The Family Secret (1951 film)
{{Short description|1951 film by Henry Levin}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox film
| name = The Family Secret
| image = The Family Secret (1951 film poster).jpg
| alt =
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = Henry Levin
| producer = Robert Lord
| screenplay = Francis Cockrell
Andrew Solt
| story = Marie Baumer
James Cavanagh
| based_on =
| starring = John Derek
Lee J. Cobb
| music = George Duning
| cinematography = Burnett Guffey
| editing = Al Clark
| color_process = Black and white
| studio = Santana Pictures Corporation
| distributor = Columbia Pictures
| released = {{Film date|1951|10|24}}
| runtime = 85 minutes
| country = United States
| language = English
| budget =
| gross =
}}
The Family Secret is a 1951 American film noir crime film directed by Henry Levin and starring John Derek and Lee J. Cobb.Park (2011), p. 147-148
Plot
Law student David Clark kills best friend Art Bradley in self-defense after an argument. He flees, but later confesses to his father, Howard, a lawyer. The next morning, Howard expects his son to explain what happened to district attorney Redman, but instead David merely asks the DA if he can be of any help after another man, Joe Elsner, is arrested. Elsner is a bookie to whom the dead man owed a debt.
Marie Elsner comes to Howard Clark, asking that he represent her husband in court. David sits by his father's and the defendant's side at the trial. He has always been irresponsible, which is why secretary Lee Pearson keeps resisting David's romantic attentions, even though she is attracted to him. Howard Clark proves a key eyewitness to be a convicted perjurer. It looks like Elsner might be found innocent, but the stress causes him to have a fatal heart attack. David finally realizes he must turn himself in and promises to Lee he will lead a better life.
Cast
- John Derek as David Clark
- Lee J. Cobb as Howard Clark
- Jody Lawrance as Lee Pearson
- Erin O'Brien-Moore as Ellen Clark
- Santos Ortega as District Attorney Redman
- Henry O'Neill as Donald Muir
- Carl Benton Reid as Dr. Steve Reynolds
- Peggy Converse as Sybil Bradley
- Jean Alexander as Vera Stone
- Dorothy Tree as Marie Elsner
- Whit Bissell as Joe Elsner
- Raymond Greenleaf as Henry Archer Sims
- Onslow Stevens as Judge Geoffrey N. Williams
Reception
Filmink argued the film "has an interesting set up" but "this isn't well developed."{{cite magazine|date=5 November 2024|access-date=5 November 2024|magazine=Filmink|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|title=The Cinema of John Derek, Movie Star|url=https://www.filmink.com.au/the-cinema-of-john-derek-movie-star/}}
References
- {{citation | last1=Park | first1=William| title=What is Film Noir? | chapter=Appendix A:Within the Genre|year=2011| publisher=Bucknell University Press| isbn= 978-1-6114-8363-5 | chapter-url =https://books.google.com/books?id=W4RQSvoBwGkC&pg=PA102 }}
Notes
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb title|0043521|The Family Secret}}
- {{TCMDb title|id=74525}}
- {{AFI film|50087}}
{{Henry Levin}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Family Secret (1951 film), The}}
Category:1951 crime drama films
Category:American black-and-white films
Category:American crime drama films
Category:Columbia Pictures films
Category:Films scored by George Duning
Category:Films directed by Henry Levin
Category:1950s English-language films
Category:English-language crime drama films
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{{1950s-US-drama-film-stub}}