High Wall

A man with a head injury believes he killed his wife, and it’s up to a psychiatrist to determine the truth.  Like Conflict and Possessed before it, here Curtis Bernhardt again provides a psychological thriller with deep noir roots, and I would say it surpasses both of those previous efforts.  Much of the credit belongs to cinematographer Paul Vogel, who makes the film look absolutely spectacular.  Expressive camera movement, beautiful shadows, careful compositions.  No complaints in the photography department.  Robert Taylor and Audrey Totter are both very good as well, with some memorable supporting performances from Vince Barnett and Herbert Marshall.  Also worth mentioning is the melancholy score by Bronislau Kaper.  As for the plot, I found it pretty compelling, even more so than Hitchcock’s Spellbound, to which this film bears a vague resemblance.  The only sticking point is the use of a rather lame device at the climax.  There were much better ways to handle that.  But all around, a really solid flick that I enjoyed very much, especially for its aesthetic qualities.  Rating: 8

IMDb