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High Wall
High Wall
High Wall
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High Wall
Theatrical release poster
Directed byCurtis Bernhardt
Screenplay bySydney Boehm
Lester Cole
Based onHigh Wall
a 1936 novel
by Alan R. Clark
Bradbury Foote (play)
Produced byRobert Lord
StarringRobert Taylor
Audrey Totter
Herbert Marshall
CinematographyPaul C. Vogel
Edited byConrad A. Nervig
Music byBronislau Kaper
Production
company
Distributed byLoew's Inc.
Release date
  • December 17, 1947 (1947-12-17) (United States)
Running time
99 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$1,844,000[1]
Box office$2,618,000[1]

High Wall is a 1947 American film noir starring Robert Taylor, Audrey Totter, and Herbert Marshall. It was directed by Curtis Bernhardt from a screenplay by Sydney Boehm and Lester Cole, based on a novel by Alan R. Clark and a play by Bradbury Foote.[2]

Plot

[edit]

Steven Kenet, a former WWII bomber pilot and recent mercenary flyer, crashes his car into a river, hoping to kill himself and cover up the strangulation murder of his wife Helen, whose body is in the passenger seat. He survives, but, due to a wartime brain injury that was aggravated by a crash in Burma, he says he has no memory of what happened, and is sent to the county psychiatric hospital to determine if he is sane enough to be charged with murder.

Dr. Ann Lorrison takes an interest in Steven's case, and in him. An operation could resolve the cause of his headaches and blackouts, but he refuses to consent to it, as he thinks he is guilty, and would rather stay in the hospital than go to jail. In spite of pressure from the district attorney's office on hospital administrators to force surgery on him, they refuse. However, when Ann informs Steven that his mother has died, he changes his mind, now wanting to be declared sane so he can make decisions about what to do with his six-year-old son Richard, who he hopes to keep out of the county orphanage. Without telling Steven, Ann brings Richard to stay with her and her aunt.

Meanwhile, Henry Cronner, the janitor at the apartment building where Helen's boss, Willard Whitcombe, lives, attempts to blackmail Whitcombe over his potential role in her death. After being rebuffed, Cronner goes to see Steven, hinting he knows there was a third person in the apartment when Helen died, but withholding details until Steven has control of his finances again. When Cronner mentions visiting Steven, Whitcombe sends Cronner plummeting to his death down the elevator shaft in their building.

Now questioning his guilt, Steven agrees to undergo "narcosynthesis"—a light dose of sodium pentothal—to help him remember what happened, but only recalls finding Helen in Whitcombe's apartment and blacking out just as his hands were around her neck, then finding her dead body when he regained consciousness. After the session, he hides in Ann's car to escape from the hospital, and takes her to Whitcombe's empty apartment, where he recreates a scene resembling that of Helen's death. Remembering that a suitcase was missing when he awoke from his blackout, he leaves without cleaning up and returns with Ann to the hospital to wait for Whitcombe to contact him.

Whitcombe visits Steven the next day and provokes an attack by confessing to killing Helen and Cronner, saying no one will believe Steven if he tells them. Steven is put in solitary confinement, but breaks free when Ann hears what happened and goes to him. He steals her car, and, eluding a sweeping manhunt, makes it to Whitcombe's apartment building. It is guarded by police, but Ann shows up, and together they manage to sneak in.

In a brutal fistfight, Steven dazes Whitcombe, and Ann seizes the opportunity to administer sodium pentothal to him. Before several police officers, Whitcombe recounts how he tried to end his affair with Helen after finding Steven unconscious in his apartment, but she threatened to cause a scandal and ruin any chance of him becoming a partner in his publishing firm, so he strangled her. Though the statement is inadmissible in court, the lead detective lets Steven go free and arrests Whitcombe, confident he can get a valid confession once the truth serum has worn off.

Ann brings Steven to her home to see Richard. After gently touching the sleeping boy's hand, Steven kisses Ann.

