The Spiral Staircase (1945) - film review

In a New England town of the early 1900s, disabled young women are being murdered by an unknown killer.  Mrs Warren, the bedridden owner of an old Gothic mansion, is convinced that her dumb servant girl Helen will be the next victim and urges her to go away.  As the police investigate the killings, suspicion falls on Mrs Warren’s troublesome younger son, Steven, who is hated by both his mother and his brother, a studious Professor.  One evening, events conspire against Helen so that she ends up alone in the old house and entirely at the mercy of the killer...

Possibly the most Hitchcockian thriller not to have been directed by Alfred Hitchcock, The Spiral Staircase is the ultimate "old dark house" thriller.  It has inspired countless imitations but has rarely been surpassed.  The film should under no account be confused with its dull 1975 remake (with the same title), which is unutterably dire.

This is one of the best films to be directed by Robert Siodmak, a filmmaker who is best remembered for his stylish film noir thrillers such as The Killers (1946) and Criss Cross (1949).  The lead is played by Dorothy McGuire, one of the most talented actresses working in Hollywood at the time, who is perfect in the role of the vulnerable yet resilient heroine.  There is also a great supporting cast, which includes Elsa Lanchester.  Much of the film’s suspense arises from the murky amibiguity of the secondary characters - virtually any one of them has the potential to emerge as the killer (although we can probably rule out the dog).

With its stark expressionistic design and cinematography, to say nothing of its atmospheric Gothic set, The Spiral Staircase hss not just the feel but the actual living substance of the darkest nightmare.  The enormous swathes of shadow which drape the sinister mansion interior and dwarf the protagonists resemble the talons of some gigantic night beast that is constantly on the verge of striking.

From the very first shot to the very last, there is a sense of menace and anticipation that is both spellbinding and terrifying, slowly building to a dizzying climax in the final nerve shattering ten minutes.  No wonder the film shocked audiences when it was first released – it has much the same impact today, particularly if you watch it alone, with the lights turned out – preferably in a dark old house...

© James Travers 2008

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