Watch Obsession (1949)

 

Watch  Obsession (1949)
British Film, Film Noir, Crime, Thriller
US title: The Hidden Room

Cannes Film Festival, 1949- Official Selection

Released in the United States as The Hidden Room, the 1949 British thriller Obsession is a tense, cerebral drama that blends the calculated darkness of American film noir with a distinctly English reserve. Directed by Edward Dmytryk during his period of exile from Hollywood due to the HUAC blacklist, the film is an adaptation of Alec Coppel's novel, A Man About a Dog, with Coppel also penning the screenplay. It delivers a chilling study of jealousy, revenge, and meticulous psychological manipulation set against the backdrop of post-war London. More on Wikipedia or Mubi 

Plot and Psychological Tension

The film centers on Dr. Clive Riordan (played with chilling, understated politeness by Robert Newton), a prominent London psychiatrist who has grown weary of his beautiful but unfaithful wife, Storm (Sally Gray). The final straw comes with her affair with a young American, Bill Kronin (Phil Brown). Driven by a cold, obsessive desire for revenge—aimed as much at tormenting his wife as at eliminating his rival—Clive meticulously plots what he believes will be the perfect murder.

Clive kidnaps Bill at gunpoint and confines him to a secret, hidden room beneath a derelict, bomb-damaged area of London. His calculated plan is to keep Bill alive until the authorities, having declared the American a missing person, lose interest in the case. Only then does Clive intend to kill him and dispose of the body entirely by dissolving it in an acid bath, a grim detail that caused controversy upon the film's release due to its similarity to the contemporary case of the 'Acid Bath Murderer,' John Haigh.

The heart of the film lies in the prolonged, psychologically charged interactions between the sophisticated, unruffled captor and his increasingly desperate captive. They engage in polite, yet deadly, conversations as Clive daily delivers food and the sulfuric acid solution, maintaining a bizarre intimacy. This tense stalemate is complicated by a seemingly harmless third party: Clive and Storm's persistent little terrier, Monty, whose unwitting actions inadvertently begin to jeopardize Clive's carefully constructed plan.

The Battle of Wits

While Storm harbors suspicions she can't prove, the true danger to Clive's scheme materializes in the form of Superintendent Finsbury (Naunton Wayne) of Scotland Yard. Finsbury is not a typical hard-boiled detective; rather, he's a subtly tenacious, almost Columbo-like figure who initially pretends to be investigating the case of the missing dog, Monty. Through a series of seemingly innocuous, drawn-out conversations, Finsbury quietly corners Clive, a man who, despite his expertise in psychology, finds himself increasingly unnerved by the detective's polite but pointed questions. The battle of wits between the meticulous murderer and the seemingly harmless investigator adds a layer of classic detective suspense to the psychological thriller.

Style and Legacy

Dmytryk's direction, coupled with a score by Nino Rota (later famed for his work with Federico Fellini and The Godfather), gives Obsession a slow-burn pace that prioritizes atmosphere and character depth over quick action. The setting of bombed-out, post-war London serves as a perfect metaphor for the moral and psychological decay underpinning Clive's seemingly respectable life.

Obsession is a sophisticated, deeply unsettling film that showcases a uniquely British take on the "perfect crime" thriller. It finds its tension not in violence, but in the sustained, chilling composure of a man determined to execute a macabre fantasy. The subtle, mounting dread as his meticulously planned world begins to unravel, largely due to a curious dog and a very polite policeman. Though often overshadowed by more famous noirs, the film remains a sharp and expertly crafted example of a psychological thriller.

The Strengths of Obsession

The film's greatest success lies in its chilling, understated psychological tension. The meticulous "perfect murder" plot conceived by Dr. Clive Riordan, a psychiatrist played superbly by Robert Newton, is both original and deeply unsettling. Newton's performance is a highlight, portraying the villain not as a raving lunatic, but as a polite, calculating gentleman whose obsession manifests in meticulous planning. This British politeness contrasting with a gruesome scheme—to dispose of the victim in an acid bath—creates a brilliant sense of macabre irony.

A significant strength is the central battle of wits between Clive and his captive, the American Bill Kronin (Phil Brown), and later, with the deceptively genial Scotland Yard investigator, Superintendent Finsbury (Naunton Wayne). The tension is built through sustained, clever dialogue rather than overt action, giving the film a sophisticated, intellectual edge. Furthermore, Dmytryk's direction utilizes the post-war London setting, with its bombed-out buildings, to excellent effect. These derelict spaces provide a literal and symbolic backdrop for Clive's hidden criminal act, enhancing the film's noir-like atmosphere.

The Less Successful Elements

While largely effective, the film does have some aspects that may be considered weaknesses. The pacing is deliberately slow, which works for building suspense but can drag in the middle sections, particularly as the focus shifts back and forth without significantly advancing the central plot.

Some viewers may also find that certain plot mechanics stretch credulity. Specifically, the logistics of Clive's long-term plan to keep his victim prisoner and gradually prepare the acid solution requires a significant suspension of disbelief. Additionally, the actions of Storm (Sally Gray), Clive's wife, are sometimes under-motivated; her continued presence and passive acceptance of a clearly dangerous situation, despite her suspicions of her husband, can feel implausible.

Finally, while the "polite murder" tone is a virtue, it occasionally keeps the drama too contained. The emotional stakes, particularly for Storm and Bill, sometimes feel reserved, preventing the film from fully exploiting the visceral horror inherent in the premise. Despite these minor flaws, Obsession remains a highly engaging and unique entry into the British crime-thriller genre.
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