Caught
Directed by Max Ophüls
Written by Arthur Laurents from a novel by Libbie Block
1949/USA
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/Enterprise Productions
First viewing/Amazon Prime Instant Video

Leonora Eames: What’sa matter with George?
Maxine: Well, he’ll never be able to buy you a mink coat.

I still don’t know quite how I feel about this uneven morality play.

Maude Eames (Barbara Bel Geddes) is a young woman who spends her time flipping through Vogue and dreaming of having the finer things in life.  Her roommate tells her the only way to do that is to marry rich and that Maude needs to go to charm school to do so.  Charm school leads Maude to change her name to Leonora and to get some modeling work.  This pays off with an invitation to a party on the yacht  of multi-millionaire Smith Ohlrig (Robert Ryan).

Unfortunately for Leonora, she gets Ohlrig’s attention and he marries her to spite his psychiatrist.  It turns out that he is one tough and arrogant bastard who treats Leona like a possession, and not his favorite possession at that.  She finally escapes and goes to work in a doctor’s office.  There she falls in love with pediatrician Dr, Larry Quinada (James Mason).  But Ohlrig has a secret hold on her and is too determined to continue his torture to let her go without a fight.

This movie has some of my favorite actors.  Unfortunately, Robert Ryan is a very odd choice as a millionaire, however menacing, and James Mason is wasted as a straight forward romantic lead.  Barbara Bel Geddes, on the other hand, is absolutely delightful, especially in the lighter moments of the film.  Ophül’s direction is also quite innovative and stylish.  The script sells its “money isn’t everything” message too hard and descends into mawkishness at points.

Trailer – Introducing James Mason in his first American performance

Clip – Barbara Bel Geddes on catching a man – cinematography by Lee Garmes