Genre: Classics, Drama, Mystery & Suspense Directed By: Michael Gordon Written By: Ivan Goff In Theaters: 23 June 1960 On Disc/Streaming: 5 Febr. 2008 Runtime: 112 minutes Studio: Universal Budget: $1,400,000 Box office: $9,200,000 | Cast: Lana Turner as Sheila Cabot Anthony Quinn as Dr. David Rivera Richard Basehart as Howard Mason Sandra Dee as Cathy Cabot John Saxon as Blake Richards Ray Walston as Cobb Virginia Grey as Miss Lee Anna May Wong as Tawny Dennis Kohler as Peter Cabot Lloyd Nolan as Matthew S. Cabot Elizabeth Chan as Chinese dancer John Wengraf as Dr. Kessler John McNamara as Minister George Womack as Foreman Paul Birch as Detective lieutenant |
“Portrait in Black” is a 1960 American neo-noir crime drama/thriller film directed by Michael Gordon, and starring Lana Turner and Anthony Quinn. Produced by Ross Hunter, the film was based on the play of the same by name by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts who also wrote the screenplay. The film was distributed by Universal-International. This was the final film appearance by veteran actress Anna May Wong.
San Francisco socialite, Sheila Cabot (Lana Turner) becomes increasingly disturbed as she cares for her ailing, disagreeable husband (Lloyd Nolan). Along the way, she falls in love with Dr. David Rivera (Anthony Quinn), who is tending her husband.
This leads to a series of unfortunate events, resulting in the death of the husband and an ensuing murder investigation which reveals a surprise culprit.
Lana Turner plays Sheila Cabot.
As the wealthy Sheila Cabot, her wardrobe is as elegant as anything from Jean-Louis would be. Her hair went darker and and she and Helen Young created a flattering new style that is particular to this movie. After this, Lana and Helen reached a hairstyle that she maintained, with few variations, pretty much for the rest of her life. From then on, most of her colour and style changes were more subtle than in the past.
In Great-Britain “Portrait In Black” had once served as a stage vehicle for Diana Wynyard. This is how Susan Mann of the British periodical Women’s Mirror summed up the heroine of the film version: “This week, I’m celebrating the return of a very dear friend. There she is in “Portrait In Black”, as rich , ravishing and wildly improbable as ever. The moment she slipped her mink coat caressly round her shoulders and rushed out to meet a secret lover leaving her bedridden husband behind, I breathed a sigh of luxurious relief. To me, she’s the Grande Dame of tormented heroines. She used to turn up in film after film. Joan Crawford and Bette Davis played her to perfection. Neither Joan or Bette have been filming lately. So Lana Turner has taken over as top representative of my favourite species of celluloid queen here. But, after Lana, who else is left in films to stride across the screen, diamnonds flashing, passions exposed, behaving as if she believed every word of a plot as incredible as anything in Hans Andersen? It takes a special kind of star to do it. And it grieves me that they don’t make stars like that these days.”
Clip:
You can watch the film here.
Lana Turner did a lot of movies. She really loved being a moviestar.
Here are the most important films in which she starred. Just click the links for more info, photos and videos.
20 April 1937: A Star Is Born
9 Oct. 1937: They Won’t Forget
24 Oct. 1937: The Great Garrick
1 Jan. 1938: The Adventures of Marco Polo
22 July 1938: Love Finds Andy Hardy
12 Aug. 1938: Rich Man, Poor Girl
9 Dec. 1938: Dramatic School
28 April 1939: Calling Dr. Kildare
18 Aug. 1939: These Glamour Girls
29 Sept. 1939: Dancing Co-Ed
19 April 1940: Two Girls on Broadway
19 July 1940: We Who Are Young
25 April 1941: Ziegfeld Girl
12 Aug. 1941: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
2 Oct. 1941: Honky Tonk
18 Febr. 1942: Johnny Eager
27 Aug. 1942: Somewhere I’ll Find You
1 April 1943: Slightly Dangerous
19 Aug. 1943: Du Barry Was A Lady
13 Nov. 1943: The Youngest Profession
23 Aug. 1944: Marriage Is a Private Affair
8 March 1945: Keep Your Powder Dry
1 Oct. 1945: Week-End At The Waldorf
2 May 1946: The Postman Always Rings Twice
5 Nov. 1947 : Green Dolphin Street
1 Nov. 1947: Cass Timberlane
29 April 1948: Homecoming
20 Oct. 1948: The Three Musketeers
1 Sept. 1950: A Life Of Her Own
2 March 1951: Mr. Imperium
5 Sept. 1952: The Merry Widow
25 Dec. 1952: The Bad And The Beautiful
25 Aug. 1953: Latin Lovers
1 May 1954: Flame And The Flesh
7 Sept. 1954: Betrayed
13 May 1955: The Prodigal
4 June 1955: Sea Chase
14 Dec. 1955: The Rains Of Ranchipur
12 Jan. 1956: Diane
13 Dec. 1957: Peyton Place
30 Jan. 1958: The Lady Takes A Flyer
2 May 1958: Another Time, Another Place
30 April 1959: Imitation Of Life
23 June 1960: Portrait In Black
19 July 1961: By Love Possessed
2 Nov. 1961: Bachelor In Paradise
25 Dec. 1962: Who’s Got The Action?
24 Febr. 1965: Love Has Many Faces
27 April 1966: Madame X
30 April 1969: The Big Cube
7 Nov. 1974: Persecution
27 Oct. 1976: Bittersweet Love
31 Oct. 1980: Witches Brew
21 May 1982: Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid
Sources: Wikipedia, IMDB, Rotten Tomatoes, Lana’s biography “Lana, the Lady, The Legend, The Truth“, “The Films Of Lana Turner” by Lou Valentino and “Lana Turner, The Memories, The Myths and The Movies” by Cheryl Crane.