Cast

[edit]
  • Robert Taylor as Steven Kenet, a pilot with a head injury
  • Audrey Totter as Dr. Ann Lorrison, a psychiatrist at Hamelin County Psychiatric Hospital
  • Herbert Marshall as Willard I. Whitcombe, editor at Brattle Press
  • Dorothy Patrick as Helen Kenet, Steven's wife and Whitcombe's secretary
  • H. B. Warner as Mr. Slocum, a long-time patient at the hospital
  • Warner Anderson as Dr. George Poward
  • Moroni Olsen as Dr. Philip Dunlap, the head doctor at the hospital
  • John Ridgely as Assistant District Attorney David Wallace
  • Morris Ankrum as Dr. Stanley Griffin, a neurosurgeon
  • Elisabeth Risdon as Mrs. Kenet, Steven's mother
  • Vince Barnett as Henry Cronner, the arthritic janitor at Whitcomb's apartment building
  • Jonathan Hale as Emory Garrison, a Brattle Press board member
  • Charles Arnt as Sidney X. Hackle, Steven's court-appointed lawyer
  • Ray Mayer as Tom Delaney, a friendly orderly
  • Bobby Hyatt as Richard Kenet, Steven and Helen's son
  • Eula Guy as Vera Mercer, an employee at Brattle Press (uncredited)
  • Mary Servoss as Martha Ferguson, Ann's aunt (uncredited)
  • Dick Wessel as Jim Hale, a tough orderly (uncredited)
  • Irving Bacon as the owner of the gas station (uncredited)
  • Frank Jenks as Pinky, a drunk man Steven and Ann meet in a bar (uncredited)
  • Jack Davis as Detective Halloran (uncredited)

Reception

[edit]

The film had a budget of $1,844,000,[1] and earned $1,553,000 in the US and Canada and $1,065,000 elsewhere, resulting either in a profit of $744,000,[1] or a loss of $101,000,[3] depending on the period source consulted.

Critical response

[edit]

A contemporary review of the film in The New York Times said: "As straight movie melodrama, employing modern psychotherapy, High Wall is a likely lot of terrors, morbid and socially cynical. Just the thing for your holiday entertainment—unless, of course, you are sane."[4]

In 1984, writer Spencer Selby called High Wall "stylish, representative of late forties noir thrillers."[5]

Writing in 2006, film critic Dennis Schwartz called the film "a tepid and chatty psychological melodrama that is embellished with black-and-white film noir visuals by the adept camerawork of Nicolas Vogel," but thought the main cast "adequate but too bland to convince us that their romance was possible. Robert Taylor's personal despair was more like angst in a soap opera than film noir. The film's biggest faults were that it was never convincing as a mystery story, that the romance story was more Hollywood fantasy than real, that the truth serum is so casually accepted as the answer to establishing the truth and that brain surgery can so easily cure Taylor of his mental disorder."[6]

References

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High Wall

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
High Wall is a American directed by Curtis Bernhardt, starring Robert Taylor as Steven Kenet, a veteran suffering from due to a , who confesses to murdering his unfaithful wife but begins to question his guilt while committed to a . The film explores themes of and memory recovery as Kenet, under the care of psychiatrist Dr. Ann Lorrison (), works to reconstruct the events of the night in question. Produced by (), High Wall features a by Sydney Boehm and , adapted from the play of the same name by Bradbury Foote, based on the 1936 novel by Alan R. Clark. The supporting cast includes as Willard Whitcombe, Dorothy Patrick as Helen Kenet, and in a key role, with cinematography by Paul Vogel and music by Bronislau Kaper contributing to its atmospheric tension. Running 99 minutes, the film was released on December 17, 1947, in the United States, blending crime drama and elements typical of the noir genre. Critically, High Wall received mixed reviews upon release, with some praising its exploration of issues in the postwar era, though it has been described by later critics as a "tepid and chatty psychological ." It holds an user rating of 6.9 out of 10 based on 2,320 votes and an audience score of 49% on from 50+ ratings (as of November 2024), reflecting its status as a solid but not standout entry in MGM's output. The production was notable for its connection to the (HUAC) hearings, as star Robert Taylor testified and screenwriter was later blacklisted.

