Jeanskynebu the audience applauded

Odelecol Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

Bob This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

Logan By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

mark.waltz This is an exciting Gothic thriller that will keep you guessing. A moody artist, a beautiful model who is brutally murdered and the sister who tries to prove his guilt drives this psychologically and in ways that make you unsure that the dark eyed and sinister looking Francis Lederer is the Jekyll and Hyde he seems to be. Linda Stirling, the Rita Hayworth like beauty, is first seen singing as a knife thrower takes a risk with her and Lederer paints a picture of her being impaled. Truth is stranger than paintings, and Stirling is murdered, with her sister Ann Rutherford taking a modeling job to find a way of pricing him guilty. Gail Patrick is a flirtatious art patron who makes a play for him, unaware of dangerous implications in his past.Sort of like "Rebecca" set in the world of art, this has Lederer its Maxim DeWinter, Stirling as the lady of mystery and murder, and Rutherford its innocent Joan Fontaine like waif who may or may not be in danger with her dealings with the dark souled artist.Then, there's Leona Roberts as his clinging mother which gives hidden psychological clues to Lederer's psyche. He's excellent, delivering a performance of subtle gentility and angry passions, making him an excellent anti-hero. Rutherford, Patrick and Roberts are quite good as well. Everything has been meticulously put together, from the costumes and sets to the music and cinematography. It's a beautiful piece of art, hidden away to the point of obscurity and really deserving of a major rediscovery.

Michael_Elliott The Madonna's Secret (1946) ** (out of 4) Artist James Corbin (Francis Lederer) has his latest model murdered and it strikes one man (Edward Ashley) strange that a previous model died the same way. The second victim's sister (Ann Rutherford) decides to go undercover as a model to try and prove that the artist is the murderer. THE MADONNA'S SECRET features some good performances and nice cinematography but that's about it as the story itself is rather tiresome and director Wilhelm Thiele just doesn't add too much suspense to the material. In fact, I'd say that the entire film has a very weak energy level that really keeps the viewer from getting too caught up in the material. The screenplay itself really doesn't have too much going for it as there are way too many long dialogue sequences that just go no where and end up hurting the film more than helping. As I said, the performances are actually pretty good and they help keep the film moving. Lederer was very believable as the troubled artist and I really liked how the actor could make you not trust him one second but then change your mind the next. Ashley makes for an entertaining good guy and Rutherford gets to shine in a role away from Andy Hardy. John Litel is good as the main cop on the case and Leona Roberts is also good as the artist's mother. I will admit that the final twist in the story is a good one and something that I didn't see coming.

gordonl56 A step above normal film-noir from low budget studio, Republic. Francis Lederer is a painter who is haunted by the memory of his murdered fiancée. All his new work is now finished with the face of the dead woman. When a new model of Lederer's is murdered the police grab him up for a chat. After a bout of 3rd degree they let him go for lack of proof. Then another woman turns up dead and Lederer is the prime suspect. Of course the man is being set up. By his own mother no less! It seems she believes none of the women measure up to her standards. Though there is a bit of heavy going in the odd spot, the film does have some rewards for the viewer. The cast does rise above the story and the look of the film is quite good. Lederer, Ann Rutherford, Gail Patrick and serial queen Linda Stirling are all good in this low-renter. Then we have director of photography John Alton providing his usual assortment of shadows for just the right atmosphere. Director William Thiele is best known for a couple of the lesser Tarzan movies, TARZAN'S DESERT MYSTERY and TARZAN TRIUMPHS. A decent time-waster for the noir crowd.

monsieurhulot Not sure if this strictly a noir film as it runs as a mystery as well. Some evidences of film noir would be the dramatic cinematography, a character that is somewhat of a Femme Fatale, a feeling of hopelessness in the current status quo, and of course, the criminal element that pervades most scenes. Against it being noir would be that this film is not about the average man, but a well to do artist. Also, the fate angle doesn't seem quite pronounced here. The acting is great throughout with special kudos for Francis Lederer and his creepy accent. The cinematography is uniformly superb. Of course, any film shot by John Alton is special. This is a rare film and currently only shown at film festivals. Hopefully it will show up on DVD someday.