Copyright 31 December 1961 by Associated Producers, Inc. Released through 20th Century-Fox Film Corp. New York opening: 28 March 1962. U.S. release: January 1962. U.K. release: 28 January 1962. Sydney opening as a support at the Regent. 5,410 feet. 60 minutes.
SYNOPSIS: Hal Weston arrives in Los Angeles looking for his ex-wife, Nora, who had divorced him to marry his former partner, Petrie, now reportedly dead. Weston contacts a man named Osgood, a former employee of Petrie's, and persuades him to help in the search. Also aiding in the quest is a young Chinese girl, Li Sheng, who tells Weston that his wife had been a drug addict and had planned to use her husband's insurance money for a trip to the Orient.
COMMENT: This classic Maury Dexter second-feature has something of a deserved cult following. With its weird lighting and atmospheric backgrounds, its entrapped hero and bizarrely assorted supporting characters it's just about as close to film noir as CinemaScope ever got.
OTHER VIEWS: My own introduction to Maury Dexter was a bit harrowing. In the middle of a bitter London winter, I went to one of those cavernous suburban Odeons. The heating had failed. After shivering through "The Comancheros", I decided to leave the "B" movie after ten minutes. Up came "Womanhunt", the 'Scope image in negative, as Steven Piccaro (the same Steve Peck who shoots Shirley MacLaine in "Some Came Running") advances down the airport walkway, the panels switching polarity under the titles till we have an image positive at the edges with reversed tones in the center. Titles and walkway finished, our hero spots Berry Kroeger lurking in the crowd and moves to a courtesy phone where he has a name paged that makes Berry run off in a panic. Good old Steven then drives to a cemetery where we see a marker engraved with the name... Shivering, I was hooked, — so engrossed I scarcely had time to ponder whether I'd be the first film fan to wipe himself out with hypothermia for the cause. — Barrie Pattison.
A taut crime melodrama which improves as it goes on. The direction is efficient, being vigorous and well-staged despite a few weaknesses in the plot and performance. Steven Piccaro is a masterful but mannered hero, and the final rooftop chase and gun battle is as traditional as it is unconvincing. - Monthly Film Bulletin.
SYNOPSIS: Hal Weston arrives in Los Angeles looking for his ex-wife, Nora, who had divorced him to marry his former partner, Petrie, now reportedly dead. Weston contacts a man named Osgood, a former employee of Petrie's, and persuades him to help in the search. Also aiding in the quest is a young Chinese girl, Li Sheng, who tells Weston that his wife had been a drug addict and had planned to use her husband's insurance money for a trip to the Orient.
COMMENT: This classic Maury Dexter second-feature has something of a deserved cult following. With its weird lighting and atmospheric backgrounds, its entrapped hero and bizarrely assorted supporting characters it's just about as close to film noir as CinemaScope ever got.
OTHER VIEWS: My own introduction to Maury Dexter was a bit harrowing. In the middle of a bitter London winter, I went to one of those cavernous suburban Odeons. The heating had failed. After shivering through "The Comancheros", I decided to leave the "B" movie after ten minutes. Up came "Womanhunt", the 'Scope image in negative, as Steven Piccaro (the same Steve Peck who shoots Shirley MacLaine in "Some Came Running") advances down the airport walkway, the panels switching polarity under the titles till we have an image positive at the edges with reversed tones in the center. Titles and walkway finished, our hero spots Berry Kroeger lurking in the crowd and moves to a courtesy phone where he has a name paged that makes Berry run off in a panic. Good old Steven then drives to a cemetery where we see a marker engraved with the name... Shivering, I was hooked, — so engrossed I scarcely had time to ponder whether I'd be the first film fan to wipe himself out with hypothermia for the cause. — Barrie Pattison.
A taut crime melodrama which improves as it goes on. The direction is efficient, being vigorous and well-staged despite a few weaknesses in the plot and performance. Steven Piccaro is a masterful but mannered hero, and the final rooftop chase and gun battle is as traditional as it is unconvincing. - Monthly Film Bulletin.
