20th Century-Fox Dynamo (February 1960)

JULIE LONDON A FIENDISH EXPERIMENT IN MURDER Having succeeded in swindling a Mexican bank out of $250,000 in cash, after he dis- posed of the body of an American millionaire his co-plotter, Laraine Day, who plays the latter’s jilted and vengeful mistress, has killed him, “the voice” (Edmund O’Brien) picks up a pretty young woman, Julie London (seated), presumably sight-seeing in Mexico City. Meantime, in another city, in the States, Laraine awaits word from “the voice” that she could return to share in the spoils. Back in Mexico, the murderess envisions a celebration with her co-conspirator. Instead, the latter, intent on doublecrossing her and keeping the entire cash, tries to choke her to death. At this point “The Third Voice” takes a switch when the plotters are exposed by a surprise caller. Failing to find an adjective in the dictionaries that, in a word, ac- curately described the nature of “The Third Voice”, an inventive ad- vertising expert, Max Stein, came up with “diabolikill”. The adjective fits the bill like the proverbial glove, for “The Third Voice” drama- tizes a diabolical murder plot that almost succeeded, after being carried out with professional accuracy by an impersonator and a woman scorned. Written (from Charles Williams’ novel, “All The Way”) and di- rected by Hubert Cornfield, who co-produced with Maury Dexter, “The Third Voice”, in CinemaScope, co-stars Ed- mond O’Brien, who won an Academy Award for his portrayal of a press-agent in “The Barefoot Contessa”, in the title part; Laraine Day as the scheming, vengeful, cold-blooded mistress turned murderess, and Julie London as a mystery girl of seemingly easy virtue. With the exception of a few feet cuts, O’Brien appears in every foot of this sus- pense thriller, with facial expressions and gestures carrying much of the action. O’Brien, identified in the screenplay only as “the third voice”, rehearses an impersona- tion of Harris Chapman (Ralph Brooks), an American millionaire, as the key to a scheme to murder him and secure $250,000. Collab- orating with him is Marian Forbes (Laraine Day), Chapman’s private secretary and mis- tress who concocts the plot, in part for greed, but basically for revenge after the million- aire jilted her to marry a younger, attrac* HUBERT CORNFIELD tive socialite. Through a blackmail letter, Marian lures her employer to a house in a Mexican resort town. There she shoots him, with “the voice” arriving soon afterward to dispose of the body. Thereafter, “the voice”, donning Chapman’s clothes and personal effects impersonates the mil- lionaire while Marian returns to Seattle. Everything proceeds accord- ing to the plot time-table; so well, in fact, that “the voice”, having eventually managed to get the $250,000, decides to doublecross Marian, whom he summons to return to the Mexican town, presumably to divide the money. Meantime, “the voice”, in his hotel lobby, has picked up a pretty girl, Corey (Julie London) who encourages his advances, but, in the end, it is she who cleverly uncovers the plot and brings about the arrest of the murderous plotters—and just in time to save Marian from being choked to death by her co-conspirator. Johnny Mandel, whose score for “I Want To Live”, won him a 1959 Academy Award nomination, has composed similarly distinctive “off-beat” music for “The Third Voice” that Ernest Haller photo- graphed. Because of the surprise ending, it is suggested to exhibitors that they use the display ads available on “The Third Voice”, informing the public that no one will be seated during the climax. Playing a supporting role, that of a Mexican trollop, is Olga San Juan, who is Mrs. Edmond O’Brien in private life. Laraine Day, puts into motion her dia- bolical scheme to kill her employer and, through a perfect impersonation of him by a confederate, obtain $250,000. Here she is pictured as she confronts the mil- lionaire with a gun . , . and cold-blooded- ly kills him. 18