The Man with a Cloak (1951)
1951 · Feature film · 80 min · dir. Fletcher Markle
What strange hold did this man have over the lives of these two beautiful women ?
- Thriller
Synopsis
Set in 19th-century New York, this mystery begins when a Frenchwoman shows up at the home of one of Napoleon's former marshals. The alcoholic man is badly crippled and slowly dying, but this doesn't stop the forthright lady from pushing him to change his will to include his estranged grandson so that he can help out the struggling French Republic. Unfortunately, the dying man's conniving housekeeper and butler, already planning murder to get the money themselves, overhear her and begin plotting…
Synopsis from TMDb
Details
- Director
- Fletcher Markle
- Writer
- Frank Fenton
- Composer
- David Raksin
- Cinematography
- George J. Folsey
- Studio
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
- Released
- 1951-11-27
- Running time
- 80 minutes
Cast & crew
Fletcher Markle Director
Joseph Cotten
Barbara Stanwyck
Louis Calhern
Leslie Caron
Joe De Santis
Jim Backus
Margaret Wycherly
Richard Hale
Reviews on the Internet Archive
★★★★★ · Smart, witty noir set in 1848 NYC · jskoch · 2023-07-16
Very well scripted. Sharp, tightly written dialog. One example: Madeline Minot (Caron) asks her dying host's (Louis Calhern) butler, "What is causing his death?" The butler (Joe DeSantis) replies dryly, "His life." The casting couldn't be better. Leslie Caron is charming as the innocent, idealistic Madeline. Stanwyck is cynical, cooly elegant, and intelligent, verbally jousting with the equally articulate and worldly wise Dupin (Joseph Cotten). Each supporting actor -- including the frequently seen and heard Jim Backus as a tavern owner -- serves the script well. The rich old man (Calhern)…
★★★★★ · the man with a cloak · Beathan · 2025-06-07
Brilliant atmospheric film with small but good cast, and a nice twist in the tail (or tale).
