BEDELIA

Margaret Lockwood

BEDELIA (1946). Director: Lance Comfort. 

Bedelia and Charlie Carrington (Margaret Lockwood of The Wicked Lady and Ian Hunter of The Girl from 10th Avenue) are on their honeymoon in Monte Carlo when they encounter the artist Ben Chaney (Barry K. Barnes) and they all become friends. Charlie hires Ben to do a portrait of Bedelia, which she objects to, complaining of headaches when she's forced to pose. Ben seems to have a too-intense interest in the pretty woman, and follows the couple to Charlie's home town where the artist is set up in a studio. Ben's mere presence makes Bedelia nervous, and suspicion of the man is also ignited in Ellen (Anne Crawford of They Were Sisters), Charlie's business partner. But is Bedelia keeping secrets herself? 

Ian Hunter with Lockwood

Bedelia is based on a novel by American writer Vera ("Laura") Casbury. The story originally took place in Connecticut but was moved to England for this British production, with the time period updated from shortly after the turn to the century to a contemporary period. Casbury felt that this compromised her theme of the changing gender roles of the time. Whatever the case, Bedelia is a well-acted and very suspenseful story with a darkly fascinating heroine and very interesting supporting characters. Others in the cast include Jill Esmond as Nurse Harris, called in when Charlie suffers food poisoning, Beatrice Varley of Hatter's Castle as the maid Mary, and Barbara Blair as the chatty party guest, Sylvia. Barnes and Lockwood also appeared together in The Girl in the News. 

Verdict: Intriguing British suspense flick. ***.