Plot and Characters

Plot Summary

Steven Kenet, a bomber pilot suffering from a injury sustained during , returns home after two years overseas to discover his wife Helen has been unfaithful. Overcome with jealousy, he follows her to the apartment of her lover, Willard Whitcombe, a prominent publisher, and in a fit of rage, grabs her throat before blacking out due to severe headaches from his . While unconscious, Whitcombe strangles Helen to avoid . Upon regaining consciousness, Kenet finds Helen dead and, believing himself responsible, places her body in their car and drives off a bridge in a . Rescued by police, Kenet confesses to the but, due to his and unstable condition, is committed to a rather than facing immediate trial. There, he refuses potentially life-saving brain surgery, fearing it will confirm his guilt and lead to permanent institutionalization, while his young son is left in the care of his late wife's family. Dr. Ann Lorrison, a compassionate , takes an interest in his case, motivated by her belief in his innocence and a desire to reunite him with his son; she persuades him to undergo the operation, which alleviates his physical symptoms but fails to restore his lost memories. As Kenet's trial approaches, Lorrison employs —a form of therapy using —to probe his , gradually uncovering fragmented recollections that suggest he did not kill Helen. It emerges that Helen's affair with Whitcombe had soured, and Whitcombe strangled her after Kenet blacked out; Whitcombe then framed Kenet by manipulating and witnesses. An apartment building janitor and , Henry Cronner, who witnessed aspects of the night, attempts to blackmail Whitcombe and is later murdered (pushed down an elevator shaft) to silence him, heightening the stakes. After Kenet escapes the hospital with Lorrison's help but is recaptured, Lorrison lures Whitcombe to the hospital by claiming Kenet wants to . She secretly administers to Whitcombe, forcing a full that is recorded by authorities, revealing the publisher's motive tied to avoiding over the affair and the janitor's . Exonerated and cleared of all charges, Kenet regains custody of , marking his transformation from a guilt-ridden amnesiac to a free veteran ready to rebuild his life.

Cast

The principal cast of High Wall is led by Robert Taylor as Steven Kenet, a veteran afflicted with from a brain injury. Taylor's portrayal of the psychologically traumatized protagonist was noted for its emotional depth and conviction, representing a shift from his more conventional leading man roles during the war years. plays Dr. Ann Lorrison, the empathetic psychiatrist assigned to Kenet's case. Totter's performance highlights her as a resolute and intelligent female authority figure, echoing her frequent casting in as complex, no-nonsense women. Herbert Marshall portrays Willard I. Whitcombe, Kenet's duplicitous employer harboring dark secrets. Marshall's refined yet menacing depiction of the antagonist was commended for its subtlety and effectiveness. Among the supporting players, Dorothy Patrick appears as Helen Kenet, Steven's wife and the story's key victim. Moroni Olsen is cast as Dr. Philip Dunlap, the authoritative director of the . H. B. Warner plays Mr. Slocum, a dignified senior associate in Whitcombe's organization. Additional supporting roles are filled by Warner Anderson as Dr. George Poward, another medical staff member, and John Ridgely as David Wallace, the assistant .

Production

Development

The film High Wall originated from the 1936 novel of the same name by Alan R. Clark, which was later adapted into a play by Alan R. Clark and Bradbury Foote. The screenplay, written by Sydney Boehm and , adapted the source material's core premise of a man's psychological turmoil to feature a veteran suffering from . This was Lester Cole's last screenplay before he was blacklisted following his 1947 testimony before the (HUAC). Key creative decisions during development highlighted the film's noir and psychological depth, including the incorporation of contemporary psychiatric techniques such as —a treatment using sodium pentothal to retrieve repressed memories, which was commonly applied to veterans in post-war America. The project was produced by Robert Lord at (MGM), marking his first assignment at the studio, to support its ambitious exploration of mental institutions and moral ambiguity. Curtis Bernhardt, a German émigré director who had fled Nazi persecution and was known for his work in such as Possessed (1947), was selected to helm the film, bringing his expertise in shadowy visuals and emotional intensity to the pre-production phase. Supporting the psychological focus, Bronislau Kaper was enlisted for the musical score, contributing a tense, atmospheric that underscored the protagonist's inner conflict, while cinematographer Paul C. Vogel was chosen to capture the film's high-contrast noir aesthetic during planning. These choices, finalized in early , shaped High Wall as a deliberate blend of thriller elements and on wartime psychological scars.

