No Man of Her Own

A nice little noir that, while having a few moments of ridiculousness, keeps the tension and flow at just the right level. Stanwyck is great as usual.

An appealing cast, coupled with just enough emotional complexity and hidden motives to make this good noir viewing. The title is terrible...TCM lists 4 different working titles, and the final choice is easily the worst one. Stanwyck is not at her best as a victim...fortunately, she doesn't spend TOO much of the film in that mode. Mostly she is her usual compelling. I wouldn't mind marrying John Lund myself, and Lyle Bettger is appropriately sleazy--and kinda hot.

Depressing mix-up of identity with blackmail and often cold emotion. Barbara Stanwyck the undeniable star, perfectly lighted and framed for a sad story. Definitely delivered on the dreary part, at the same time it was perhaps too much of a one-tone atmosphere, with little else added to make it more likable. At least it was dedicated to that one mood, but it won't be among my favorite Stanwycks, no matter how great she was in No Man of Her Own (1950).

Comes off a bit overblown in the first half (with panicky VOs abounding)...and maybe too conscious of the gimmicky nature of the plotline. Once the dirtbag from Stanwyck's past shows up though it really tightens up and becomes gripping. Boettger makes for a truly splendid slimebucket, and the rest of the cast is fine too (particularly Cowl and Stanwyck--who, though arguably long in the tooth for the role, plays it perfectly). Even the cosmetic Hollywood ending does little to dent the impact.

This inspired melodrama boasts a performance by Stanwyck so personal and real it transcends the theatrics of the era. And the criminally underrated director Mitchell Leisen---normally a director of broad comedies---is fully aware, as he brilliantly fixates on her while other characters carry on off-screen, accentuating her predicament as an imposter desperate not to get caught. The film also boasts one of the most vile bad guys in all noir, and a cast full of distinctive, likeable supporters.

A bit predictable and a bit far-fetched, but Stanwyck's performance sells it completely, and Leisen shows a dedication to the material, bringing what might have been a rather hokey women's weepie to life. The drama is compelling from start to finish, with measured pacing and excellent camerawork. The situation keeps ratcheting up to a tense climax. Lyle Bettger and Jane Cowl are both great. If the ending seems a bit too convenient, at least it provides for a really satisfying callback.