (
I Love Lucy’s Vivian Vance in her only noir appearance) and the final fistfight in the dark.
