The Family Secret (1951 film)
| The Family Secret | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Henry Levin |
| Screenplay by | Francis Cockrell Andrew Solt |
| Story by | Marie Baumer James Cavanagh |
| Produced by | Robert Lord |
| Starring | John Derek Lee J. Cobb |
| Cinematography | Burnett Guffey |
| Edited by | Al Clark |
| Music by | George Duning |
| Color process | Black and white |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 85 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The Family Secret is a 1951 American film noir crime film directed by Henry Levin and starring John Derek and Lee J. Cobb.[1]
Plot
[edit]Law student David Clark kills best friend Art Bradley in self-defense after an argument. He flees, but later confesses to his father, Howard, a lawyer. The next morning, Howard expects his son to explain what happened to district attorney Redman, but instead David merely asks the DA if he can be of any help after another man, Joe Elsner, is arrested. Elsner is a bookie to whom the dead man owed a debt.
Marie Elsner comes to Howard Clark, asking that he represent her husband in court. David sits by his father's and the defendant's side at the trial. He has always been irresponsible, which is why secretary Lee Pearson keeps resisting David's romantic attentions, even though she is attracted to him. Howard Clark proves a key eyewitness to be a convicted perjurer. It looks like Elsner might be found innocent, but the stress causes him to have a fatal heart attack. David finally realizes he must turn himself in and promises to Lee he will lead a better life.
Cast
[edit]- John Derek as David Clark
- Lee J. Cobb as Howard Clark
- Jody Lawrance as Lee Pearson
- Erin O'Brien-Moore as Ellen Clark
- Santos Ortega as District Attorney Redman
- Henry O'Neill as Donald Muir
- Carl Benton Reid as Dr. Steve Reynolds
- Peggy Converse as Sybil Bradley
- Jean Alexander as Vera Stone
- Dorothy Tree as Marie Elsner
- Whit Bissell as Joe Elsner
- Raymond Greenleaf as Henry Archer Sims
- Onslow Stevens as Judge Geoffrey N. Williams
Reception
[edit]Filmink argued the film "has an interesting set up" but "this isn't well developed."[2]
References
[edit]- Park, William (2011), "Appendix A:Within the Genre", What is Film Noir?, Bucknell University Press, ISBN 978-1-6114-8363-5
Notes
[edit]- ^ Park (2011), p. 147-148
- ^ Vagg, Stephen (5 November 2024). "The Cinema of John Derek, Movie Star". Filmink. Retrieved 5 November 2024.
External links
[edit]- The Family Secret at IMDb
- The Family Secret at AllMovie
- The Family Secret at the TCM Movie Database
- The Family Secret at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films
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- 1951 films
- 1951 crime drama films
- American black-and-white films
- American crime drama films
- Columbia Pictures films
- Film noir
- Films scored by George Duning
- Films directed by Henry Levin
- 1950s English-language films
- 1950s American films
- English-language crime drama films
- 1950s crime drama film stubs
- 1950s American film stubs