Sergio looks at Michael Anderson's 1958 suspense drama, CHASE A CROOKED SHADOW, a clever mystery with a strong cast and memorable payoff. It stars Anne Baxter as an heiress driven to near madness when a man turns up claiming to be her dead brother and everybody but her believes him. Richard Todd is the the smooth impostor and Herbert Lom plays the understandably confused police inspector.
Though uncredited, the premise of the film, and its memorable final twist on which the whole plot depends, had first been used on radio in 1946 for an episode of The Whistler:
"Stranger in the House" (CBS, 2 September 1946), starring Virginia Gregg and Gerald Mohr. Script: Harold Swanton and Mark Smith; Music: Wilbur Hatch; Producer / Director: George W. Allen
The radio play is included in today's podcast, which also looks at some of the many screen and stage variations that followed it. These include the following adaptations of the 1960 stage play by Robert Thomas, Piege Pour Un Homme Seul:
1965: Catch Me If You Can (Stage Play)
Witten by Jack Weinstock and Willie Gilbert Directed by Vincent J. Donehue
Starring Tom Bosley, Dan Dailey, Bethel Leslie, George Mathews
1969: Honeymoon with A Stranger (TV Movie)
Written by Henry Sleaser and David P. Harmon Directed by John Peyser
Starring: Janet Leigh, Rossano Brazzi, Barbara Steele, Cesare Danova
1976: One of My Wives is Missing (TV Movie)
Written by Peter Stone Directed by Glenn Jordan
Starring: Jack Klugman, James Franciscus, Elizabeth Ashley, Joel Fabiani, Garry Walberg
1987: Vanishing Act (TV Movie)
Written by Richard Levinson and William Link Directed by David Greene
Starring: Mike Farrell, Elliot Gould, Margot Kidder, Fred Gwynne