Filming

Principal photography for High Wall occurred at the Studios on 10202 W. Washington Blvd. in , spanning from June to August 1947. The production relied heavily on soundstages to construct interiors such as the wards and urban apartments, fostering a sense of that amplified the film's tense, confined environments. Limited exterior shots, including rain-slicked streets and rural lanes, were also captured on the lot using matte composites for added realism. Paul Vogel served as , shooting in black-and-white with a 1.37:1 to evoke the stark of . His approach featured high-contrast lighting that emphasized deep shadows and dramatic highlights, heightening psychological tension during key sequences of disorientation and confrontation. This visual style supported the narrative's exploration of trauma through innovative subjective camera angles, which immersed viewers in the protagonist's fractured perspective. The film incorporated flashbacks and dream-like sequences to depict , employing special optical effects to simulate swirling blackouts and fragmented recollections with finesse. These techniques were particularly evident in the narcosynthesis scenes, where the effects of sodium pentothal were visualized through hypnotic dissolves and distorted imagery to convey recovery. Production navigated the sensitive portrayal of mental illness by focusing on clinical restraint and visual metaphor, avoiding sensationalism in favor of empathetic tension.

Release and Reception

Release Details

High Wall had its world premiere in on December 25, 1947, with a general U.S. release in February 1948, handled by Loew's Inc. as the distributor for (). The film runs for 99 minutes. promoted High Wall as a centered on the struggles of a , capitalizing on post-war interest in issues among returning soldiers. Promotional posters highlighted Robert Taylor's dramatic lead performance and Audrey Totter's role as the alluring psychiatrist, drawing attention to the stars' chemistry and the film's noir elements. The marketing targeted urban theaters, appealing to audiences familiar with film noir's tense, shadowy narratives. The film rolled out across the and internationally via MGM's extensive distribution network, with subsequent releases in countries such as on June 3, 1948, and on June 24, 1948. The release occurred without any significant controversies.

Box Office

High Wall was produced by (MGM) on a of $1,844,000. The film generated U.S. and rentals of $1,553,000 and international rentals of $1,065,000, for a worldwide total of $2,618,000. Released amid the post-war economic boom that saw peak U.S. movie attendance in 1947, High Wall achieved modest commercial success but faced stiff competition from MGM's bigger hits that year, such as Green Dolphin Street, which earned $4,384,000 in domestic rentals. The film's performance paled in comparison to Robert Taylor's prior vehicle Undercurrent (1946), which delivered a profit of $1,001,000 to MGM according to studio records. Overall profitability for High Wall is estimated at $744,000, though some analyses account for studio overhead and report a net loss of $101,000. Within MGM's 1947 output of over 50 releases, High Wall ranked as a mid-tier performer, its earnings reflecting the niche appeal of the film noir genre, which drew dedicated audiences but often struggled against more mainstream dramas and musicals dominating the studio's slate.

Critical Response

Upon its release, High Wall received mixed reviews from contemporary critics, who appreciated its strong performances while questioning its tonal balance and psychological realism. Bosley Crowther of The New York Times described the film as "a likely lot of terrors, morbid and socially cynical," praising Robert Taylor's intense portrayal of a tormented veteran and Audrey Totter's effective depiction of the empathetic psychologist, though he found the overall melodrama overly grim for holiday viewing. In contrast, Variety hailed it as "a strong entry in the psycho-melodrama cycle," commending its credible unfolding, clinical details, fine production polish, and the chemistry between Taylor and Totter, which lent emotional weight to the central relationship. Modern critics have similarly offered divided opinions, often highlighting the film's noir aesthetics alongside its narrative shortcomings. Dennis Schwartz of Ozus' World characterized it as a "tepid and chatty psychological melodrama" with unconvincing romance and contrived plot devices like truth serum, though he acknowledged the effective black-and-white film noir visuals that enhanced its atmospheric tension. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an audience score of 49% based on over 50 ratings, with only 2 critic reviews and no Tomatometer score as of November 2025, reflecting limited but polarized retrospective evaluations that value its early exploration of a veteran's amnesia and mental strain. Thematically, High Wall has been praised for confronting the stigma surrounding in postwar America, particularly through its depiction of and post-traumatic stress in returning veterans, predating formal recognition of PTSD as a . However, reviewers have criticized its melodramatic resolution and dated portrayals of , such as the casual use of narco-synthesis and institutional settings, which now appear simplistic and reflective of therapeutic misconceptions.
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