GurlyIamBeach Instant Favorite.

Payno I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Gary The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

Fulke Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

ejmartiniak Portrait in Black is one of those star-studded, glitzy color productions of the early 1960s, and quite often, those movies fell flat on their faces. This one, though, despite being filled with clichés, works. There is the cliché of the lovely but sexually-frustrated Sheila (Lana Turner), wife of a much older, possessive, and abusive husband, Matthew Cabot, played by Lloyd Nolan, who just happens to be loaded (he is the head of a San Francisco-based shipping line). Perky Sandra Dee plays Turner's step-daughter, who predictably does not care for her father's second wife. She in turn, is romantically involved with the rugged John Saxon, the ruggedly handsome but poor head of a small tugboat firm--a match her imperious father would never countenance. Enter Anthony Quinn as the handsome doctor, daily stopping by the mansion to minister to the terminally ill Mr. Cabot. Soon, he finds that fringe benefits come with his visits, as Mrs. Cabot eagerly falls into the strong embraces of the good doctor--she certainly didn't fall for his intellect. One thing leads to another; the cantankerous Matthew conveniently dies, and the rest of the film deals with who knew what and when, how the protagonists deal with blackmail, and how the death pulls them apart instead of vice versa. Supporting roles are noteworthy--Virginia Grey and Anna May Wong--former 1930s glamor queens play the loyal secretary and housekeeper, respectively. But the best supporting performance kudos go to Richard Basehart as Howard Mason, Cabot's scheming business associate. Mr. Basehart embraces the role of the suave, cutthroat businessman who is clearly out for his own advancement. He has proved he will not hesitate to hurt anyone in his grasp for power and wealth. He has an eye for his employer's wife and a mocking, jealous disdain for the supposedly loyal ministrations of Quinn's Dr. Rivera. Mr. Basehart plays Howard with a delightful smarminess that makes him the funnest character of the entire film. Yet, you get the feeling that deep down, Howard can be a decent person--though he has been in love with Sheila for years, he never made a move on her while her husband was alive--perhaps out of loyalty? Subtle facial expressions in his scenes and tones of voice from Mr. Basehart make Howard more than a one-dimensional slimeball. The stunning wardrobe changes Lana Turner parades through the film, the San Francisco location shots, the set design of the mansion, and the tight direction of Ross Hunter make the film a must see.

Jay Raskin The material was apparently written as a film noir vehicle for Joan Crawford in the mid 1940's. It has some nice surprises and plot twists, but there are points where the lead characters do such obviously absurd and witless things that you have to laugh. For example, one wonders why a wife would kill off a dying husband and risk going to jail instead of waiting a few months for him to kick the bucket naturally. The plot of spousal murder was done to death in hundreds of episodes of the Alfred Hitchcock television series. The level of writing and production is really equal to a good episode of that television series.What does make it a bit more fun is the acting. Lloyd Nolan, Anthony Quinn, Richard Basehart, Ray Walston, Lana Turner, Anna May Wong (in her last performance), and Sandra Dee were all really likable actors. They bring a lot of charm to their parts, whether they are supposed to be likable or not. I thought Ray Walston in a small part as a shity, debt-ridden chauffeur was especially effective. This was between his role of the devil in "Damn Yankees" and Martin the Martian on the television series, "My Favorite Martian" and it reminds us how great an actor he was. Also, it is interesting that Quinn and Basehart had been together in Fellini's masterpiece "La Strada" just four years before. As in that film, they do not get along here either.If the film had been made in the 1940's, at a decent studio, it might have been a classic, but for some reason, we are less forgiving of plot holes and unmotivated character behavior in color films. The actors manage to battle the clichéd script and characters to a draw, which makes it worth watching. This was on a two-film DVD along with Lana Turner's "Madame X". Someone wrote that watching "Portrait in Black" made television soap operas look like Shakespeare. Compared to "Madame X," "Portrait in Black" looks like Shakespeare.

Lechuguilla Oh the heartache and troubles rich people suffer through. Take Sheila Cabot (Lana Turner) for example, an attractive, middle-aged woman married to a wealthy, but ailing, shipping tycoon, Matthew Cabot (Lloyd Nolan). They live in a San Francisco mansion overlooking the Bay, and have multiple servants. But Matthew is gruff, verbally abuses his wife, and generally treats everyone like dirt. It's enough to make Sheila ... well ... cry. Making matters infinitely worse, Sheila has a lover on the side. And she's desperate to exchange the gruff hubby for the lover. However will she manage?That's the setup for this melodrama-mystery combo, a story that involves passion, suspicion, deception, and ultimately murder. The film's easy to follow plot gets a needed boost when a card addressed to Sheila arrives in the mail. All the card says is: "Congratulations on the success of ..." That scene sends the plot hurling into mystery territory. Who wrote the card, and why?The script's two main characters behave in ways that do not seem credible, given their circumstances. And the idea that a grown woman living in California has never learned to drive is a tad dubious.The film's overall look and feel is that of a typical 1950s melodrama. Elegant, expensive clothes, dreamy violin background music, and melodramatic acting conjure up visions of some sudsy 1950s film directed by Douglas Sirk. I don't recall any scene in which Lana Turner is not wearing an expensive dress and, in some scenes, a full-length mink coat.Color cinematography is acceptable, if unremarkable. Casting favors well-known actors. And they perform well enough. I was pleasantly surprised by the performance of Sandra Dee.If you're looking for a believable story, look elsewhere. If you're looking for a sudsy melodrama and/or mystery, "Portrait In Black" will appeal. I could have done without the pretentious suds of these very rich people. But the plot puzzle provided enough mystery to keep me hooked.

JLRMovieReviews Lana Turner, who's married to invalid Lloyd Nolan, has fallen for his doctor Anthony Quinn in one of Lana's most underrated films. This has to be one of the best examples of the melodrama genre, with Lana looking great as usual. I love it when movies know how to fill the cast with recognizable names, giving each role a chance to stand out: Anthony Quinn, Richard Basehart, Lloyd Nolan, Sandra Dee, John Saxon, Ray Walston, silent-screen star Anna May Wong, and Virginia Grey, who was an almost constant presence in Lana's later films. How you can go wrong? Granted, it may be campy or cheesy in some places, with loopholes to boot. But it wouldn't be melodrama without them. And, watching Anthony be driven out of his mind, is priceless. Only a great actor as him could overact so well. And, Sandra Dee comes off surprisingly well in her role, as the stepdaughter skeptic of her stepmother, who goes shopping, but comes back with no packages. If you're yearning for a good old-fashioned movie, the kind they just don't make anymore, this is for you. It's out on DVD, with Madame X. (That's another review.) Knock yourself out! Also, with Lana and John Saxon together in San Francisco, it feels like early Falcon Crest all over again. You gotta love it.