Lightdeossk
Captivating movie !
Invaderbank
The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.
Derrick Gibbons
An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.
blanche-2
Joanne Woodward, Stuart Whitman, and Edward Mulhare star in "Signpost to Murder," a 1964 film directed by George Englund. This almost seemed to me to be a television production, as the scenes seemed to be set up for commercials.Whitman plays a convicted murderer, in prison for ten years. He has been working with a psychiatrist (Mulhare). He escapes when the board refuses his release and hides out in a house owned by Woodward and her husband. Woodward's husband is expected home; in the meantime, prison officials and police are combing the area for the convict.Very good story, fabulous set, somewhat slow-moving in the British fashion (since it is British) but with an exciting ending. The excellent Woodward is quite glamorous here, and Whitman does a terrific job. Whitman was one of those actors who, had he come along ten years earlier, would have been part of a studio build-up and had a much better career in films. Like many of his contemporaries, he wound up doing a lot of television.Recommended if you're a mystery/suspense lover.
ksf-2
Shown August 2011 on TCM's "Joanne Woodward day", this production by Marten Pictures stars Joanne Woodward as "Molly" and Stewart Whitman as "Alex". Woodward had done mostly TV during the 1950s, then started in films. Whitman had been quite the boxer in the service, and had also done a lot of TV in the 1950s, then on to films in the late 1950s/1960s, now getting credited for his roles. "Signpost" is a combination of prison escape, a who-dunnit, and even a bit of a 1970's psychological "thinker film". Pretty well done, its not at all a "murder noir" - its much too bright, blunt, and in- your-face to be a noir. When the escaped prisoner hides out in someone's house, the police keep popping in, sure that the escaped prisoner is still around. There are some surprises, and all the excitement is in the last 20 minutes. Also keep an eye out for Alan Napier (ALFRED, from the Batman TV Show!) Based on a play written by Monte Doyle, this was only the second film directed by George Englund. He seems to have done most of his work as a producer, and worked on the very successful Golden Girls TV show in the 1990s. Not a bad movie, but nothing real special.
bkoganbing
I saw a Law And Order episode that had a similar theme to Signpost For Murder in which a psychiatrist played by Robert Foxworth was able to manipulate his patient in the way Edward Mulhare was doing with Stuart Whitman in this film. The Law And Order episode was infinitely superior.I think Paul Newman was shooting Lady L in Europe at the time and Joanne Woodward got this film to do probably to keep herself busy. She plays the owner of a house where escaping mental patient Stuart Whitman takes refuge. Later on her husband turns up very dead, first for Whitman privately and then very publicly. And who's going to believe Whitman who is in the insane asylum for strangling his wife.Mulhare, Whitman, and Woodward have all seen better films than this one. Definitely subpar for all of them although being the professionals they are they give the film there all. It just ain't enough.
pgilvoz
I also give this b/w thriller high marks. The story is good and as mentioned in another comment, the set is terrific and the atmosphere of suspense and intrigue sustains your interest. You begin to suspect that something's not quite right, but you're still surprised when it is revealed. One of my favorite actors, whom I had the pleasure of knowing briefly, was Edward Mulhare, and this is one of the few chances he was given in this country to show his appeal. Whitman reaffirms that he was a very underrated actor, despite his Oscar Nomination for "The Mark", having ultimately been relegated to B-Westerns and some unexceptional, though frequent, TV guest appearances. All in all, a very well-spent 74 minutes or so.
