Very Cool!!!

It is interesting even when nothing much happens, which is for most of its 3-hour running time. Read full review

It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

I was less pleased with this one than with his earlier "Fly by Night" of 1942, the script here is not very convincing, and the tempo is too slow, sometimes even dead slow. Ella Raines makes a good performance, and so does Thomas Gomez as the police inspector, while Franchot Tone is terrible. The film makes an effort at trying to make his character psychologically credible but fails utterly. There are many other flaws in the script. The trial is a farce, and the other policemen are as far from being credible as policemen as they can get - such policemen would never have been accepted in the force. But there are some excellent nightclub scenes, and the maze of an impossible intrigue brings us into some eccentric expressionism, but it is ultimately Ella Raines who saves the picture.

Let's get Actor Alan Curtis out of the way first. Most Fans and Cultists of this Seminal Film-Noir (and one of the earliest) wish He was Way Out of the Way, like not in the Film. His Awful Performance is a Controlled Contrivance of Unbelievability that is a Distraction to this Otherwise Excellent Foray into Expressionism by Director Robert Siodmak.It's a Visually Stunning Movie. It Helped Write the Template for many a Noir to Follow. Drenched in Shadows, Odd Angles, Trash Riddled Gutters Framing Rain Soaked City Streets, Back Alley Dives with Hopped Up Jive Bands, just to Name Some.Ella Raines as a Strong Secretary Type adds a Multi-Dimensional and wholly Sensuous Performance with Her Transformation to B-Girl Unforgettable. Elijah Cook is also Unlikely to be Forgotten as a Krupa Style Drummer who is "Real Gone" and forsakes Creature Comforts and spends His Money "On other things". Obviously Drugs and Easy Women.Franchot Tone is Remarkable as a Killer who Kills Anyone at Anytime because..."What is their life compared to mine, in fact what's any life compared to mine?" He has Facial Tics and Migraines. Thomas Gomez also makes an Impression as a Concerned Police Detective.Aside from Alan Curtis, the Cast Helps Siodmak make this a Creepy, Unsettling, and "Artsy" Thriller that is Considered Top Film-Noir. It's a B-Movie with Staying Power and some of its "Hamminess" actually adds to the Appeal. It's Sleazy, Pulpy, and Grade A-Low Brow. A Must See.

PHANTOM LADY (not to be confused with the Golden Age comic book with art by Matt Baker) comes from the mind of "William Irish" (Cornell Woolrich, who also gave us the stories that became the Noir movie classics THE WINDOW and REAR WINDOW). If anyone knew anything about the Twists and Turns of the Psyche, it was Woolrich (see the biographical information in many of the best collections of his short stories at your local Public Library); that PHANTOM LADY winds its way through a Mystery with so many Dead Ends and What-the-F---s isn't surprising. (On the other hand, like Raymond Chandler himself, Woolrich could sometimes forget or overlook a plot point or two- and so do the Screenwriter and Director, here.) If you're one of those who INSISTS that all one's ducks be properly aligned, you're going to have a problem or two here and there- but, if you can enjoy for the sheer Naughtiness of it Elisha Cook, Junior's "drum solo," you're in for a Fun Ride.

"Phantom Lady" is notable for having provided legendary film noir director Robert Siodmak with his first American success. Its story, which was adapted from a Cornell Woolrich novel, involves an innocent man who's wrongly accused of murdering his wife and his loyal secretary who embarks on a race against time to prove his innocence. This tale of murder, bribery and betrayal features some extraordinary scenes and the action (which is set in New York City) takes place in locations which often look dark and threatening.After having quarrelled with his wife on the evening of their wedding anniversary, despondent civil engineer Scott Henderson (Alan Curtis) consoles himself with a drink at a local bar and starts to reflect on the fact that he has a couple of tickets for a Broadway show. On the spur of the moment, he asks a lady sitting next to him if she'd like to accompany him to the show and she agrees subject to the condition that they don't disclose or discuss any personal information. The show is eventful because, not only does the drummer in the orchestra try to flirt with Scott's mystery lady but also one of the stars of the show, Estela Monteiro (Aurora Miranda) shows her extreme annoyance when she realises that the lady with Scott is wearing a hat identical to her own. At the end of the evening, Scott and his companion part company and he goes home.When Scott arrives at his apartment, he finds three detectives there and is informed that his wife has been strangled to death with one of his ties. He immediately becomes the prime suspect and when his alibi doesn't stand up, he's charged and subsequently found guilty of murder.Scott's devoted secretary, Carol "Kansas" Richman (Ella Raines) is secretly in love with him and utterly convinced that he wouldn't be capable of murder and so sets out to find the real killer before Scott's executed. On the night of the murder a bartender, a cab driver and Estela Monteiro had all seen Scott but they all denied seeing a lady with him. Carol uses an unorthodox method to try to persuade the bartender to change his testimony but he's accidentally killed when he gets run down by a car. To her surprise, Police Inspector Burgess (Thomas Gomez) who'd been involved in Scott's case also comes to the conclusion that Scott is innocent and unofficially assists with her investigation.Carol subsequently discovers that the orchestra drummer at the theatre had been bribed to say that no-one was with Scott on the night of the murder and when she eventually discovers the identity of Scott's mysterious woman it unfortunately doesn't provide the simple solution to the case that she'd hoped for or expected.Ella Raines' performance is astonishingly good because of the way that she changes her demeanour so successfully in a variety of different situations. She goes from being convincing as a typical secretary to showing the psychological strength needed to totally unnerve the bartender who'd perjured himself and then flaunts herself outrageously in a scene where she tries to seduce the drummer Cliff Milburn (Elisha Cook Jr.).At one juncture of the movie, Cliff takes Carol to a jam session where he launches into an improvised drum solo which is so sexually charged and intense that it goes well beyond the level of mere innuendo and the way that Carol responds is equally strong and provocative. This scene is highly entertaining and provides a marvellous example of the kind of innovation and originality that filmmakers employed to express themselves powerfully in times when censorship standards made their job more difficult."Phantom Lady" is well directed and the scenes in which low-key lighting is used provide a perfect backdrop for the type of action on show as well as contributing strongly to the ominous atmosphere of the piece.