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Dorothy McGuire, George Brent, Ethel Barrymore, Kent Smith, Rhonda Fleming ... see more see more... , Gordon Oliver , Elsa Lanchester , Sara Allgood , Rhys Williams , James Bell , Erville Alderson , Ellen Corby , Myrna Dell , Charles Wagenheim , Richard Tyler

The wonderfully suspenseful psychological drama Spiral Staircase is the prototype of the "old dark house, lady in distress" thriller, full of dark corners, flickering candles and featuring a mysteriou... read more read more...s, menacing killer whose true identity remains hidden until the end. Helen Capel (Dorothy McGuire), mute because of a childhood trauma, cares for the owner of the house, the wealthy Mrs. Warren (Ethel Barrymore), a demanding, widowed invalid. Helen has quietly fallen in love with one of Mrs. Warren's sons, Dr. Parry (Kent Smith), who she believes to be a gentle and understanding man. Helen's peaceful life is changed forever when three local women, all with physical handicaps, are found murdered. The movie builds to a suspenseful conclusion as Helen finds herself in the midst of a life-and-death battle in the house, as the true identity of the murderer is revealed. Dorothy McGuire is exquisite as the innocent, sweet Helen and gives a totally convincing performance in the difficult role. She uses her expressive face to perfectly convey Helen's emotions, fear and ultimate bravery. Ethel Barrymore won an Academy Award nomination for her performance as Mrs. Warren and plays the difficult "Grande Dame" with great relish. Director Robert Siodmak, noted for his stylish direction of atmospheric suspense films, uses all his plot devices with great skill and craftsmanship, increasing the suspense and sense of foreboding as Helen is observed through the eyes of her stalker, who the audience sees only as a pair of menacing eyes. ~ Linda Rasmussen, Rovi

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77% liked it

2,820 ratings

Critics

92% liked it

13 critics

Unrated, 1 hr. 23 min.

Directed by: Robert Siodmak

Release Date: February 6, 1946

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DVD Release Date: July 11, 2000

Stats: 166 reviews

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The Spiral Staircase The Spiral Staircase Ethel Barrymore & Dorothy McGuire Ethel Barrymore in The Spiral Staircase
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Flixster Reviews (166)

  • vierasesine
    April 1, 2012
    vierasesine
    Noticeably less eventful than one might expect, but by no means boring, with an unsurprising ending. The cinematography, however, is almost to die for.
  • jjnxn
    February 9, 2011
    jjnxn
    Excellent chiller with an outstanding Dorothy McGuire in the lead. Fantastically moody settings and a real sense of dread permeates the proceedings under Siodmak's solid direction. It's the women in the cast who stand out here, aside from McGuire there's a young and very beautifu... read morel Rhonda Fleming, a quietly iunderstated but still scenery chewing Ethel Barrymore, and the humourous duo of Elsa Lanchester and Sara Allgood. All the men are rather stolid but it doesn't detract much from this superior and classy fright flick.
  • flixsterman
    April 3, 2010
    flixsterman
    An atmospheric whodunit that has very little to do with a spiral staircase.

    Someone is knocking off women with 'imperfections'. A woman with a scar on her face, a 'simple minded thing', a cripple... and now, someone is trying to kill Helen (Dorothy McGuire), the gorgeous mute... read more servant of rich old Miss Warren (Ethel Barrymore). Good luck trying to figure this one out - there is a plethora of suspects, and no butler!
  • rubystevens
    March 27, 2008
    rubystevens
    good creepy thriller in a spooky old mansion
  • theSwitchbladeSister
    June 7, 2011
    theSwitchbladeSister
    Spooky atmosphere, beautifully shot and a fantastic performance turned in by Dorothy McGuire as the mute servant being targeted by a serial killer with a peculiar M.O. Great, classy watch.
  • holmennnguy
    July 9, 2009
    holmennnguy
    Unfortunately, The Spiral Staircase is very disappointing. Everything about it sounded so excellent and suspenseful. I was so excited to see it. Maybe my expectations got the best of me? This review may make it seem that I hated it, which is definitely not the case. I actually re... read moreally liked this, but I felt that it could have been so much more. The build up took practically an hour, which would have been fine if it were a longer movie. But since it was so short it left a very short climax and suspense part. So I ended up feeling like it ended too quickly.
  • alsal
    July 16, 2008
    alsal
    This was definitely one of those "DON'T GO DOWN THERE, STUPID!" "TURN AROUND HE'S RIGHT THERE!" type of murder movies and it was amazing. Also, I'm completely obsessed with the lighting.
  • Cinema101
    October 27, 2006
    Cinema101
    6/10

    Not quite the Hitchcockian thriller I thought it would be The Spiral Staircase reminded me more of Gaslight and other female-empowering thrillers with lots of cliches and cheese, particularly towards the end. Definitely an enjoyable experience but it's not a film I'd be at... read more all eager to repeat.

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Critic Reviews

Staci Layne Wilson
February 23, 2010
Staci Layne Wilson, Horror.com

This dated old chestnut definitely wouldn't hold up as-is for today's audiences, but for fans of classic cinema it's well worth a look. Full Review

Fernando F. Croce
September 25, 2009
Fernando F. Croce, CinePassion

Erected on expressionistic Gothic menace Full Review

Steve Crum
March 16, 2009
Steve Crum, Video-Reviewmaster.com

Psychological drama has its share of chills; led by Dorothy McGuire standout.

Michael E. Grost
August 9, 2007
Michael E. Grost, Classic Film and Television

Complex thriller with rich style. Full Review

David Nusair
June 1, 2007
David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews

...the majority of the film's running time [is] bogged down in the dull exploits of several uninteresting characters. Full Review

Dennis Schwartz
January 16, 2004
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

The radiant heroine performance by Dorothy McGuire as a terrified mute, who conveys her inner thoughts without dialogue, was priceless. Full Review

Ken Hanke
November 6, 2002
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

Great period noir from Robert Siodmak.

Thomas M. Pryor
May 20, 2003
Thomas M. Pryor, New York Times

Click to read the article Full Review

Emanuel Levy
June 26, 2005
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

No review available.

Christopher Null
November 18, 2003
Christopher Null, Filmcritic.com

Click to read the article Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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